TENNIS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 3 December 1927, Page 8

TENNIS

(By

“Back-Hand")

—.—»—»— » — " — •• NOTES AND COMMENTS FROM EVERYWHERE. The team selected to play at Wanganui to-day is a good one, and no doubt the selector did his level best to get the best team available, but as a rule the selector always comes in for a lot of unnecessarily harsh criticism, which to my mind is unfair in the extreme. Probably the solution would be to commence a provincial ladder competition. This then would dispel all possible doubt or dissatisfaction, as the first six players would be justly entitled to inclusion. Personally. I think it would be a great success, and would give general satisfaction all round. • » • Ladder matches have been the order of the day at the various clubs, and some very interesting games have ensued. Although none of the leading players have been deposed, some have had to fight very hard to retain their position. Brown and Budd, of the Hastings Club, had a rare tussle for 4th position, honours resting with the former. Budd is a young player who showed great promise in the early part of last season. but faded away towards the end, which was probably due to his want of practice along right lines “Bricky” is a player of great possibilities. who. 1 feel sure, will catch the selector’s eye when the next Hawke’s Bay team is being selected. • « • Mrs. S. Averill, of the Hastin'-' Club, is another young player who shows great promise. This player has made rapid progress this season, and I feel sure that if she continues in the same bright style, and gets the practice that is necessary to good tennis, she will be well up on the ladder position, and competing with the best of the club by the time the club championships take place. • « • The Paris publishes William Tilden's list ranking leading women lawn tennis players in the following order:— 1. Miss Helen Wills (U.S.A.) 2. Senorita do Alvarez (Spain). 3. Miss Kea Bouman (Holland). 4. Miss Bettv Niithnl' (England). 5. Mrs Mallory (U.S.A.) 6. Miss Joan Fry (England). 7. Miss Elizabeth Heins (South Africa). 8. Miss Elizabeth Ryan (U.S.A.) 10. Mrs Godfree (England). W. T. Tilden's ranking list of women lawn tennis plnycrs, in which Miss Betty Nuthall is placed fourth after Miss Helen Wills, Senorita d’Alvarez and Miss K. Bouman, the Dutch girl, who heads the French championships, and before Mrs. Mallory, Miss Ryan and Mrs Godfree has given rise to a lot of discussion in lawn tennis circles in Great Britain. There is little disposition to disagree with Miss Nuthall’s high position on the list, hut Mrs. Godfree in her best. form, and possibly Miss Ryan, who beat Betty at Chiswick Park Inst May, would he expected to beat her. Mrs. Godfree’s position of tenth on Tilden’s list seems rather lower than she deserves. TENNIS BALLS TO SELL AT 1/3} EACH. The English Lawn Tennis Association, which, in its campaign to reduce the price of tennis halls, has accepted the tender of Jacques and Son to supply an official ball, announces that the balls will be sole to the public at 15/6 a dozen and to affiliated organisations at 14/6.

The “Daily News” points out that it is not yet known whether the ball will be adopted for important tournaments, of which the Association controls only the hard courts championships and the junior championships out of 200.

Commenting on the action of the British Lawn Tennis Council in accepting the tender of Jacques and Son to supply a cheaper official ball, Mr. Gerald Patterson, who is the managing director of Spaldings Bros. (Australasia) Ptd., Ltd., said that it seemed rather a revolutionary step for the Council to have taken. The action of the Council seemed to be an attempt to force the hands of other manufacturers, who apparently refused to supply a ball to the Association at a low price, declaring it impossible to manufacture a high quality ball at the suggested price. It is understood that the price of the Jacques ball will be 14/6 a doz., a reduction of 5/- on the high-grade ball.

Mr. Patterson thought that the Association would buy - direct from the manutacturer and eliminate the retail profit. There is no chance of this cheaper English bail gaining a footing on the Australian market,” said Mr. Patterson. The cheapest it could be sold would be 24/-. * “The Australian manufacturer is fast capturing the Australian market, and for the coining season of big tennis,- the local ball has been approved by the Lawn Tenuis Association of Australia and will be used. “The retail price of the Australian ball is the same as that of the high-grade balls in England—l9/6 a dozen.”

The English Lawn Tennis Association is to be commended on its action in starting its campaign to reduce the price of tennis balls. The Lawn Tennis Council of New Zealand, as well as those of other countries, have adhered to the system of adopting a certain make of tennis ball to be used at all championship tournaments, and thereby causing a monopoly. If Jacques and Son can supply a good ball at a reasonable price they will be rendering a great serveie to the tennis world.