FORM

NZ Truth, Issue 1302, 27 November 1930, Page 14

FORM

Smashes Brilliantly In Doubles (From: "N.Z. Truth's" Dunedin Rep.) QNE of the best doubles matches which vy have been seen m. Dundeln was played at Logan Park last week, when Guy and Duthie retained third place on the Otago doubles ladder by defeating Deakerand Pollock. The, match was a good, open, hardhitting game; with Duthie playing brilliantly, his smashes hardly rising more than a few inches off the court. All four were playing at the top of their form and the St. Kilda pair deserved their win m the second set. Deaker's forehand was going well and he frequently passed his opponents with this. shot. Deaker and Pollock tried the Australian formation' In receiving- services, the player not receiving being : up at the net. To play this formation, the return of service must be very strong, as Duthie ahd Guy demonstrated, easily catching the net " player with any weak returns.. • Pollock's smashing was very consistent, and well placed. At one stage he smashed six good lobs m succession before gaining a beautiful angle ace. C. C. Cox, who won the New Zealand championship singles m 1898, can still more than hold his own with the best players In Dunedin. His inclusion m the Otago Club's A grade team has considerably strengthened this clpb. . It is m doubles play that one frequently sees flashes of brilliant play that give some idea' of how good he must have been when he won the New Zealand championship doubles m 1898 and 1899 with J. N. Collins, and again In 1906 with H. A. Parker. , His daughter, Hiss H. Cox,; who is still m her 'teens, has already won her way to first place on Otago club's ladder.. She • has the", right .' temperament for' the makings, of a real champion, and will certainly be heard of m New Zealand tennis m : the next few years.Cox has paired with E.G. Boddy for the Otago Association doubles ladder, and they should be a hard pair. E. G. Boddy, who has paired with C. Angas iri doubles, has a number of championships to Ms credit. ,' ' . '■ ■■ i The question has often been asked: "Why is it that tennis players m Dunedin cannot hold their own with the best from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch?" ",•-."'■■. Numerous excuses of suitable climate and want of grass .courts are frequently, put forward, but the writer has come to the conclusion that the whole. trouble is want of enthusiasm and insufficient practice. Many players think that practice one night a week will keep them.in form, but one cannot hope to improve without spending hours of hard practice—the trying of strokes until it becomes* an automatic'movement.