THE PLAYERS

Te Ao Hou, March 1959, Page 30

THE PLAYERS She came down in slacks moving freely in the familiar atmosphere of the tennis courts, a slim small figure with a serious face—Miss Ruia Morrison. Unaffected by her success you feel at ease with her almost immediately. Sitting under a tree near the tennis courts waiting for the rain to stop I asked her what was she going to do next year. She told me laughing that at last after three years of interruptions she managed to finish Training College and was going to teach in Auckland. “How does it feel to be a national figure?” She considered the question for a moment and then answered seriously: “It carries a lot of responsibility, because you see, they look up to you (and ‘they’ she meant the Maori people) and you have to prove yourself every time. I know, because as a child I used to look up to those who were better or older than myself and try and follow their example.” I watched her playing; it was a pleasure to watch the seriousness and concentration and at the same time the ease and elegance of every stroke. What is she going to do in the near future? Practice next week and then down to Christchurch to take part in the National Championships. Annlock Emery who played against her in the Ladies' Singles is a shorthand typist from Hamilton. Born at Otorohanga, where her father owns a arm, and educated there, Miss Emery has played tennis for quite a number of years. She was very happy that she had reached the point of playing against Ruia and although she knew beforehand that she was going to lose, at least she said. I can say that I have played against the best. Most of the players knew each other. Annlock and Ruia are friends and while we were watching the Men's Single Championship I discovered that Moses Harvey was also one of her friends. Moses Harvey lives in Auckland, is married and has a baby boy. He comes from Ruatoria and was educated there at the District High School, has been playing tennis since he was 11. On the surface a calm player, he leaps up with some amazingly good shots. He intends to compete in next year's tournament. It was good to watch the juniors, eager and serious, some promising players among them. E. Neho who won the Boys' Singles and I. Morunga who won the Girls' Singles.