Badminton HASTINGS STRONG

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 117, 3 June 1937, Page 15

Badminton HASTINGS STRONG

'Drop Shot")

Does Badminton Help Tennis? AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER

(By'

It is likely that the Hastings ciub Will this winter be too strong for Hapier. The disparity may be even more marked than was the case in last summer's tennis. In previous seasons ihe Hapier Badminton Ciub has had women players superior to those in Hastings, but they have lest Mrs Hetiey, now m England and Mrs Bernau (Miss A. HickeS). Mrs Hetley, the most skilful lady yet seen on a-Hawke 's Bay coiirt, Was one who nsed her experience to counteract decreasing agility. Napier Still . have Mesdames Mawson and Milburn, wollknOwn tennis players to whom Badminton Came naturally, to lead their team, but agaibst the greatly improved standard in Hastings they will not wia many games. The Hastings ladies' team, which will probably iiielude the Misses Glenny, Macdonald, Lancaster, and Lassen, will be far ahead of last seasdn 's clttb representatives. The Men iPiayersWhile the logs of Watson has weakenr ed the men 's section of " the Hastings elttb, Messrs WilsOn, collinge, Otr and VeSty fflrm d stronger team than can be found in Napier. Ifl. that celitre the two leading men, Mawson and Dr. Harvey, have been handicapped by lack of opposition, and if more iiiter-club matehes couid be arranged they wopld obtain better practi'ce, Help to Tennis. After a winter 's Badminton, tennis players often vomplain that their rackets feel unweildy," but this strangeness does not last long. The similarity between certain strokes and tactics, as used in both games, is So marked that Badminton is definitely a help to the tennis player. Two common Badminton strokes, the smash and the drop-shot, are played in similar fashion to the same shot* on a tennis court. Through the irequHnt use of the overhead shot in Badminton the player learns to watch the shuttle on to his racket, and this habit will f ollow him into the tennis season. The smaller court used for the Winter game makes acc&racy a matter of inches rather than feet; thus the tennis player learns to direct his overhead smash. For the same reason the sense of touch, so necessary for the more delicate tennis strokes, will be improved. TacttcB and Team Work. In Badminton doubles tactics and team-work are even more important than they are in tennis; their existence is thus brought home to the average tennis player, in whose positional play there is usually room for imprnvement. For improving speed of movement and physical fltness, essential attributes to success in any game, Badminton is excellent. For this reason alone it would be well worth playing for those wish to improve at tennis. This contenGon, that tlie two games go well together, is borne out by the fact that several of New Zealand's leading Badminton exponents are also L very good tennis players.