TENNIS PLAYERS GAIN GOOD EXPERIENCE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 145, 15 March 1939, Page 15

TENNIS PLAYERS GAIN GOOD EXPERIENCE

New Zealand Juniors Back From Sydney

"New South Wales has‘never been so strong in young players as it is at present,’’ declared the manager of the New Zealand junior lawn tennis team. Mr. H. M. Buddington, Masterton, on his return to Wellington with the team by the Wangunella yesterday from a trip to Sydney. Mr. Boddington said that the New Zealand team went over to take part in the under-age tournament, ranging from under 21 t 0 about 12 years of age. The New Zealand boys held their own as far as the tourney went, but they had the iIL luck_ to strike a full week’s rain in which 785 points fell, which was a record for a week for the past 69 years. Tim match between the New Zealand and New South Wales* junior teams resulted as iollows. the New South Wales players being mentioned first:— Singles: W. Sidwell beat S. Painter, 6-2, 6-2; D. Pails beat A. S. Burns, 6-2, l>-2; R. Folan boat R. S. McKenzie, 0-4. 6-4* IL Impey beat B. Brown, 6-1, 6-1 ; R. Barnes beat B. J. Kelly, 6-3, 6-0. Doubles: Pails and Sidwell beat Painter and McKenzie, 6-2, 6-0; Pails and Sidwell beat Burns and Brown, 6-2, 6-3: Impey and Folan v. Painter and McKeni;ie, 9-7, 4-6. 6-6: Impey and Pelan boat Burns and Brown, 6-2. 6-2; Barnes and E. Halliday v. B. J. Kelly (N.Z.) and A. Felan (N.S.W.), 6-3, 5-7. All those players wore under 19.

To show how strong were the New South Wales junior team, Mr. Boddiugfon stated that lour of the players who met New Zealand arc among the 12 highest ranked pln/ers in New South Wales.

"1 think the New Zealand bovs will benefit considerably as a result of their trip,” said Mr. Boddington. “Crawford played against them for about two hours one afternoon and gave them much sound advice. Had it not been for the bad weather, McGrath and Gilchrist would also have played against the New Zealanders, who were also fortunate in being able to witness an exhiibtion match in which Bromwich and Quist met in the singles, and Bromwich and Quist played Crawford and McGrath in doubles* on a hard court.

“Night tenuis is booniing in New South Viales,” said Mr. Boddington, “there being as many as 100 courts in and round Sy d n ey.

“The New South Wales girl tennis players are also much lyetter than they have been for some seasons. Without wishing to detract from the success of the New Zealand girls, I am inclined to imagine that we caught the New South Willes girls on the Imp last year.”