TENNIS BLUE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 416, 28 December 1932, Page 6

TENNIS BLUE

MR. C E MALFROY YOUNG NEW ZEALANDER RETURNS FROM CAMBRIDGE FRANGE AND DAVIS CUP Wellington, Saturday. Close on the heels of Mr. E. D. Andrews, who has been in the natnre of a tennis ambassador for New Zealand overseas, comes from the Old Country, -the fine young Wellington player, Mr. C. E. Malfroy, who has been absent from the Dominion for nearly three years. Mr. Malfroy went Home at the beginning of 1930 and entered Trinity Hall, Cambridge. He quickly made his mark in tennis circles, and when still a freshman, he was elected secretary of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. He gained his- tennis blue, and also became captain of the University team. Mr. Malfroy said that besides in England he had played in Holland, France, Germany, and Scotland, and he had had the opportunity of meeting leading world players. Beyond that, he showed no desire to say anything about his own game. "What do you think of New Zealand's chances in Davis Cup tennis?" he was asked. Mr. Malfroy said it was rather difficult to say, but his view was that it would he worth while New Zealand being represented. He though that England, Japan, France and the United States were countries that would defeat New Zealand. The majority of the tennis played in the Davis Cup tournaments, though, was rather poor. An example was India. "We ' had a man playing fourth at Cambridge," he said, "and he was playing No. 1 for India in the Davis Cup tournament, and he was able to get through a round or two." As to France's prospects of continuing to hold the Davis Cup, Mr. Malfroy said he thought the time was near at hand when France would lose the trophy. The defeat of the French, however, was no easy task in their own country. They played on a sortof red rubble courts, which slowed the game up a little. Another factor was the French crowd. They were very enthusiastic and, pro -French, and these were things diffieult to overcome. The atmosphere was absolutely electric there when the Davis Cup matches were being played. He said he thought that in the last -Davis Cup contest the A.mericans had been unlucky, but then again.also lucky, but his view was that, as it happened in the end, they were unlucky to lose. Game in England "What is wrong with British tennis?" Mr. Malfroy's answer to that question was that there was an excellent system of coaching in vogue in rmgiand, but they seeined to get so far and no further. Although plenty of encouragement was given to the young players at Home, there did not appear to be anyone at the moment capable of taking the places of the present leading players. There did not appear to be anyone coming on at the present time. Mr. Malfroy was asked how he thought New Zealand players of the calibre of N. WiNon, D. France, C. Angas, and A. Stedman would shape and his opinion was that after they had settled down he thought they would do very well indeed. "The only question," he added, "would be getting used to the ityle of play. They hit the ball a iittle bit harder." To Improve Local Play

As a means of improving the standard of the games in New Zealand and developing the players, Mr. Malfroy said he thought that something in the nature of more regular visits from overseas teams would make all the difference in the world. As an example, he said that the French team was in the Dominion in 1927, and the next visit was to be from the American side, coming here in February. His opinion was that most of the players lost their matches through being overawed with the occasion. Mr. Malfroy said he also thought that more interprovincial matches would help the game in this country. Keen interest will be taken in Mr. Malfroy's first appearance on Wellington courts. He intends playing in the Wellington provincial championships in the singles, mixed doubles, and the men's doubles. Mrs. H. M. Dykes will partner him in the inixed doubles, and his partner in the men's doubles will be E. A. Russell. Until recently, when he had a practice game with Bartleet in Auckland, he said he had not played any tennis for eleven weeks, and he did not know how he was going to get on at the Wellington tournament. Mr. Malfroy said he had enjoyed the three years he hacl had abroad. He was unable to say definitely at the moment how long he would be in the Dominion; it might be months and it mig'ht be years. The directors of A. IL. Miles and Co., Ltd., gave a lucheon at the Grand Hotel to weleome Mr. Malfroy.