TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17131, 29 August 1923, Page 2

TENNIS

iOnal! .UnContta

The tennis section of the United Club will meet at eight o’clock oh September 4, and tho annual meeting will be held on September 7. The annual report records a membership in all sections of *550, and predicts that the grounds will be in good order for the coming season. The six new courts sown in the autumn will be ready for play in the 1924-25 season. Thanks are accorded to Mr F. J. Campbell and his staff for the excellent condition of the grounds. The Teport of the tennis section is as follows:—The interest shown in the tennis section was very gratifying, and fully demonstrates the wisdom of the executive in providing moro courts for the future. Six more courts will available for the season 1924-25, bub it is becoming obvious that the courts must be spelled more in order that they be kept, in good playing order in tho latter part of the season, and when allowance is made for this it is clear that there will be little more accommodation for tennis than at present, and with the increasing number of players every ye;*r it behoves the incoming executive to endeavour to secure additional ground, sufficient for another six courts. During tho season a very number of matches were played. Ibis was to a certain extent due to the fact that most of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association's ranking matches were played on the club’s courts. These matches were keenly contested, and much public interest was evinced in the results. An invitation tournament in connection with the vis Pfc of the New South Wales ladies’ team was held oil the club’s courts by the Canterbury Association, and the play attracted a record attendance of spectators—over 700 persons paying admittance on the second day. The match between Wellington and Canterbury was to havo been played on the club’s courts, but, unfortunately, rain caused play to be abandoned, after some of the matches had been got off during the morning- The Canterbury Association also held a tournament during the Christmas holidays on the courts. Some of the most prominent players in the club were unable to compete in the various events, owing to _ tho dates clashing with those of tho New Zealand championship meeting. The tournament was played under ideal conditions, and proved very successful. The usual club championship and handicap events were held as usual. The weather was unfavourable on many occasions during the latter part, of the season, and it was a matter of difficulty to get all matches played by specified dates. The following are the winners of the various events :—Championships —Men’s singles—**Mr D. F. Glanville; ladj.es* singles—Miss D. Willis ; men’s doubles—Messrs I. Seay and J. H. W. Sheppard ; ladies’ doubles—Misses K. and W- Partridge ; combined doubles— Mr and Mrs F. B. Hale. Handicaps.Men’s singles (first grade—Mr T. W. Patterson; men’s singles (second grade) —Mr W. S. Somerville ; men’s singles (third grade)—Mr R. H. Tait; ladies’ singles—Miss Ferrier : men’s doubles (first grade)—Messrs N. Anderson and T. W. Patterson: men’s doubles (second grade)—Messrs R* H. Tait and S. W. Binns; ladies’ doubles (first grade)— Misses L- and S. Saunders; ladies’ doubles (second grade)—Misses N. Knight and G. Jones; combined doubles —Miss R. Thompson and Mr M. G. Moore. On Labour Day a combined tournament was held. Although the weather conditions were anything but favourable for tennis, a heavy nor'wester coming up. tnere was a good muster of competitors and some keen resulted. The winners were Miss X. Webb and Mr J. Warsaw. The club was well represented at the New Zealn-mi championship meeting, held in Hastings, Messrs G- G. Aitken, .T. (T. Denniston. S. D. Denton, S. W. Field, W. Goss. P. G. Greenwood, K .H. Harrop, G. Oilivier and T. R. Quill making the trip. Mr G- Oilivier again won the singles title, and with Dr Laurenson, a former member of the club, the men’s doubles championship.

MISS M’KANE AND SUZANNE

Once again Mdlle. Suzanne Lenglen, of France, has proved herself to be the finest woman lawn tennis player in the world, wrote Stanley N. Doust in describing the match. In the Wimbledon championship singles she beat Miss M’Kane, England, 0-2, 6-2. The centre court never looked so well. The sun shone brilliantly on the thousands of people thronged around it, showing off the variegated colours of the dresses worn by the women. It was an inspiring sight. Punctually at three o’clock Commander Hillyard, who umpired the match, fo’lowed by his nine linesmen comprised of nine r>layers of different nations, ircluding W. M. Johnston, took their seats* Then, amid applause, entered Mdlle.

