PLAYER PROTESTS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 290, 2 August 1932, Page 3

PLAYER PROTESTS

PERRY OBJECTS AGAINST PLAYING TENNIS IN WET. | A protest against having to play on a wet and treacherous court was made by F. J. Perry, the British Davis Cup , player, at Bournemouth, writes S. N. j Doust, in the Daily Mail. He was meeting G. L. Rogers, the ' Irish Davis Cup player who stands 6ft 8in) in the final of the men's ^ singles. When the match started the j court was too wet and slippery for a j volleyer like Perry to get a firm foothold. After a few minutes' play rain began to fall, so at the end of the first set Perry, who had slipped a good_ deal, told the referee that he objected to going on until the court had dried. "If the Lawn' Tennis • Association wishes me to break my neck I will go on," said Perry, "but it might spoil our chance of winning the Davis Cup." As th'e rain had stopped, the referee ordered the match to proceed. After three more games rain fell again. Perry again appealed to the umpire, who sent for the referee, Mr. Price. There was some confusion as to who had the power to give a ruling, so the referee asked the committee to be summoned. In the meantime, Mr. Price "advised" the players to stop. Rogers demurrod and threatened to retirs. The spectators shout'ed "play on," and eventually Perry agreed to do so. By this time th'e weather had cleared and the court dried quickly. Perry, who had lost th'e first two sets, then started" playing with the greatest determination, and, showing the finest lawn tennis by an Englishman for a generation, he won the final by beating Rogers in the next three sets by 6—3, 6—0, 6—2.