Tennis—and Tennis Weather

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 788, 8 October 1929, Page 14

Tennis—and Tennis Weather

Early Championship Tourney New System of Inter-Club Play WITH the warmth of summer already in the air. tennis is starting carlv this year—unofficially, at any rate. As a rule most of the bis chibs do not start playing much before the'first' week in November, hut the spell of warm, sunny weather which we have been having lately encourages an optimistic note regarding the commencement of the now season.

Tli© main playing- topic at present if the new system for the intcr-elub competitions. whereby the team strong * is to he extended to 12 men and an cnual number of women. This, it is contended, will provide a truer the strength of the different clubs irom an all-round standpoint. The provincial championship tout - nament will be much earlier this year, in conformity with the decision to hold the national championships later m the season, and to enable the centre championships to work up to the Xew Zealand title contests. Boxing Day will probably see the start ot the Auckland championship tournament, which previouslv started on Anniversary Day. An early start this season will probably be welcomed by all who desire to get in as much play as possible between now and Christmas. Apart from club competitions and centre championships, the Association is keenly alert to the value of fostering the game among the young players in the schools and colleges. A coaching scheme is at present under consideration. and the association's live chairman. Mr. Hickson, is enthusiastic about the proposal. Inquiries made among the principal clubs suggest that there will not be many changes in personnel from last season. The most important gain to Auckland is Mrs. H. Dykes (nee Miss May Spiers), who has joined the Eden and Epsom Club, thus giving Auckland the two leading women players of the Dominion. Several of the leading players at Remucra have been making a name for

themselves at golf during the winter. Brinsden won the championship at Maungakiekie, and Bartleet has been doing well at Middlemorc. Sturt, too. has been playing. They should be in pretty good nick when they take up the racket in place of the brassie, and so should E. W. Griffiths, who has just finished a solid season’s play at Badminton. a game which is making great strides in Auckland as a form of indoor tennis, an ideal pastime for the winter months. Both Stedman and Entwhistle will be playing for Varsity in the interclub, but Bartleet, Sturt. Brinsden and Griffiths represent a pretty solid quartet in the men’s division, and it must not be forgotten that Martin had an unexpected victory over Bartleet in the club championship. Misses Marjorie and Marion Macfarlane have returned from Canada, and it may be expected that the experience they have gained abroad will be reflected in their play. Mrs. ScottWatson and Mrs. Schroff, both played well last year, and the women’s section should be strong. There are some promising players coming on among the younger members. Both Lamb and Wilson have shown good form, and their play will be watched with interest as the season goes by.

THE INTER-CLUB CHAMPIONS The Eden and Epsom Club won the inter-club premiership last season, and with its solid all-round strength, it will no doubt make a big bid for the club championship again this year. The women’s section should be very strong. Mrs. 11. Dykes (nee Miss May Spiers) has joined the club, and Miss Beryl Knight, after a season off, will be playing again this year. The return of the Misses Miller, from Varsity, will bo welcomed, and with Misses J. E. Ramsay and D. Newton, it is easy to see that Eden and Epsom will have a particularly powerful women’s section. That fine quartet. Rowlands, Morrison and C. and V. R. Johns, will make a formidable four as the mainstay of the inter-club team. Rowlands is the present champion. Clive Johns was the

runner-up. and Morrison won the New Zealand Plate, while A*. K. Johns mak*>s the fourth of an extremely well-bal-anced men’s contingent. A consistently high, all-round standard is & feature of the Eden and Epsom Club, and it is evident that it is going to take a lot of beating in this year's competitions! The club’s six courts are lookirg well, and with prospects of a full membership list, the club should be in for a good season. Varsity should have a solid mens team, but the women are largely an unknown quantity. Miss J. Mueller, who has gone to WTiangarei. will be a big loss, and so will the two Miss Miller*, who are rejoining Eden and Epsom. A good deal, however, is expected of Miss Whitelaw, who, incidentally, is a sister of Paul Whitelaw, the young Plunket Shield cricketer. Hubble. Turner. Nicholson and Hardy have been a tower of strength to Varsity, but this will probably be ther last season with the students’ club, prior to their return to tlieir old elu\ Eden and Epsom. Along with A. Stedman and Entwhistle, the mens section, however, is strong. Varsity makes a great point of bringing on i s younger players, assd its A grade strength is being steadily built up. The Parnell Club is the oldest n Auckland. It was originally formed n 1872, and for many years existed as a combined croquet and tennis club. Th» old club is fortunate in the possession of a great many old members who still take a keen interest in it as honorary members. Parnell will have practically all of last year’s players again this season. Among the men arc: Lamb, Chalmers. Aldred. Coates. C. Clay. Williams. Board man. Stall worthy, Brown and Robertson: ancl the prominent women players are Mcsdames Leys. Pope. Herrick and Grant, and Misses Frankham, Gill. Chadwick. Hooton and Hirst, the last-named coming from Taranaki late last season. Miss Wells, a prominent member of the women’s team, will not be available this season. She is joining Remuera, where she resides. She is a much improved player, and should do well at Remuera. There are some very promising players among the juniors, and a good deal is expected of a number of them. A number of leading players from some of the junior clubs are also joining up at Parnell this year. Under the new system of inter-club play, Parnell will place a full senior team in the field, but it is not exI pected that any entry will be made in the lower grades. KEEN SUBURBAN CLUB Onehunga is looking forward to a good season. It is one of the biggest clubs in Auckland, and it is expected that its membership will be up to about 160 this season. In conformity with its progressive policy, it has relaid two of its ten grass courts this season. It has ■suffered a loss in the removal to New Plymouth of Miss J. Taylor, one of the most promising girl players in Auckland. However, practically all of last year’s players are available again. These include M. Robb, the singles champion: S. and P. Harrison, winners of the doubles, and A. Cole. Misses J. Litton. R. Macrae. R. Campbell and O. Parr will furnish the nucleus of the women’s representation. Campbell Park did well in the different grades in which it entered last year. It has a big membership, and it is a very keen club. Curiously enough, the club championship of la«t season is still undecided. George Martin, who beat Bartlcet in the Remuera championships, was to have played off with Andrews, but an arm injury prevented him from playing in the deciding match, and the match will have to be got off early this season. Andrews and Barfoot went down to Rukutai and Winger last year in the doubles after four years’ tenure of the championship. It should be a, great contest this season. The women’s section promises to he good, with Miss Long defending the singles -honours, , which she won last season. F. W. Coleman will not j>c able to play for the Auckland Club this year owing to ill-health, but L. Whitaker and R. Jones will head a good list of ■ men players. Shackle is a young • player of whpm a good deal is ex- ; pected. I Mrs. McCarthy, who was unable to , play last season, is back .again yds l year, and the club has gained Mrs. Cadness, formerly the top woman > player at Takapuna. There is also a i promise of some good fresh talent this year. The club is looking for new members, and as it lias three courts at % Stanlev Street, in addition to its o*n p courts' in Grafton Road, it should soon ; be able to report an increase in mem- ; bership.