Lenglen, all smiles and wearing a redi bandeau. Mies il’Kane’a bandeau wa* blue. Having tossed for service, and after a preliminary “ knock up,” the great match began in a wonderful silence. Neither player •showed the slightest sign of nervousness, but each appeared determined—the Frenchwoman to keep her title, the Englishwoman to take it if she could. But the title wan “kept,” not taken, and for the very good reason that the bettor player won, and won decisively. There is no disputing the fact that Miss M’Kane played just as w©ll as she was permitted to do by her opponent, and in saying that I do not decry Miss M’Kane’s effort, for eh* played well enough to have beaten any other woman. Mdlle. Lenglen has studied lawn ten* nis. The tennis court is to her what a chess board is to a chess player. She knows what will happen to a ball wherever it pitches—the answering moves, as it were—and she plays accordingly. Tho champion thinks ahead all th« time. Watching the unerring accuracy of her shots, the variety of her placing, tho changes in her strokes* and then the unerring dispatch of the ball to a wid£r angle, and then seeing it sent to the opposite corner wm indeed a revelationMdlle. Lenglen made an attack or* Miss M’Kane’s backhand. It was relentless in its insistency. Miss M’Kane, always defending except on rare occasions* had to do all the running. M i s a M’Kane, however* ; seized those raro occasions. They ; gave her th « : chance of using • her forceful fore-.** i hand # -drive and getting to the net, and when there Mdlle. Lenglen failed to pass her. Ik was a case of having one’s physical resources called on the whole time. The Frenchwoman remained cool, only requiring to move a yard or two. She knew where the ball was coming; she* also knew when a shot would beat her and never attempted to retrieve it, whereas Miss M’Kane had to go for the simple-looking shots or. else those four games (two in each set) would not have been gained.

WHY CHAMPIONS WIN. There are hundreds of young playera of lawn tennis whose strokes are perfect but who never win a match, let* alone a championship, writes A. E. Crawley in the “ Daily Mail. 1 ’ It is the same in other games, and it make* a curious chapter in the history o£ sport. On the other hand, there have been* champions whose strokes were far fron* perfect; they were clumsy, bizarre, or* ludicrous. What are the reasons for this differ-* ence? Some people say, when a finer stroke player loses because he has not} the capacity to win, that he lacks experience. But what is experience? A certain young woman won the championship o® Picardy at the age of twelve. A c«rtain young man of fifteen won a championship in the United States. The critics one and all assured u* that these young persons bad expert*' ence. But if they had lost, the same? critics would have Said they e4 lacked experience/’ Again, there are players who harS matured but are not too old to writ championships. Sometimes they gfl» near to winning them, but they never do win, in spite of experience. The, critics talk about “ the winning temperament,” but do not explain whab this is- They do not know; but when a plaver continually wins, he “ has the winning temperament.” So far, we hare had ” experience ” and ‘’temperament,” hut we do no-6 seem to get any farther towards an explanation. A player from Australia, who was not then famous, was about to play hi* first match in England against a famous player. He was asked conversationally whether he was going to beat that plaver. His renly was. “Of course T shall beat him.” And he did. That man possessed what, is called 11 character ” or “ personality.” But someone will say, “ "VThat about tactics? Is it not tactics that win matches?’’ My view is that tactical capacity is closely bound up with strength of character and determination. Ordinary and obvious tactics are possible for the most ineffectual players, but not the tactics that help to win great matches. Strokes with control are the instruments : tactics are the directing brain ? character is the divinity that rules oar ends. A characteristic, often unknown U* the nossessor, of th«» doTnir*«ting personalitv is a sort of Cone habit. Unconsciously he is always saving to himself “T am going to. win,” and he win*. This is auto-suggestion, and it has won manv wars as well as lawn tennis matches.

COMMON TENNIS ERRORS. (Specially written for the '* Star." ) CIV.) rOSITION AND FOOTWORK. The sense of position—the faculty of choosing rapidly, and without con* •cions thought, the host vantage-point tor tho next move—is at least as necessary in tennis as in any other gam©. But, since practice in almost any game will, have engendered it, the beginner at tennis is under no special handicap in this respect. Something mote is needed, however; it is that Which is variously referred to as “ attitude,” ** posture '* or “stance” ; and it is important enough to mark *. clear dividing line —a barrier, in fact—between average play and out-and-out bad play. In the main, tho defect can be overcome by ordinary watchfulness, and often it is nothing worso than a kind of feet-conscious-ness, which longer practice will surely dissipate. '

