BRILLIANT TABLE TENNIS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1938, Page 7

BRILLIANT TABLE TENNIS

ARTISTRY OF VISITING HUNGARIANS. AMAZING SPEED AND SKILL. The science and technique of table tennis as displayed by the visiting Hungarian players, Viktor Barna and Lazio Beliak, emphasised the marked progress the game has made in recent years when these two well-known exponents met Wairarapa and Wellington players in the Municipal Hall last night. The visitors played table tennis par excellence and the artistry of their shots and the daring with which they went for stinging winners were an object lesson to the local players. In spite of the cold wet night, the matches attracted a large attendance, including the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, who extended a warm welcome to the visitors. The visit proved well wprth while and the Wairarapa Table Tennis Association is to be congratulated on its enterprise in securing an appearance of the two Hungarians. The experienced Hungarians showed remarkable agility, which was a big factor in the accuracy’ of difficult shots. The cleverness of their placements often caught the local players napping, and drew rounds of applause from the spectators. Perhaps the most outstanding feature of the play of the visitors was their determination to win. At no stage were they prepared to concede a point, although they were both quick generously to applaud a good shot by an opponent. The exhibition singles between Barna and Beliak was a straight out contest, keenly fought and producing table tennis of a standard never previously seen in the Wairarapa. Barna won in three sets because he made fewer errors than his opponent.

Five times world champion, Barna demonstrated that table tennis, contrasted with ping pong, is a much faster game requiring a true and quick eye. His shots were long and he was as strong on the backhand as on the forehand. He was responsible for some remarkable recoveries.

Beliak, who is a left-hander, displayed a variety of services, most of which he executed with great ability. His smashes gave his opponents no chance. The standard of his play was about on a par with that of Barna, but he frequently netted seemingly easy shots. Beliak is an artist at trick shots, and his exhibition of some of these amazed the crowd.

The local and Wellington players fought gallantly, N. Myers in particular putting up a great fight in his single. They were all definitely outclassed, which was only to be expected seeing that the Hungarians are in the top flight of world players.

The results were: —L. Beliak (Hungary) beat J. Nicholls (Masterton), 21/10, 21/3; V. Barna (Hungary) beat H. Myers (Mauriceville), 21/5, 21/5; L. Beliak beat N. Myers (Mauriceville), 21/11, 21/17; V. Barna beat R. Clarke (Masterton), 21/6, 21/7; Beliak and Barna beat L. Wilson and E. Hughes (Wellington), 21/13, 21/16; Barna beat Hughes, 21/12, 21/9; Beliak beat Wilson, 21/9, 21/14; Barna beat Beliak, 21/17, 14/21, 21/19.