LAWN TENNIS.

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 57, 1 December 1926, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

(By

“Forehand.”)

Professional Tennis—lts Shortcomings. It is hard to credit that a man who has paid such big sums to get some of the world’s notable tennis players (including Suzanne Lenglen ahd the youthful Vincent Richards) to turn professional, as C. C. Pyle has done, would yet present his “goods” in the fashion “American Lawn Tennis” would have its readers believe he does present them. “That people want to see Mlle. Suzanne Lenglen and the other players who compose the professional troupe of C. C. Pyle has been demonstrated during the past week,” states the article. “On Saturday evening, October 9, Madison Garden, New York, contained about 13,000 people, who paid from 1J dollars to 51 dollars for the privilege of seeing Mlle. Lenglen, Miss Mary K. Browne, Vincent Richards, Howard C. Kinsey, Paul Feret, and Harvey Snodgrass play exhibition matches. The second evening, Sunday, the attendance was 5000. The troupe then jumped to Toronto, where they played to a gallery of about 6000. At Baltimore the attendance was 4500. Philadelphia, Cleveland, Montreal, and Chicago were other - places visited, lowwater mark in the attendance being recorded at Philadelphia, whore ihe gallery was 3000. '‘'Although the players are professionals, the conduct of the New York exhibitions was amateurish. The lawn tennis world held aloof, duo to a number of causes, among them being the lack of 'savvy* by Pyle and his organisation. A 'Mr. Brown’ performed the ditties cf umpire at Madison Square Garden, and the newspapers and public were permitted to remain ignorant of the fact that this was Nat B. Browne, brother of Miss Browne, for many years one rf the leaders of the game in Southern California, and holder of the clay court championship in 1914, with Claude Wayne. A printed circular slipped into tho official programme announced tho "World’s Premiere, International Professional Tennis Matches, Direction Charles C. Pyle; referee and umpire, Alfred Gibncy; umpire, E. C. Conlin.” These officials were announced in the newspapers, and this brought forth instant disclaimers from the gentlemen named in the circular and others who were mentioned. They had not been asked to serve, nor would they do so. There was even talk of suits to be instituted, so that lacerated feelings could be salved. Nevertheless the circular was given out with the programmes on the second day. Failing linesmen known in the lawn tennis world—for none came forward voluntarily, although several names are understood to have been suggested by Richards, including Messrs. Gibney and Conlin—others unaccustomed to the work were employed. They used the sign language, being apparently mute. Some of their decisions were bad and play often went on after the ball was out, the “call” not being heal'd. The ball boys were garbed in white, and were reasonably efficient. The announcing was pretty bad, amateurish, in fact. “Miss Lenglen” was constantly spoken off, and the score was given in this fashion: “Game Richards; games are now Mr. Richards 4, Mr. Snodgrass 2.” Or, “Miss Lenglen 30, Miss Browne 15.” The gallery can well be termed a tennis gallery. Tho play was followed closely and intelligently, the applause was given at the right times, and there was not even a suspicion of behaviour suggestive of pop bottles, cat calls or other concomitants that might be associated with tho Garden. The court was of dark green canvas tightly stretched over a matting made of a cord composition, and afforded an excellent playing surface, the balls bouncing very much the same as on a fairly fast clay court. The contrast of the white ball against the dark green of the court and the clean cut wide lines made it easv for both playors and spectators to follow the ball’s flight. What was most apparent, was the feeling that the play was lifeless. One could never get over the feeling that it didn’t make any difference to anybody who won. The players went through all the usual motions, but the spirit wasn I. there and no one who have ever been thrilled by high class tournament tennis could get the slightest semblance of a "a kick” out of Mr. Pyle’s opening Pr As ra to‘ I the future of professional tennis, while it is still too early to make any accurate prediction, it does seem that the outlook is dark. It seems that unless the competitive element can be introduced into the professional game—by open tournament or in some other wav—tho idea is sure to fail Exhibition tennis, whether amateur or professional, is never much fun from the spectators’ point of view, and m fact, in the case of the professional game, as last Saturday night s play proved, can even become a pretty boring business. It was also becoming evident that Miss Browne’s matches against Suzanne were beginning to tell. "At the pace. she is travelling,” said another arhele **Marv Brown© will B© exhausted in a month or two.” . t Suzanne 4 ran her about cruelly,” with marvellously placed shots from corner to corner. . All writers agree that Suzanne dominates the mixed doubles play. The Gams Among the Maoris.