CORRECT FOOTWORK. "Whilst faulty footwork is being maintained it is of little use to practise th© finer points of the game with any hope of success; and although, to many beginners, the correct use of the feet comes as naturally in tennis as in stepping on or off a moving stairway, it is by no means universally the case. In making an ordinary forehand stroke, for example, you will naturally have your left shoulder turned inwards towards the net. with the- left foot iu front of tho right. When the racquet is swung back tho weight is on the right foot; as it comes forward to meet tho ball, the body swings with it, with th© weight transferred to th© left foot. Unless these things all happen in this way, the forehand stroke becomes an extraordinary one, and therefore. expensive. For a back-hand stroke, the right foot will be well in advance of the left; and th© right shoulder turned towards th© net. Another stroke which most times punishes an offender is th© ground shot. It might be thought a pardonable piece of optimism, which inspires a. player to take on© of these with his body square to the net, but he rarely escapes without paying his point! The body should, of course, be turned sideways to the net, with both fee:, on | the ground, AVOIDING HALF-MEASURES. But all the practice and precaution Imaginable, applied to position and footwork, will be of little avail unless on© commandment b© scrupulously obeyed. It is to play up or playback—either close to the net or well back in the neighbourhood of the service lino. A half-way position is at oil times perilous. One disaster which it provokes is a shot- played at your feet.—on© of the most difficult to return. This, incidentally, may happen when you arc at th© net—but nut it you aro a veteran; because you will have established another rule that, when you ar© there, your opponent shall not be able to glimpse your feet by looking over the top—an extremely vise and necessary rule, which a natural modesty has heli»ed you to enforce. Finally, if it provides no difficulty, and if you wish to secure th© maximum of nirableness in movement, it is a good and useful thing to keep on your toes as much as possible throughout the game.

INFRINGING THE LAWS. Faults of form and style aro one thing; they carry their own invariable penalties. Infringement of the laws of tennis, however, may also raise from a careless disposition of the feet in the service; and many players who would be the first to deride the notion that they ar© guilty in this respect ar© oftcu th© xvorst offenders. Unconsciousness. however, is no excuse, particularly in tournament play. If the foot touches th© line, or crosses it, before- the ball leaves the racquet, it is a foot-fault. One foot must lie on the ground at the time of delivering tho service—jumping, therefore, is also a fault. The point of safety xvill ho a point at least, six inches behind the service line. SUBURBAN NOTES.

(By “ BASELINE.”) ST PAUL’S PAPANUI CLUB. The annual report of the club to land makes very satisfactory reading. During the year the club has put down two new courts, and more than doubled its membership. The A team defeated Frebblcton, Cathedral and Papanui <dubs, drew with Woolston, but lost to Kaiapoi, Riccarton, Faparua, Halswell and Belfast. The committee have-re-cently installed a. volley board, and it is hoped that as soon as the debt is paid off the courts a small pavilion u ill bo built. Th© club has a live committee, and has more applications for membership than it can find room for. PAPANUI CLUBThe Papanui Tennis Club, which is an offshoot of the Papanui Bowling dub, held its annual meeting in conjunction with that body last Thursday, it had been hoped to put a proposal before the meeting for more courts, but the trustees pf the land needed refused to sell privntMy. so nothing could ho done. The land in question is part of a estate, and it is possible in th© near future that when the estate is realised an opportunity will occur again. This club has a large membership and has only two courts. On the joint executive the tennis section now- has three representatives, Messrs Chapman, Taylor and Haines. TTOOLSTON CLUB. G. Pierce defeated J. Dryden 9-3. The final is noxv between Pierce and Hawkins for the championship. PRESENTATION OK TROPHIES AND SHIELD. Mr Seay, president of the Canterbury lawn Tennis Association, has promised to present the trophies and shields sit next week’s coma) evening nf. the. Memorial Hall. Papanui. Prox idmg the different, suburban clubs are well represented tho evening should ho a.great success* A Inte tram at 1.30 a .in. will leave for the city. The tickets are noxv in th© hands of all the secretaries.

At Just night's meeting of ufie Canterbury Lr*v.n Tennis Association, it. au* decided lu ask the New 'Zealand

Council to forward it cable to Anderson and Hawke, th© Australian tennis players, congratulating them on getting into th© l)»vis Cup finals, and wishing them success in their match against the Americans.

