THE TENNIS WORLD

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 60, 27 March 1937, Page 14

THE TENNIS WORLD

g^me's rules in question SLBJECT OF STANDARDISATION | FORM OF PLAYERS, PAST AND PRESENT Rugby footbali is not the only pasttime which encourages differences of opinion as to rules. Neither is it the only game in which comparisons are made between players past and present. Tennis is in the limelight with similar problems. There is a cry from the United States to standardise the Davis Cup conditions. The Davis Cup has made tennis one of the most popular international sports and there is no reason why the rules and regulations which govern it in one country should not govern it in all, says the Christian Science Monitor. The sport has grown rapidly during the past quarter-century, but the regulations which cover it have not received the attention they should. Sooner or later the solons will no doubt get together and draft a universal code, and the sooner this is done the better it will he for all hands.

The Ball and the Court. The ball and the court* should be made uniform the world over. While the size and general appearance of the ball used in the United States and other parts of the world are the same, there is much more life to the American ball, and this is unquestionably a handicap to those not used to playing it. Then again, it handicaps, the American player when he has to play the slower ball in other countries, as it taken, some little time to become j accustomed to the change. It should be a simple matter to haye the ball the same all over the world and so do away with that difference at least. When it comes to the question of standardizing the court, we face a difficult ^problem. The game started on grass and its main championships are still played on turf; but there are countries where the game is played on hard surfaces such as concrete, clay, or asphalt. I believe that the big championships should continue to he played on turf; but there is no good reason why those countries or locations where turf is not used should not agreed to have their courts made of clay, asphalt or concrete instead of making use of all three.

An Open Tournament. j n One of the innovations adopted by the Canadian Lawn Tennis Associa- 1 tion was the decision to rank as many J men and women players as are considered worthy of being ranked instead of just ranking the first 10 of : each. In addition men's and women's doubles will be ranked for 1937. The i council of the association was authorised to set f orth a request from the all-India Lawn Tennis Association to seek international sanction for a tournament between amateurs and professionals. Thus the old question of an open tournament Will be brought up again within the next 12 months and it is hoped that it will receive the approval that it merits. The holding of such tournaments all over the world would do much toward increasing interest in lawn tennis as well as improving he standard of play. There j are now so many professional players who made their reputations in the amateur ranks that the type of play and sportsmanship should he of a very high order. There is just as much reason for open tennis tournaments as there is for open golf tournaments and who is there that does not approve of the latter? j Tennis Then and Now. Rtifus Davis, well-khown tennis umpire, offered the followers of that sport some interesting views when he announced that, with the exception of.Gottfried Frhr. von Cramm of Germany and -Henry W. Austin of England, the standard of amateur lawn tennis throughout the world was considerably below that of former years. "*A former player himself and for years a very efficient arbiter, there is no question but what Davis is well qualified to express authoritative views as to the tennis of the '90's and early 1900's as compared with that of the present time. No doubt many of the present genera-J tion will disagree with his opinions, while those who can go back to the days when Reginald F. and Hugh L. Doherty, of England, Robert D. Wrenn, William A. Larned and William T. Tilden 2d, of the United States; Norman E. Brooks and Anthony F. Wilding of New Zealand, apd J. Rene Lacote and Henri Coehet, of France were ruling the courts, will be in thorough accord with Davis opinion. Conditions Much Different. In comparing the tennis played of 40 years ago with the one of to-day, one must give serious consideration to the advantages which the presentday player has over the old-timer. Great improvements have been made in tennis racquets, balls, courts and everything else that enters into the playing of the game. This ipeans, of course that the tennis of to-day is faster and more skillful than that played in the early history of the game; 'but there is every reason to believe that such masters of the racquet as the Dohertys, Larned, Brookes, Wilding and Tilden would be holding as high rank to-day, were they at the height of their game now, as they held among the world players when they .were enjoying championship titles. They were the leaders of the times, but there were a number of other players who were always pressing them for chief honours, and there is little question but what a First Ten could be picked for any year between 1900 and 1925 that would be more than a match for any First Ten that can be picked to-day. A Ghampiotn's View, Some 15 years ago I happened to be with a player who had held the United States singles championship ip th@

'90's, and in the course of our conversation I asked him how he would compare the tennis players of that year with those when he was holding the championship, and his reply was that in his time there were more high-ranking players, but that he believed that the champion of the year J under discussion would probably delfeat any champion of the '90's. All of which seems to fit in pretty will with the opinion just expressed by Davis some 15 years later. While comparing the athletes of one generation with those of another is always a questionable game, it will continue to be done jand will furnish plenty of discussion .without definitely settling anything.