How much the game of tennis has progressed amongst the Maoris, may bo gathered from tbe following history of the Putiki Tennis Club and the Maiumaru Challenge Trophy. Incidentally, it emphasises a degree of enthusiasm not always to be found al “° n £ clubs comprising European players. Ihis of course takes no account of the newly formed Maori Association, with headquarters at Rotorua. It is quite well known throughout the Maori world that Putiki was m the olden days the centre of life as far as the Natives along the west coast of the North Island were concerned, more particularly on the Wanganui and its tributaries. Whenever any matter of importance was to bo discussed it was done at the Putiki Maori Pa. It was

no surprise therefore to find that nearly all the leading chiefs of the Dube assembled there and several made their homes there. The missionaries bu t a Native mission school there, y hue from it between 1895-1898 the first batch of bovs went to Te Aute College, where they received their A.B.C in tennis, tt was natural therefore for them to play the game at I’utiki when they returned during the summer holidays. The fascination of the racket and ball "ame at once took hold of the young people in the pa, so much so that In the year 1900 the Putiki Tennis Club was formed. Of the original members of the club six only are alive to-day. About 1908 other villages along the line, namely Wangnehu, Ratana, and Turakina. formed clubs and carried on a friendly rivalry against the Putiki C’lfk'was during these matches that a" leading chief of the district named T. W. Marumarn hit upon the plan of encouraging this rivalry by presenting a trophy for competition lietween the unaffiliated clubs. This trophy is what is now known as the “Marumarn Chailonge Trophy” It was because, while in Wellington, he saw that tennis u#is played among the better and more educated people, Mr Marumarn conceived the idea of tennis matches for the Natives as a means of helping on their education towards the time when they would be able to coni end against the pakeha on equal terms. The first game for tho Marumarn trophy was played about 1909 on the old Aramoho Club courts, at Wanganui, among teams representing Putiki, Ilatana, Turakina, and Waugaehu, and was won by the Putiki Club. The news of the existence of the trophy spread, and by Easter, 1910, a challenge was received from as far distant as Hawke’s Bay. For the benefit of the Hawke’s Bay people the Putiki people, with that fine sense of sportsmanship that has always characterised them when this trophy was at stake, decided to play the match at Palmerston North. In that year there were teams competing from Hawke’s Bay, Putiki, Aorangi, Foxton, Ratana, Wangnehii, and Palmerston North, the winners being Hawke’s Bay, who defeated I’utiki in the final bv a substantial margin. In 1911 tho venue was again Palmerston North, and Putiki won back the trophy by a matter of a few games. Tho club retained it in 1912 and 1913. During the war no games were played. The series were continued in 1921, when the I’utiki team journeyed to Hastings, and narrowly averted defeat ou a drawn game against Hawke’s Bay. In 1922 the challenges were played at Wanganui. The attendance was so large that the four courts at Putiki were left to the ladv competitors, while th© men hired the Gonville Club courts for their matches. Again the Putiki Club retained the trophy. The. camo procedure was adopted in 1923, the finals being played between Putiki and Hawke’s Bay, resulting in an easy win for Putiki. . The year 1923 saw the Putiki Club affiliate to the Wanganui L.T.A., and take part in its competitions for the first time, with, however, no very great success beyond that of well-earned exie club drew TC ith Wanganui Club in the inter-club matches, with sets all, but lost by two games on the games total. Although no matches were played for the Marumaru trophy in that year, the Putiki Club sent a team on an un-river visit which was much appreciated. In 1925 the club acquiesced in an invitation to defend the trophy at Dannevirke, taking A and B teams. Very sportingly the captain played all the challengers with his weaker team, the A players being stood down. In that year, through the instrumentality of leaning members of tho Putiki Chib, a sub-association was formed on the Wanganui River, to be known as the Wainuiarua Sub-Asso-ciation, which is affiliated to the Wangsnui L.T.A. The Putiki Club has four grass courts on the mission grounds. They have all been put down by voluntary labour. , The pavilion wiis erected by two of the members at a very low cost and the Maori thatched whare was put up by volunteers. The financial position is healthy, the subscription of .£1 for men and IDs. for ladies being found quite sufficient in view of the great amount of voluntary assistance that is always forthcoming.' So keen are the members that they niny frequently be seen holding their committee meetings on tho turf of the courts rather than nlaying, and they would also turn to and mow or weed ths courts on any afternoons.

