TENNIS RANKING

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 442, 25 August 1928, Page 11

TENNIS RANKING

PUZZLING PROBLEM TACKLED SURE OF CRITICISM (Special to THE SUN) WELLINGTON, Friday. So perplexed was the New Zealand Hanking Committee at the problem presented to it by last season’s tennis form that it had the utmost difficulty in separating the leading players. The official ranking of New Zealand’s first twelve, now issued by the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association, reflects this puzzlement, and the list is sure of much criticism. Four Auckland, four Wellington and three Canterbury men are in the first twelve, the other place being occupied by Dr. J. T. Laurenson, of Waikato. Seven ladies are ranked, three from Wellington and two from Auckland and Canterbury. The top places are filled by the winners of the two national singles championships, but the ranking committee has not held to its practice in rating as second the runners-up in those events. True, E. L. Bartleet, of Auckland, is ranked next to Ollivier, but Miss B. Knight, who reached the final of the ladies’ singles at Christchurch last season, is displaced by her team-mate, 'Miss Marjorie Macfarlane. One of the greatest surprises of the list is the fact that Camille Malfroy, Wellington’s brilliant young player, who had a very successful season, is ranked below Ivan Seay and X). G. France. Malfroy and France did not meet last year, but Seay beat Malfroy in the Wellington-Canterbury Wilding Shield match. What carries France above Malfroy probably is the fact that he gained two wins over Seay in three matches, one of these being a five-set contest in the Wellington provincial singles final. The ranking list is as follows: 1. G. Ollivier (Canterbury). 2. E. L. Bartleet (Auckland). 3. D. G. France (Wellington). 4. I. A. Seay (Canterbury). 5. C. E. Malfroy (Wellington). 6. J. T. Laurenson (Waikato). 7. L. G Knott (Auckland). 8. A. W. Sims (Auckland). 9. C. Angas (Canterbury). 10. N. R. C. Wilson (Wellington). 11. A. L. France (Wellington). 12. N. G. Sturt (Auckland). The seven ladies ranked are as follow: 1. Miss M. Speirs (Canterbury). 2. Miss M. Macfarlane (Auckland). 3. Miss B. Knight (Auckland). 4. Mrs. R. P. Adams (Wellington). 5. Miss M. Tracy (Wellington). 6. Mrs. W. J. Melody (Wellington). 7. Miss M. Wake (Canterbury).