TENNIS CHAMPIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 2, 4 January 1932, Page 8

TENNIS CHAMPIONS

VISITING AUSTRALIANS

ARRIVAL TO-DAY

PLAYERS WITH RECORDS

Consisting of the cream of the tennis talent of Australia, the women 's tennis team which is to tour Xew Zealand, starting with an invitation tournament at Wilding Park, Christchurch, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of this week, arrived at Wellington this morning by the Marama from Sydney. The team consists of Mrs. M. Molesworth, ranked third player in Australia;' Miss U. Valkenburg, ranked sixth; Miss N. Hall, and Miss J. Hartigan, ranked ninth and Australian junior champion. The manager and captain of the team is Miss IS". Lloyd. Despite a fairly rough trip across the Tasman the members of the team are looking very fit, and arc eager to commence the tour. The players are classified as New South Wales players, although Mrs. Molesworth is a leading Queensland player. That the members of the team are first-class exponents of the game is evident from their past performances and tho titles which some of them now possess. In an interview the manager of the team gave a summary of each player's qualifications. Mrs. Moleswortb who is the present singles champion of Queensland, is the possessor a very fine backhand. She has won the singles championship of Australia cm two occasions, and with the exception of Western Australia, has held every State singles title. She has never competed for the title in Western Australia. She has won the singles championship of Queensland on six occasions, three times being in succession. Miss Valkenburg is one of the best ladies doubles players in Australia, and is considered a very fine exponent of the mixed game. She was nominated second player for Now South Wales at the Australian championships last year. Miss Valkenburg plays an all-round game, excelling j u volleying. Miss Hartigati is tho present junior champion of Australia. Although she is only 19 years uf age, competent .judges anticipate that she is the coming winner of the Australian singles championship. She holds the City of Sydney singles title, one of the ' best senior titles after the State title. Oue of the features of Miss Hartigan's play is her forehand drive, which is outstanding in its strength. Miss Hall won the Australian mixed ■doubles title in 1930 with Harry Hopman, the Davis Cup player. With Miss Butsworth, the present Australian champion, she won . the Queensland ladies' doubles, and the Victorian ladies' doubles. Miss Hall's game was moulded by-Hopman. Both Miss Hall and Miss Hartigan are considered two of Australia's most promising players. b The manager of the team, Miss Lloyd, is a member of the" council of the governing body of New South vales. She was runner-up with Mrs. utz in the Australian ladies' doubles championship last year. SOME PROMISING PLAYERS. "The members of the team are very anxious to do well," said Miss Lloyd They are arriving in good form, but what they will be like when they land I don't know.. They will have two days' practice in Christchurch, however, before playing in the invitation tournament." Questioned about the game in Australia, Miss Lloyd said that it was progressing well, and she thought it possible that a team would compete in the next Davis Cup. Among the men there were a lot of promising players One youth in particular was considered a coming champion. Ho was only 15 years of age, but lie was a very fine two-handed player. There was no doubt, however, that J. Crawford was the best player in Australia today By the retirement of Mrs. Couzens (Miss D. Akhurst) Australian tennis had suffered a great loss. WHERE THE TEAM WILL PLAY. The itinerary of the tour is as follows: Leave for Christchurch this evening, where the team will compete in an invitation tournament for women at Wilding Park. The meeting will extend over 7th, Sth, and 9th January, and singles, doubles, and mixed doubles will be played. On 10th January the team will leave for Timaru and play there on 11th January, leaving for Invcrcargill on 12th. January, and playing there on loth January. The team is then to play in Dunedin on 15th and 16th January, and leave for Wellington on 18th January, arriving on the following day. It then leaves Wellington for Auckland, on 20th January, and will meet a New Zealand team on 23rd and 25th January, and play in the JNew Zealand championships from. 26tli to 30th January, leaving Auckland for a visit to Eotorua on Ist or 2nd February. The team will play in Hamilton on 6th February and Wanganui on 9th February. An offer has been made to tho Wellington Association for the team to play here on 12th and 13th February, but so far nothing definite has been arranged. The team vill finish the tour at Masterton, and will leave on the return trip to Australia on 19 th February.