A team for the Marumarn trophy consists of two men and two ladies. An Association Publication. The Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association has published a little booklet which gives in a convenient form the constitution and rules of the association, the rules of lawn tennis, how to mark out a court, a short history of the Miramar grounds, and the names of the affiliated clubs, and their secretaries important information regarding the filling in of handicap forms, matters relating to prize money, knotty pointe in umpiring, the method of making the draw, anil the way to. manage the complicated system of handicaps in games. Not the least interesting feature of the hook are photos of the members of tho management committee, and others prominent in Wellington tennis nnd a photo of the extensive association grounds at Miramar.

Borotra’s Strangeness. X The strangeness of Jean Borotra was vividly described in an account of nis match with Vincent Richards in the National Singles of U.S.A.: “In the early part of the fourth set Borotra staggered about the court' and seemed to be on the verge of collapse. This was so strange, just after a ten minutes rest, that when he was on my side of

the net I looked closely at. his face — and was startled. He was like a drugged man. His eyes were lack-lustre, his face without expression. He was just going through the motions, an easy victim, it seemed, to a concerted net attack —or to almost any - kind of an attack. All through the fourth set Borotra staggered about the court and played like an automaton. But with the fifth set the American’s opportunity had passed. Borotra was himself again. His face took on expression, his eyes became normal, he no longer staggered. He had attained his object, whether it was to play 'possum until he had drawn level, then to launch his attack; or to put into his play the last he had, satisfied if he removed from Lacoste’s path the last element of danger and made a French triumph inevitable. Which it was, who shall say?

How Many Balls? How many balls does a player hold in his hands when he is ready to serve? asks A.S.T.A. Of perennial interest is this oft-asked question. Tilden and Richards habitually hold three balls in the hand. Johnston and Villiams hold two balls. The Frenchmen, Lacoste, Borotra, Cochet, and Brugnon, hold two balls. An achievement of Tilden’s during the Davis Cup trials in August is worthy of mention: He deviated from his rule on two occasions—once when he held five balls in bis left hand, and again when lie held four. It was a stunt, of course, one ot the kind that. Tilden enjoys. Suzanne’s Play.

I take her great characteristic—her source of appeal and of success as complete absorption in tho game, states a writer discussing Suzanne Lenglen. Continually following the ball, tuning herself to the right mental pitch by standing full on her toes, fjie even looks back to follow tho ball from the racket of her partner as he serves. The side kick, the flick of the skirt, the blowing on the hands are unconscious manneri-nis. The absorption is aggressive. It captivates the gallery and is the basis of dramatic and sporting appeal. She combines the fine-so of Tilden with the intensity of Johnston. Strokes are not marked by a show of form, but the. ball is met cleanly every time, and on either side.' She keeps away from the ball laterally, and time after time 1 saw it go right into the centre of her racket. The upward and backward swing is a gesture only—the whole purpose is to get the racket squarely on the ball. Because she waits the timing is perfect. I’aret said of one of the Dohertys that the weight and power seemed to be put in after the stroke. In the smash Lenglen just reaches up, and the power is only apparent after the racket flashes down. She uses many short drives - some diagonal—to open an attack to tho rear court.

