Half Volleys

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 504, 6 November 1928, Page 11

Half Volleys

The Auckland Club will open the season on Saturday. Parnell lawns were open for play on Saturday and all of the other grass clubs are going strongly now. “The Girl Friend” Company, which has a tennis team besides a cricket team, would like to arrange a match with some local people for Friday. The players can raise a team of four or of six men. Mr. G. Hargreaves, who is at the Northland private hotel, w'ould be pleased to accept the challenge. The last time British players played matches in New Zealand was when Beamish and Lowe came here in 1920 after visiting Australia. The test match this week was really the first arranged between the Mother Country and the Dominion. The programme of events for the New Zealand championships has been amended, and will this year include doubles events for junior players under 18 years of age. The matches in the N.Z.L.T.A. Plate have been amended, and will be played the best of three advantage sets. “\V E were fortunate to win,” TT said Mr. H. A. SabelJi, manager of the British team, after the match. “I appreciate the fact that the New Zealand team is out of training at this time in the season.” He said that he also appreci ated the sportsmanship of New Zealand players and the hospitality of Auckland. The team had had an excellent time here, and all of the players would remember the city. The arrangements made by the Auckland L.T.A., he thought, were first-class.

OLLIVIER’S PLANS TT is definite that Geoff. Ollivier is turning professional. He told “Deuce” so while he was in Auckland. He goes back to Christchurch to coach. He has no fixed plan about his activities, but his desire is to try and raise the standard, not of provincial tennis, but of national tennis. “I hope to see tlye

OUTER SUBURBAN PROSPECTS FOR THE SEASON With the official openings all over the members of the outer suburban tennis clubs are settling down to solid practice in anticipation of an early start with the outer suburban interclub competitions. Keen interest was maintained in these competitions last year. The order of play has been somewhat altered. Last year the A. grade team consisted of four women and four men, and the B grade six men and six women. This year the teams will be composed of six men and' four women in each grade, and as practically every club has a preponderance of women jnembers, some of these will be debarred from the competitions. There is a possibility of some of the top players transferring their affections .to town clubs.

Papatoetoe.—Last year the Papatoetoe Club competed in the C grade, .Auckland competitions, and had two teams playing in the outer suburban competitions. This year, it will, be very hard pressed to field two teams for the suburban games. The committee decided to withdraw from the C grade as five of the members competing in that grade last year are not available. H. Elder and C. Firth are on the injured list and the latter will not be seen in action this season. B. Brown, ,E. Burton and C. Franklin have left the district. East Tamaki.—-This club will again have two teams in action, and the members are putting in a lot of time on the courts to avert the disastrous opening they made last season. The teams will be practically the same as last year, and as shown towards the latter half of the season, they cannot be tken too cheaply. Mangere East.—The club will be fielding two teams this year, and the members will be about the same as last. Good use is being made of the

extra coufts laid down last season, and the extra accommodation has been a great stimulus to tennis in the district. They finished about half way on the list last year, but if keenness has any say in the matter, they intend to give a better account of themselves during the present season. Ma ngere Central.—This club experienced great difficulty in fulfilling its appointments towards the end of the season, with two teams, and it is not decided yet whether it will participate in the competitions this year. If it does it is probable that its representation will be limited to one team. H owick.—The club has become reaffiliated with the Auckland Association, and has decided to enter one team in the outer suburban competitions, probably in the B grade. On its showing in a couple of friendly matches last season it should win more matches than it loses. Valley.—On account of-the increase in membership, the Valley Club decided last season, to lay down two additional courts,- bringing the total accommodation up to six. It is practically decided that it will be represented in both grades. Last year, especially in the A grade, it was in the running for the honours right up to the last Manurewa.—Although it finished at the wrong end of the list, in last year’s competitions, the members of the Manurewa teams, put up some formidable opposition, but were very unfortunate in being beaten at the post, on some occasions by inferior teams. The courts have been reconditioned for this year,* and are at present in good order. There will be two teams competing from this club.