Half Volleys

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 562, 15 January 1929, Page 12

Half Volleys

The next important tennis event in the province is the Auckland championships to be played at Stanley Street courts on January 25, 26, 2S and 29. Entries for the events close on Saturday, January 19, at 5 p.m., with the secretary of the Auckland L.T.A., Mr. L. W. Swann, Box 168. 1-lis offices are in the Lister Building, Victoria Street East. L. G. Knott, who is at present in Australia, where he and his doubles partner, Normar Sturt, went lasl year, won the singles title in sensational style Striking a patch ol brilliantly forcefu tennis, he accounted for Stun and then went or to beat Laurensor in the final. Nc one realised tha he had more than an outside chanc of taking the event, the general opinion being that he was not as good a singles player as Sturt. Miss Marjorie Macfarlane is the defender of the women’s singles, an event which she has won for five times. With Mrs. Marshall she is also the provincial doubles champion. The other holders of the Auckland titles are:—Men’s doubles,*Knott and Sturt; mixed doubles, Miss Dulcie Nicholls and Brinsden; men’s singles, B grade, X. W. Bowden; C Grade, C. G. Bowden; men’s C doubles, Symes and Abbott; mixed C doubles, Miss Knell and J. X. Wilson; women’s C doubles, Misses Leng and Rukutai: women’s C singles, Miss Bryant. There is a probability that the C events of the championships will be

played on hard courts at Campbell Park, this year. The idea was put forward at the last meeting of the Lawn Tennis Association. These events are run to attract lower grade players, and especially outer suburban clubs, but the scheme was not strongly supported. What is wrong with tennis enthusiasts in Sydney 7? Are they aware that what one may describe virtually as a Davis Cup contest is being played at the White City Courts between Australia and England? It seems almost incredible that on a Thursday there was a miserable attendance of 175 paying spectators, and the next day’s attendance was even worse. The takings on the first day were £75, and next day £55, only 20 people patronising the luncheon room on each day, says the Sydney “Guardian.” Trying to raise enthusiasm the writer continues:—There is nothing wrong with the Quality of the tennis. Apart from Crawford. Hopman, Halms and Willard, the English visitors have an international flavour about them. In Gregory they have a player not far removed from the Borotra class, both in stroke equipment and agility on the court. He is certainly quite as entertaining, liar just as broad a smile, and is every bit as fine a sportsman. In Austin they have a firstclass stroke player. In Collins they have a freak. This player is a living testimony to what a man can do who has had his left leg broken above the knee, and the internal ligaments of his 'right knee torn to ribbons. No international player in the world to-day can claim such a record. He is here, in flesh and blood, and is possibly the most active .player in the contest. Yet the crowd has stayed away. Why ? Describing the final games of the test match, in which Australia beat Britain by four rubbers to two, the Sydney “Herald” says:—“Opposed by 1. G. Collins, one of the speediest and most brilliant players seen here for a long time, Willard made a series of amazing rallies, in which every variety of stroke was exploited in turn by either player. The Australian ultimately regained the ascendancy, which he had temporarily lost, and won at 7—o in the fourth set. “In the final rubber Crawford and Hopman played finely to win the first two sets from Gregory and Austin (G. 8.), with the loss of six games. In the third set a great struggle ensued, Britain leading at 5—3, and Australia at 6—5. In the following game Crawford. who was serving, had three match points in his favour at 40 —love. The Australian, however, who up till then had been playing a masterly game, lapsed unaccountably, netting five returns in succession, and losing the game. These errors seemed to stimulate the British players, who again took the lead in the following game, and the set at 9—7. Crawford and Hopman were at their best in the final set, and, notwithstanding brilliant play and wonderful recoveries by Dr. Gregory, they took the set at 6—2, and the match bv three sets to one.”