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The Spike or Victoria University College Review October 1915

Tennis Notes

page 47

Tennis Notes

tennis notes

In chronicling the doings of the Tennis Club since the last publication of the "Spike," we must give due prominence to war matters as reflected in club activities.

We regret very much to learn of the death of G. C. Jackson, V. Hall, and I. P. D. Stocker, former members of the Tennis Club, who were killed in the initial stages of the landing operations at Gallipoli; and we desire to express our deepest sympathy with their relatives for so great and irreparable a loss. We regret also to hear of the temporary incapacitation, through wounds, of F. L. G. West, G. Seddon, and F. Hall-Jones.

Three more of our players have enlisted since our last record, their names being N. L. Wright, N. A. Foden, and H. Williams.

In spite of the appreciable falling off in membership caused by the war, and the resulting decrease in income, the Club is in a strong financial position. The credit balance shown at the last Annual General Meeting, held on the 24th September last, amounted to £37 2s. 6d. Instead of making a donation to some patriotic fund, as was at first proposed, the meeting decided to take up £30 worth of debentures in the New Zealand war loan. We consider this to be the most satisfactory way of giving our active support to financial matters connected with the war. The General Meeting also decided to throw open the courts for the use of all students of other Universities during their stay in camp.

page 48

As regards the standard of play reached by members of the Club, Fathers, Henderson, and Atmore are just about the same. Henderson is slightly better in doubles than in singles; while with Atmore the reverse is the case.

H. Williams is a very reliable singles player. Although not an exponent of high-grade tennis, his grit and determination cover "a multitude of sins." When his ground-strokes improve he will be a difficult man to beat.

K. C. Clayton is developing into a good player, some of his strokes being really good. Our advice to him is to give more attention to head work, which is often easily worth the sacrifice of a pretty drive.

G. M. Cleghorn has emerged again this time out of very deep water. We can have nothing but commendation for his excellent perseverance, resulting in so wild an expenditure of fervid energy upon the long-suffering and uncritical volleying-board. His latest coup-de-main he euphemistically dubs "the Parker drive." We cannot but wonder what has, for the time being, paralysed his sense of humour.

N. L. Wright is a vastly improved player, having a good solid service. But his back-hand strokes are often weak, and require the kindly assistance of the volleying-board. Lack of experience also shows itself; but this, of course, will soon be remedied.

Of the other players, Foden, Melody, Bruce, Dall, Tily and Purdie are all showing considerable improvement in their play. Two new members, Edmundson and Angus, are both enthusiastic and young, and must have a tennis future before them if their practice is not neglected.

No criticism of the lady players has reached us, but no doubt it will be in our hands in good time for next report. In those of this last season's games which we were privileged to witness, Miss D. Atmore and Miss M. Sievwright were the best and most consistent players. Miss Atmore's service is distinctly good, and her backhand strokes are at times excellent. Miss Sievwright page 49 is not quite so strong a player, but she showed a vast improvement on the previous year's play. Her defeat of Mrs. Goldie was indeed very creditable. Miss Lawry and Miss Mary Wilson also played some good games.

The matter of the arrangements of the sets on Saturday afternoons, and the conservatism of some players, was discussed very critically at the last General Meeting. It appears to us that the war should receive the entire blame for these things. Is it to be wondered at that some players, soldiers as they are, in a forgetful moment should almost naturally form "two-deep" instead of "forming fours"; or again, that others, good soldiers all of them, continually form the same "four"?