HOW TO PLAY LAWN TENNIS

Evening Star, Issue 20058, 26 December 1928, Page 10

HOW TO PLAY LAWN TENNIS

[By Geoffhev Olliviee, New Zealand Champion.] (Copyright.) The ‘ Star ’ has secured for publication a series of tennis articles by Geoffrey Ollivier, seven times New Zealand champion. These will appear weekly during the months of January and February, so that tennis players generally can benefit from the valuable advice given, note how essential strokes should be made, and thereby improve the all-round level of their games.

OLLIVIER’S CAREER. Geoffrey Ollivier is New Zealand’s greatest tennis genius. Anthony Wilding, by his cult of physical fitness and mastery of stroke production, climbed to greater heights, yet Ollivier, within the narrower circle of New Zealand tennis, stands on a pinnacle unchallenged over a groat number of years. In •January, 1912, he won the national singles championship, and in December, 1927, sixteen years later, he was again champion. He holds the title to-day. To his mother Ollivier owes a great measure of his success. Mrs Ollivier was a Miss Gibson, coming from a South Canterbury family of which Dr Gibson, father of Miss Margaret Gibson, the .youthful holder of the Canterbury ladies’ singles title, is a member. Mrs Ollivier was a good tennis player, and a Canterbury representative thirty odd years ago. . • In view of the fact that the tennis “heads” of the world arc at present all French, it may bo of interest to say that Ollivier’s grandfather was of French descent. Originally the name was spelt Ollivierc. This grandparent was an early Mayor of Christchurch. In those days, as to-day, the Christchurch Boys' High School, where Geoffrey Ollivier attended as a pupil, considered cricket to be the only possible summer game. Across the .way from the school was the Cranmor Square Tennis Club, the most important tennis club in Christchurch, and the first. Ollivier showed an early interest in the game, and cheerfully acted as ball boy for his mother and her friends when they played there; but, on the school half-days, when cricket was on, he was hustled off by the school masters. TAUGHT BY HIS MOTHER. Ollivier’s early play was as a partner with bis mother. He made a willing “fourth ” any time he was needed. It it is not recorded that he showed any early aptitude for-the game. Wo icive dealt with his mother’s influence in bringing him into the tennis game. Another and probably a stronger influence may be noted. Living opposite to the Olliviers were the Wildings, with F. Wilding, son., a New Zealand doubles champion on seven occasions, often to be seen playing on his own private court. Young Geoffrey bad the right of entry to the Wilding home, and was, of course, on friendly terms with young Anthony. The success of Anthony when at sixteen lie won the handicap singles at the New Zealand championship meeting, and at seventeen won the championship of Canterbury, must have made Geoffrey desire to emulate the example of his friend. Next year Anthony went to England, and his further wins must have fanned the flame. Ollivier in New Zealand started to build the game that afterwards made him a champion. So good did he become that when Anthony came hack on a visit _at the height of his career the two friends met in the limit of tho Dunedin championships, and Anthony was pushed hard to win.In fact, ho dropped a set before he accomplished it. AGAINST THE FRENCHMEN. Flaying against the Frenchmen last January, Ollivier did not make a strong stand. Still, we know that the New Zealand champion at forty years of age has passed Jus prime. At that age it is impossible to learn new tricks or to adapt one’s play to suit the new stylo of game the Frenchmen can produce. Ollivier took n set from Hrugnon with a of old-time brilliance, but bo lacked the fitness to retrieve everything and to force the pace when it was needed. If Ollivier played Borotra many times the Basque would not win in straight sets. For a little time in the last set Ollivier found a game that might have troubled the great Frenchman., With Unit wonderful delicate touch the New Zealander played a succession of slow shot balls that just cleared the net, and Borotra was forced to volley up. However, Ollivier fell into errors, and the sot was over. How great Ollivier could have become if be had bad the advantages of competition with the world’s best will never be known. In Now Zealand he has done all he has been asked to do with a margin to spare. Four years ago he won the national championship singles without losing a set. The next year he did not lose a set till the final. The following year ho did not compete, and last year ho did not concede a set till ho bent Bartleet at tlio finish. BONG LIST OF VICTORIES. Of Ollivior’s victories they are too many to chronicle Ho lias won the national singles championship _ seven times, the men’s doubles c impionsbip several times, and the combined doubles championship more than once. In winning the singles seven times Ollivier has set up a record that is not likely to be eclipsed. The record could have been still greater, for Ollivier was at the height of his career when the war broke out* and no championships were held during those four years. In matches with oversea teams Ollivier’s record is:— Against tho English team in 1912 Ollivier lost to C. P. Dixon, 7-5, 0-3; beat F, G. Lowe, b-3, b-3; lost to J. C. Parke, 0-4, 0-1, 8-0; beat A. E. Beamish, 4-0, 2-0, 0-3, 6-3, 6-2; lost to J. C. Parke. 0-2, 6-2. In the English team’s visit _of 1920;—Ollivier beat A. E. Beamish, or 4, 2-0, 0-2; lost t 6 A. H. Lowe, 0-4, 6-2; beat A. E. Beamish, 6-3, 6-4; lost to A, E. Beamish, 0-3, 1-6, 0-2. When the American Davis Cup team came- to Christchurch in 1911, Ollivier, practised with the visitors, and of his game W. A. Lamed, captain of the Americans, spoke highly. Another avlio recognised Ollivior’s ability was C. P. Dixon, captain of the English team of 1912. He said: “ A trifle more severity and a little less eagerness to score, outright, and he (Ollivier) would extend any of the top-notchers of the world.” Ollivier’s first article will deal with the two main strokes .in the game. It will appear on Saturday next.