LAWN TENNIS

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1932, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

‘THE GAME IN NEW ZEALAND. VIEWS. OF MISS N. LLOYD. (Australian Press Association.) SYDNEY, February 24. “New Zealand women's tennis has definitely moved ahead .since last 1 saw it two seasons ago,” said .Miss 'N. Lloyd, captain and manager of the Australian ladies’ touring team, in an interview' to-day. Miss Lloyd visited the Dominion with the New South Wales representative team nine years ago, and since that tour has paid five visits to New Zealand, each time playing tennis here. Twice she has won the New Zealand Doubles championship, so she knows tennis here intimately. “Two New Zealand players have shown themselves outstanding during this tour,” .said .Miss Lloyd, “and those are (Mrs H. M. Dykes and Miss D. Nicholls. The manner in which Mrs Dykes played during the invitation tournament in ‘Christchurch was remarkable. She showed astonishing form, •especially in the first sets in her matches. She beat .'Jisy Hartigan and Miss Valkenburg, and her wins were ■\ ery meritorious. Miss Nicholls is absolutely in the first class, and proved herself by her victories over Mrs Molesworth and .Miss Valkenburg, two very good members of the team. Mrs W. J. Melody, 1 consider, has made a definite advance in her doubles play, and is non very formidable in that class of game. ‘Slie jvolleys well, and is very safe, at the net, though she does not always kill the ball. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane i s another very good player, and appears to be at. her best against the hard driving type of game. DRAWBACKS. “Of course, New Zealand players have some grave disadvantages in tennis as compared to Australians. The Dominion players do not have enough opportunities of meeting a different type of game—it has been nine years since last an Australian women’s team toured the country. In Australia our players meet different kinds of play so often that nothing ns strange to them. D.ui ing the itour the New Zealand players did not have long enough to accustom themselves to our style of play, and suffered the disadvantage of not being able to discover in advance the weaknesses of our players, but they made, a substantial advance, and w'ith more opportunities will progress still further. 1 hey hare all the ability to make that progress. “Besides the leading players I have mentioned .there are some ot-heis who have fine ability. Miss M. Wake is one of the best, doubles players in New Zealand, and Miss M. Whyte, is another. With practice and proper attention to the game there is no reason why these {(layers [should not go far in the game. jOf cour s e, here we have another disadvantage. The South Island players meet the North Island players so rarely that it is difficult to get the best doubles combinations in the country together. In doubles pairing temperament is as important as strokes. If this difficulty were overcome players would move ahead more quickly, lire New Zealand doubles combination worked well against us, but in Australia the doubles tactics employed are different. The team which we sent to England in 1925 revolutionised the doubles game n our country after its return. Ihe !“both up” formation is now universalthere, though it has not always been exploited by our team, mainly because we have had some little difficulty in determining what is our best combination.

A GOOD TOUR. "The tour lias been wonderfully good, and we have all enjoyed every moment of it. The enthusiasm for tennis which we have discovered in the smallest centres has been remarkable, and is not to be excelled anywhere. Another thing which has delighted us has been the interest shown by the schools. We have been -thrilled to find how many school children attend these matches, a thing which we cannot duplicate in Australia. Tn the younger players I have seen in action there are .some of great promise, too. Audrey Kean, I think, has a future. She has a fine forehand, and she seems to me to have a good temperament. Amy Gralmtn plays a good allround game that is very attractive, and is being well coached by her famous uncles, Messrs C. J. Dickie and A. Wallace. Vera Burns plays a very solid game, and though, perhaps, bettor in singles than in doubles, is very impressive in her steadiness. Margaret Hodges, still a very young player—she is <oiily 10 - daughter of a past New Zealand champion, owns some line strokes beautifully produced, ami ;s ext re l lie 1 y p romising.