Half Volleys

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 540, 18 December 1928, Page 14

Half Volleys

After losing the first five games in a ladder match for the fifth rung, A. C. Stedman recovered form to beat A. Lamb in three sets. The score was 4 —6, 6—3, 6—2. Lamb was the challenger. Rene Lacoste's tennis “gun,” made by Bunlop, has come to Auckland. It is a solidly-made machine, but unfortunately the price is also solid. Mounted on a trolley the gun has a magazine for about half-a-dozen balls. By turning a handle one releases a spring which sends a ball out at any angle and at variable speed. Tests of the machine made at city courts have shown that it does all that is claimed for it. The price, about £3O, will probably prevent it from being purchased by smaller clubs. “Never before in the liistorj* of the Victorian Lawn Tennis championships have New South Wales players so entirely dominated the finals; in fact, seldom, indeed, in past years, have our representatives scored in any of the events. On this occasion, all the major titles were won by New South Wales, while in the men’s singles and doubles all the contestants were representatives of this State,” writes W. H. Marsh in the Sydney “Sun.”

"Crawford is evidently a better player than before his trip,” Marsh continues, "not because of his wins in the singles and doubles, but because he seems to have eliminated to a great extent those bad days when everything went wrong. Hopman did splendidly, too. The boy works too hard in Sydney, and is then not physically capable of giving his best. Something should be done to ensure his having an easy time during the test match period, in January.

"Crawford and Hopman are both certainties for the Australian team in the match against Great Britain. The other places are more difficult to forecast. The British players were apparently not at their top in the Victorian championships, with the exception of Gregory, who reached the semifinal, where he went down to Crawford, but put up a good fight.

Four apprentices who want to play in the lunch hour at the association’s courts, Stanley Street, applied to the L.T.A. for a special concession. The secretary pointed out that if they were charged 6d a game each, they would pay the subscription in about 12 weeks. "Let them pay their subscription in instalments of sixpence,” suggested Mr. J. N. Wilson. The Ground Committee was asked to report on the suggestion.

The "Daisy Tidy Cup,” which has been presented to the L.T.A. by the mother and sister of one of the province’s best woman players, is for the girls’ junior championship. Miss Baisy Udy held the provincial singles title for three years running, in 1905-6-7, and she was the first woman to win the three championships for which she was eligible. This was in 1907, when she took the women’s doubles with Miss P. Gorrie and the mixed with A. F. Billing. The mixed title was shared by her for six years from 1903 to 1908.

In support of his argument that clubs should register their colours and encourage the blazer habit, the president of the Auckland L.T.A., Mr. T. E. Hickson, said that he went to one club wearing one of Remuera’s old green and gold coats. He was immediately asked "What are you doing in one of our blazers?” Green and gold are popular colours, numbers of sports clubs, .schools and colleges having adopted them.

“Beuce” was reminded by one delegate to the L.T.A. that it was decided some time ago to play the finals of the A and B knock-out competitions at Stanley Street. The same delegate declared that the lower grades of interclubs must be played at the association’s courts because the smaller clubs had so few courts. It is to be remembered, however, that the proportion of inter-club players in the smaller clubs is infinitely greater than at the larger ones.

Auckland’s open handicap tourney will be played either at Stanley Street or Rerauera on Becember 31 and January 1 and 2. Entries close with the secretary, Mr. L. S. Bates, 44 Brunswick Buildings, Queen Street, at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Becember 27. There are five events, men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed.

The Wanganui L.T.A.’s annual handicap and championship tourney will be held at the Wanganui Club’s courts on January 1,2 and 3. Entries close with the secretary, Mr. A. W. J. Peacock, Box 234, Wanganui, on Thursday, Becember 27. Ten events are to be played.