THE DAVIS CUP. “ AUSTRAL” SUMS UP THE PROSPECTS. ” Austral ” in the Sydney “ Referee *’ writes as follows of Australia r prospects of lifting the Davis Cup. Iu view of the fin© play of J. O- Anderson against Shimidzu and Lacoste, the hop© that, he can defeat even Johnston and Tilden. is not too daring. When Til den defeated Shimidzu last year, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1, he lost just as many games as Anderson did, and his play did not so completely outclass the Japanese champion. A few weeks ago W. hi. Johuston met Reno Lacoste, the eighteen-year-old wonder of France, and not only lost a set to him, but was extended right through, the score being 6-4, 8-10, 6-4, 6-3. While it is true that Lacosto was then playing on a : hard court, which suited him better, and Johnston less, there is little, doubt that Lacoste is improving every day, and that Anderson’s defeat of th© ‘‘veteran colt” -of France, as Lacoste is styled by reason of his wonderful match-cairn, in straight sets is on© of his great performances. ANDERSON’S MATCH PLAY. To have had tho score called 5-3 against him by a colt, and to be able to pull himself together so as to win th© next four games, although being twioe within a point of losing the set, shows that Anderson has gained that command of himself necessary to produce his best at a crisis. It is not always realised that o player lik© Anderson is more likely to crack up against a player of lesser reputation than against an undoubted champion. When, therefore, Anderson goes on to th© courts against Tildcn and Johnston. we can feel sure that lie will l>© at his very best, anti that he will extend the two great Americans to their limit. When Anderson met Johnston last year in the Davis Cup he was only partially recovered from a serious illness. Just before that he had extended Johnston in th© Seabright tournament, and just after it he extended Tilden to tho full five sets.

ANDERSON’S IMPROVED STROKES Since then, Anderson has gained command of a far more severe service, and has learned to put liis whole weight into his forehand drive without losing command. In that capacity lie is now j like Johnston when he goes for a kill on the drive: h© knows he can do exactly what he tries, the attribute demanded of a great player. In addition, his backhand, 'while not yet a truly great stroke, is much improved. And it is to b© remembered that Johnston himself, as Brookes proved at Auckland in December, 1920, and Lacoste at Paris this year, is not impregnable on bis backhand. lie can hit hard on that side, but is not, ferocious, as he is on his forehand. In addition, Anderson has improved in his volleying ©specially overhead, and is not so fond of his chop strokes, with which ho used often to throw away chances of scoring tor the pleasure of catching his opponent unawares. ANDERSON’S CHANCE AGAINST TILDEN.

As to Anderson's chances against Tilden, I am not so confident. .1 am aware what I am up against in saying this, in view of the fact that Anderson has beaten Tilden once, and extended him last yoar to live sets, and will be more confident when lie commences against Tilden than ho will be when he meets Johnston. When Tilden met Anderson in 1921, at Chicago, lie was match weary, or, in simple parlance, fed-up ” with too much play. His revolt at the suggestions of the spectators that he should take his sweater off showed that. Ho fiddled while Rome burned, and when lie tried to play seriously found that Anderson had taken th© bit in his teeth, and the latter won tho record set at 19-17, just on dark. Last year the Davis Cup match was completed, and possibly Tilden, the artist, was trying out theories, as lie often does. He has at command so many kinds of games, and he knows so precisely the strokes Anderson cannot play, that he vrill work our man out of position by the most subtle strokes. Johnston’s game is simple, though terrific. Tilden s is almost unfathomable. Still, I think we havo quite a chance of Anderson winning one of the two rubbers in singles cither against Tilden or Johnston.

THE DOUBLES UNCERTAIN. • Then comes th© doubles, and there, frankly, 1 cannot make up my mind. Anderson is not a great doubles player, though llawkes is. Still, Anderson has •such tremendous strokes that often his very lack of position draws the fire on to him, and lie wins by strokes alone. Hawkes may be able, to work out openings for him, as he did against th© Japanese. On the other hand, Tilden is not a great doubles player, in my opinion. His hold of the racquet on the backhand is not suited to fast interchanges of low volleys, and volleys at very close range. Hawkes if little, if anything, behind Lycett as a doubles player, though probably not so suited to Anderson as a partner, for the reason that Hawkes is not so good at intercepting as Lycett is. A player like Anderson, who hangs back, needs a, partucr ready to fairly 11 * sit” on th© net. Still, on th© whole, I fancy that with Richards. Johnston and Tilden available, at least America has the best of the chances in th© doubles. If that be so, it will bo necessary either for Anderson to defeat both Tiiden and Johnston, a task almost superhuman, or els© Hawkes will hav© to win a rtiblier from one of them. I cannot see him beating either Tilden or Johnston. Even assuming, therefore, that Anderson will beat both Americans—a colossal task, indeed—xvo will still have a long way to go. "Summing it all up, tlic best I can se© is a defeat by three rubbers to two.