ON THE COURTS

Daily Telegraph (Napier), 13 December 1930, Page 6

ON THE COURTS

hints on tactics for doubles TENNIS NEWS AND VIEVVS

(Notes by "Ilacquet.")

Inter-club tennis for the Neai and Close conipetitions was started last week, when the first ronnd of the Napier section oi the C Grade was played, Hawke's Bay benting Taradale lairly comfortably. Tennis of quite good quality was seeu in most of the matclies in this contest. Hawke's Bav a!eJ° "!eet St- ^trick's in the final or the Napier section to-day. C'lubs in Central abd Southern Hawke s Bay have also been active, and arrangements have been rnade for matches in those districts to be plaved. Dannevirke and Hinemoa, tiie -oiuy- twe-chrbs- errfcered- irr-tbe~Souther!i section of the C Grade competition, are to plav to-day, while in the C'entraJ section, "Waipukurau, who beat Otane last week. are to play Waipawa to-day. hints on. doubles Unless a plaver happens to be one of those fortunates who owns a private court, he is uiljikely to get much ehance in normal hours to phiy singles. Most clubs have enough menibers to keep all their courts filled with doubJes sets, and for tliis reason a plaver joining a cltib gets much more experience in combined play tliaii in solo effort. position important Court position always plays a prominent part m tlie doubles game. It is necessarv that all four players, whether the^ set be nien's, women's, or mixed, snould concentrate on their position s in court to be ready to auticipate quickly. How often does an onlooker see a drive clown the centre or tlie sideline score without opposition simply through tlie opponents lieiug out of position ? True. tliere are many shots playedwhich players cannot be expected to reach, but a great proportion of witining strokes conld be met if players were to give more attention to tlieir positions in court. placing necessary Placements nre essential to force an opponent on tlie defensive, but it is advisnble to do this only when tbe opnortune ball comes along. The server slionld stand two or three

yards from the ceutre 6f the baseline and direct his first delivery at such an angle that his parfner can take up a quick position at the net in order to anticipate the return. In the event of the seeond delivery being weak, the server's partner should drop back a yard or so from the net, to be readv to run back for a lob. The receiver who is meeting the first return should stand about ono or two feet outside the baseline in readiness to meet the ball on the rise. A C QQD QEEQR The average plaver does not possess a fast seeond service, nor does he place it to advantage, conceUtrating rat-her on avoiding a fault, and the receiver is given tliis golden opportunity of making a direct outright winner, or a good attacking stroke. A good return of service, that is, one which carries lengtli, placement or pace, should be followed into the net as closel.v as possible for the volley to finish off the sliot-. outstand1ng points Points for special conFiderafcioil are: 1. The return of service is the most important stroke of the doubles game. 2. Too much tcssing will force you on the defensive. _3. The server slinuld annex his service throughout the match. 4. An ensy vollev at close range with the net should b© severely dealt with. 5. Aroid smashing a lob too far back in court; yo"r partiier should be ready to anticipate a high toss. 6. Whenever pnssible. take the bait slioukler-h'"rh and on thp rise.