Tilden Going to Europe in 1927. If plans already made are not changed, says “American Lawn Tennis,” Faris and Wimbledon will in 1927 sec former champion William T. Tilden in action once more —the first time since 1921. His injured knee is coming around, slowly, and he hones, by nursing it between now and the spring, to have it in good shape for his ‘hird invasion of Europe. Tilden’s plans are already well matured. If all goes well he will leave New York late in April and go direct to Paris. He will have several weeks there in which to prepare for the French hard court championships, which will lie held at St. Cloud, near Paris. From Paris he will go direct to London and prepare for Wimbledon. At the conclusion of the Wimbledon tournament Tilden will return to New York and be ready for the big meetings in the United States. Of course nearly everything depends on the condition of Tilden's knee. It has given him trouble for the greater part of three rears, but it has nearly always yielded to treatment. He hopes that by spring it will be all right.

Australia and the Davis Cup, P. O’Hara Wood, writing in the Melbourne “Sporting Globe,” does not consider tho defection of J. O. Anderson from the ranks of the amateurs to those of the professionals anv reason for Australia not challenging for the Davis Cup next year. No* to challenge merely liecause Anderson would not be available would be, in his opinion, hero worship carried to ridiculous lengths. He doos not regard Anderson’s perform uncos in Davis Cup matches of recent years ns of any great consequence. Patterson, in form. Wood looks upon as at least the equal of Anderson, and capable of holding his own with any of the world’s players, excepting, possibly, Tilden and Johnston, who seem to have tho ‘lndian sign” on him. With Patterson and Hawkes available Australia would have two magnificent singles players, and there was absolutely no doubt, in Wood’s opinion, ns to their ability as a doubles pair. He selects as Australia’s third man C. F. Moon, the Queensland champion, who. shows distinct possibilities of developing into a better singles player than either Patterson or Hawkes, and who, with six weeks’ intensive practice against better players, "would so round off and develop his game that he would play No. 1 for Australia in the actual matches.” Whatever the zone Australia should, so Wood emphatically states, challenge for the Davis Cup next year. Association Courts and Affiliation. An important question is raised, writes a correspondent, by Hie recent formation of the Miramar Grounds Club on the association courts at Miramar. The question is, Is the Wellington Provincial Lawn Tennis Association liable to pay the affiliation fees for every member of the association courts, or are those who have formed the Miramar Grounds Club alone responsible for the payment of affiliation fees for such as are members of that club? Is every member of the association courts by virtue of such membership ipso facto a member also of the Miramar Grounds Club, or has application to be made by association court members to the committee of tho Miramar Grounds Club? In this connection it is well to state that it is the club, or clubs, and not the ground that is affiliated, and it is quite open to the association to argue that it has merely provided better and more efficient facilities for the nlaying and improving of the standard of tennis tn Wellington, and that questions of affiliation are matters entirely for the individual. It seems clear, however, that the association must pay the 2s. 6d. levy, affiliation fee, for every playing member on the association courts. There is still, however, the further question as to whether those members of the association courts who have formed themselves into the “Miramar Grounds Club” are not also liable for an additional levy of 2s. 6d. by virtue of their being members of a dub distinct from the association .courts. If the Miramar Grounds Club is recognised as a distinct clnb bv the association (and the acceptance of the club’s entry by the association for t!i; inter-club matches is, apparently, proof of such recognition), then there can be nothing to prevent the committee of this clnb charging an entrance fee, and limiting the number of its members,, or making whatever conditions it likes in conformity with the association’s constitution and rules. Also, it would have to be admitted that anv other group of players, not less than 15 in number (tho minimum stipulated bv the associations constitution for a club), could form itself into a club. ■ Once this is permitted there would bo no logical stopping-pluec. and a sure way is left onen for bickering, dissatisfaction, the formation of innumerable cliques, and the lessening of the social side of tennis, which is one of its most important features.