JUST DRIVEN RIGHT OFF THE COURTS

NZ Truth, Issue 1196, 1 November 1928, Page 16

JUST DRIVEN RIGHT OFF THE COURTS

?outh Islan^^Was In The Boom Until The

Visitors Found A Length

(Erom "N.Z..' Truth's" Special Tennis Correspondent.)

Youthful ambassaddra of. an old tennis nation, the British tennis team, eng-ag-ed on a world tour to lay the foundation of regaining Britain's lost supremacy m thetennis world, made an auspicious bow to the New,^Zealand |iubl;c at Christchurch on Monday, when they outclassed, the South Island team by-seven^itches to^wb. ; ; ; ' f-" ■■' ■■ ,

THE quartette are not* the last word m tennis, 'but ,. they are a well equipped combination, ■ slightly supeitior to present day New Zealand standards, though- how, they will fare m Australia is a matter for conjecture; ;'• . Qilivier, ' playing at the top. of his form, would be the ; superior: of any of 'them, -though -he was '• defeated m straight 'sets Austin; after he. had scored a->brilliant . victory over- Gregory, the ,^captain.^ •!;;; V , ; ■ Austin •is the stylist of-rthevteam/ . His stroking is similar to iiip.t of Cam. Malfroy, the Wellington youth,, but he plays a ; greater variety of- strokes, and holds winners fron^bptttihands.-S , In the match -with :Angas f ;he flicked the ball /siway, cieanlyj to either wings, 'finding? a length-deep to the corners with/ comparative 1 ease.' '•■ : : f. "-.■■'. *':',^': ' ■'■■■' ' ' '"'' : Austin is also a niasterVin-exfricat-irig hi^nself from an 'awkward, position, and turns his racket : ■dfeftlyS.'from the !wi*ist. to gather up bails^pit^ed to" the feet.- ' ,•;-, .■":■■."■;■/'■...■■ .In the match with f^livjigr; 'Austin played confidently, -arid thej'^ fact .that Ollivier had scored brilliantly a.gainst Gregory failed to .cause • him, ' any ankiety. ■'. :■'-. •,-.. ,'.- ' ' ' '■■ ' Austin's attacking forces, concentrated on Geoff's backhand, which -was functioning better than his: forehand;, but' the English m'axi, ever on the. at- ■'. tack, excelled inside ; the i-sjervice ■ line where Ollivier's badly pitched . tosses were like coins m a Christmas pudding. ; . '.'•. ■ ■■.•■•■.•■"•■•■;--•. "■ : "' '

Austin's, main fault throughout /the series was his, inclination ■ to .; play' a weak second service which failed thrbugh his ehdea.voiv to- impart too much work to the ba.11. ;-.. ' . > • .'.■'.put- -'taken' all round, :he is a stylish young: player and . jvyill /extend the, 'b.est thfs cpuiitry can 'produce^, ; . ;,. V ! i-^ .:

■ Qregory impressed .. the ..gal!e.ry'. byij the mariner m wli'iph , he. jcpye,^ • / ;-;the j court He' is '.the nio^'t' mobire I ,! or.ce m i the. . English team .v(and--'.- 'excela ;;: iiij doubles; play.. ■'. --- ----- * -r- ••-■•• - j

His match m the morning- with Ollivier was one of the finest ever staged m. Christchurch. Ollivier was his master throughout, and had a reply for everything- the Englishman could give him. : Gregory's forceful driving and his lightning service were pelted , , back, with even greater force, and some of the ' rallies from close' range were brilliant. It was Ollivier at his best, and, try as he could, Gregory- could not force him on to' the defensive. • . Angas 1 showed promising- form m, his singles match with Gregory,, and this game produced the cleanest driving- and best ground work m the series. Angas fought with great determination, 'bringing into play a useful backhand, but Gregory was too strong on the forehand, his timing arid stroking- reaching perfection, while the pace he got on to His ball frequently left Angas standing. ''■'.' VV : '-. '■••'.';■ Higgs is' no pat artist. Everything he hits' ; is hit with a. yengeancej . but his partiality for speed conti'ibutes to a heap of . errora. . ; This*was very much the case m his match with 'D. F: Glanyille, the Canterbury man winning handsomely m two sets-..-. , . ■' ' $$& ■,. Higgs outed and netted $|ar' -too many balls/ mi; the; first set; -{^viiile he was unusually m 'the.air. - •' He rallied iii the second set, but Glariville, playing dh attacking game, outplaced him 'With deftly executed volleying at close range. V- -.;',. '■,,•: : . Collins played perfect tennis m defeating 1 RrA. Guy, the Otago colt, : but if was .more Giiy|s ' inability to hold his opponent 'm check, than Collins brilliancy that; accounted for the •win. • Hard, clean' hitting-, from either hand was punctuated with ; spectacular drop shots which left 1 Guy bewildered, and the Englishman sauntered round with deliberate/ ease ; while' his opponentiwas continually on : the run. In. the doubles matches Guy re- . ' *"' : ; '■ v '■■-. ■"": ■"■ ■•.■-■ ■■ - ■•'v ' ■■'„■ ■

covered . his . form and, partnering Glanville against Gregory and Austin, he brought off some spectacular strokes, while his play was' consistent.

The English pair, were smashing with terrific force m the first set, while their angle placements were neatly and accurately played. . . Glanville hardly hel,d the form he produced against Higgs,' and was called upon f,or some quick thinking and quick action through the fire of volleys which the Englishmen: sent -across. ■ -Tney' fuiirly- peppered the South Islanders, at :,' times,'. but the latter pair rallied mv the second «set --which they fought to; four all before the combined forces of .the visitors swept through upon them.

. Higgsi and Collins paired well and '"jade shori work of Glanville and; Guy m the morning, but • m the ; afternoon they were forced to thr^esetsby dliivierVand An- ! '. -gas,. /-.",'• •;'. ■' ■',■'■■ : . -:*.:.'. '■ ■ ■■ Tlie^ South '■lsMn'aers did not win a game. ,iii .the- first -.set, Collins volleying them off the court, while' Hig-gs drove terrifically ; pn:^ the •' forehand and smashed .with unerring certainty overhead. f,'i[~ '/ }• ■'■'■■'.'''.'■'■'''.'. •'•-. ':■-•'• .' On :-£heir'' form'-\- in ;.the south, ■• Austin proved- 'himself . the! .star of .the' teaiTi; and -i^'js.. meeting -with. Bartlett should provide Northerners, with- something, rareJn the way "of tennis. , Higgs .takes game- very seriously; .but plays!, tlie 'game for the game's sake, : and every ball is ; dispatched I witli the object^of being an ace. '■... Siiould ' vthey meet such , a four -as Ollivier/ Bartlett, . Don. France and Cam. Malfroy' or Noel Wilson at the top of their form, .the issue would be very ; much m dpubt. -■.■■•'■