AT WIMBLEDON.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19138, 22 October 1927, Page 4

AT WIMBLEDON.

AMERICANS AND FRENCH SUPERIOR. MR F. S. WILDING RETURNS. Mr F. S. Wilding, the -well-known Christehurcb tennis player, -who returned to Christchurch yesterday after a visit to England, was enthusiastic in regard to the passing of the Summer Time Bill in New Zealand. "I believe that the English people would rather forego their Saturday halfholiday than revert to the old order," said Mr Wilding, who considered that the daylight saving measure had been instrumental in assisting every summer sport. "Although I landed in fine weather, in May, rain commenced shortly afterwards, and hardly stopped for months," he. said, "and the "Wimbledon tournaments were rather spoilt through this-' In fact, many people in England predict that in a few years there will be no grass courts in the country, though I don't agree with that myself." The average standard of English play at Wimbledon was much below that of the' French and Americans, Mr Wilding said, though this was in great part due to the climate, he believed. "The game between Tilden and Coellet in the all-England championship was most disappointing. Tilden took tho first two sets easily. He played from the back of the court and drove., and served his opponent right; off, but in the third set he 'lost touch,' as he said himself, and everything he hit went out."

The French players were very brilliant, Mr Wilding said, when on their game, but had not the steadiness of many'.of their opponents. The German players who took part in the tourna-; ments were treated by the All-England Committee with'" the greatest kindness, and the public received, them well. All the Germans were older players who had played before the war, while the French had all come into prominence since the war.

Speaking of English courts, Mr Wilding said that, with the exception of such courts as those at Wimbledon, the English courts were inferior to the better club courts in Christchurch.