TABLE TENNIS

Grey River Argus, 18 September 1937, Page 4

TABLE TENNIS

VISIT OF HUNGARIANS.. Table tennis, which has achieved instant success on the West Coast, will receive a considerable boost with the visit to-day of the Hungarian champions, Szabados and Kelen. who arrive by this afternoon’s express and will meet local champions at the Town Hall this evening. So heavy has the demand been for seats that the local Association has been required to secure the Town Hall in place of the Drill Hall. Combined with the visit will be the finals of the West Coast championships, which will be played during the evening. Szabados has won over 75 championships, including the world’s singles championship in 1931, while he has been men’s double champion from 1929 to 1935—a record hard to beat. His partner, Kelen, has been runner-up to him on many occasions, and is an outstanding player. Their uncanny skill with bat and ball has created widespread bewilderment in other countries, and in Australia huge crowds were present at all of their games. Szabados is a master tactician and stroke player possessing a powerful forehand drive with remarkable half-volleying of chop shots. It is interesting to note that Fred Perry, the former world’s champion tennis player, was the player who defeated Szabados in the year the latter was runner-up for the world’s table tennis championship. To-night’s games should be witnessed by a large crowd, and the holding of the events at the Town Hall will give ample opportunity to all to witness the finest playing of a difficult game seen on the West Coast.