English Climate too Wet for Grass?

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 186, 27 October 1927, Page 8

English Climate too Wet for Grass?

PLAY AT WIMBLEDON NEW ZEALANDER’S IMPRESSIONS As a result of the climatic conditions which have prevailed in England during the past four or ! five years, some of the big tennis clubs are laying down En Tout i Cas courts, in preference to grass courts, qind it has been stated in some quarters that these courts will supersede turf courts for the playing of important championship fixtures, including the Davis Cup. The change-over from grass, however, does not seem likely to Mr. F. S. Wilding, the well-known Dominion player, who was interviewed by a SU N reporter on his return from England last week. • 1 He said that the tennis season was | rather disappointing, the All-England championships and other meetings ; being marred by rain. He experienced tine weather for about two ■ weeks after his arrival, but thereafter it rained almost continuously. It was no wonder that people favoured the En Tout Cas courts. Mr. WildUng played only In the men’s doubles, in which lie was partnered by F. M. B. Fisher, but they were beaten in the first round. The two sensations of this year’s Wimbledon were provided by 16-year-old Betty Nuthall, who won an unexpected victory against Mrs. M. Mallory, of America, and the Frenchman, Henri Cochet, who won the men’s singles title, after having defeated W. T. Tilden, the American star, in the semi-final round. COCHET-TILDEN MATCH t ‘ Betty is a natural player,” said Mr. Wilding, “and she plays a sound orthodox game, with no apparent weakness. She was boomed by the London newspapers, and is a great favourite with the gallery. I was disappointed with the Cochet-Tilden battle. For two sets the American was invincible, and then suddenly he lost touch. Tlis strokes over-shot the lines by inches, and although he was two sets to the good, and had a commanding games lead of 5-1 in the third set, the Frenchman levelled the scores, took the set and the following sets to win the match. “The standard of play in England is far below that of France and the United States, and this, in some i measure, I attribute to the climate,

which must curtail regular practice very considerably. For another thing, England has very few young players coming to the front, and if she is to re-establish herself as a tennis nation, it will be necessary to develop the game in the schools.” WELCOME TO GERMANS A very warm welcome was given to the German players, Fraulein Aussem find Otto Froitzheim, who were competing at Wimbledon for the first time since the war. The latter player showed quite good form, but Germany, generally speaking, had no new players of the best international standard. Fraulein Aussem played well, and was applauded impartially in her various matches. In reply to a question, Mr. Wilding said that with the exception of the centre courts at Wimbledon, the courts were no better than those of United, in Hagley Park, and in many cases, not so good.