LAWN TENNIS

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1929, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

TLA\ ANJ) COUIII'S IN OTHER PLACES. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 12. Mr H. G. Wake, a well-known tennis enthusiast and president of ‘the Canterbury Junior Lawn Tennis Association, arrived back in Christchurch yesterday, accompanied by his wife, having concluded an eighteen months’ tour of Great Britain, the Continent, trio United States and Canada. The trip was undertaken following Mr Wake’s retirement from the. position of head master at die Christchurch East School. Ho was prevnn.sjy head master at Hokitika. ‘ *. Interviewed by a reporter, Mr Wake had an interesting story to tell of his year and a half abroad, during which he saw a good deal of big tennis at Wimbledon and elsewhere, and also visited many famous places of historic and scenic importance. MATCHES AT WIMBLEDON. Speaking of tennis, Mr Wake said that in June, 1928, lie and his wife spent a fortnight at Wimbledon where many of tho world’s leading tennis ‘•lianvbiens were in action. The most interesting match, as far as Mr Wake concerned,, was J. 0. Anderson against' If. T. Hunter, in Which Anderson, after a close contest, defeated his opponent with a final stroke, which Mr Wake said was the finest shot ho had ever seen played. In the final game of the final set the advantage had fluctuated from one opponent to the other many times.' pin ally Hunter served to Anderson on 'his back-hand, and tho Australian returned'the ball with. a most difficult hut perfectly executed stroke which sent it right downj the side line to land an inch or two inside the court.

The next day, however, said Mr Wake, Anderson met the French lefthander, Boussus, . and the play was most dismal. Anderson was a different man and was easily defeated. Mr Wake spoke to Anderson afterwards and asked him what had happened. Tho player put it down to the French man’s being a left-hander, vdiich, he said, put him right off. AMAZING CROWDS. Air Wake was amazed to see the crowds attending Wimbledon. To get a seat there an applicant had first of all to send his name, together with the necessary money, to the Wimbledon Committee, where'it was put in a ballot with all the others who had applied. Those unsuccessful in the ballot had their money refunded. After one ballot no. less than £49,C00 was returned to unsuccessful applicants.- j.’-AJd.!

A special concession /was given to Air and Mrs Wake as New Zealanders, and they were allotted seats without having to hazard the ballot.. On one occasion Mr Wake saw a long queue of people waiting at eleven o’clock at night in the hope of securing a place in the standing area at a, match which was not .to commence until the following afternoon.

The Davis Cup match in which Great Britain defeated Germany was witnessed by Mr and’ Mrs Wake at Birmingham. Rain fell every' day during the contest, and in Mr Wake’s opinion that, combined with the fact that the Germans were playing on 'p-ass courts (there are none on the Continent) was largely responsible for their defeat. They slipped continually, and in one fall the German captain was so badly hurt that ho was unable to play his singles game. The German team contained Froitzheim, Moklenhauer and Prenn, and the British partners in the doubles were Dr Gregory and Higgs and Croie-Rees and Eames.

After the period spent at Wimbledon, the travellers crossed to France in October, 1928. > They spent a month in Paris, a week in Switzerland, and then they went down to the French Riviera, where they put in five months mainly playing tennis at Nice.

CONTINENTAL CLUB SURPRISED,

The Nice Club, the largest in France, has twenty-one courts; .The members considered their club to be very large, and Mr Wake said they were surprised when he informed them that the United Club here possesses thirty-throe courts and Wilding Park forty-four courts. Mr Wake said it made him realise how advanced tennis was in this country ns far as court accommodation was concerned. Nowhere the travellers went did they see so many courts as there r.re in Christchurch. For instance, the main club in Vancouver'was found to have only nine grass courts and nine dirt courts.' Mr Wake described the dirt courts as very poor. Monte Carlo was visited two or three times, and the travellers saw j some very good tennis there. The courts there were the best Mr Wake had seen since he left home. They were made of a brick-red substance, and after every match any unevenness in the court made by the players’ feet was smoothed out with a bricklayer’s trowel and water until tiie surface was like a plaster wall. Mr Wake said that the tennis pavilion was absolutely palatial. The. floors and walls were composed of beautiful white marble and the building was equipped with every conceivable convenience for players. From France and Switzerland Mr and Mrs Wake wont on to Italy, Sicily, back through France and Switzerland and over to North America. The remainder of their holiday H'as snout, in an extended tour of that continent.