TENNIS TOPICS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 307, 10 October 1935, Page 9

TENNIS TOPICS

A WORLD RANKING LIST.

THE TEN BEST MEN.

{■By “Forehand”). The conclusion of tlio Wimbledon championships affords a -fitting opportunity to estimate the relative merits of the outstanding lawn tennis players of the world, both men and women. To win at Wimbledon is tho ambition of every player with pretensions to world fame. It is, indeed, the unofficial world championship in lawn tennis. It cannot be too strongly emphasised that a world ranking—or indeed any ranking—can only lie a matter of opinion. It is merely one man’s expression of what he thinks. It is almost impossible for it to be put to the acid test of practical demonstration. The reason is plain. Any player selected has scarcely any opportunity of meeting under match conditions all the others on the list. Even should such meetings be possible, the result of one match might not be decisive for the purpose of determining superiority. In considering the best players in order of merit regard must be had to differences in temperament and style, as well as to the actual strokes, the strengths and' 1 the weaknesses. A might beat B on almost every occasion the two met, but B might be able to beat many players whom A could not heat. He is the best player who can beat the greatest number of the players on the list in which his name is included, not. because he can beat any one particular player.

Perry. Very fortunately there is nob much difficulty in fixing the Number 1 among the men. He is indisputably Fred Perry (England). His place at the , top is as definite as ever W. T. Tilden’s when he was at the height of his fame. Now that Perry is settled in mind and assured of five years of congenial employWnt,.he should make progress still further. There xvfis no one at Wimbledon able to hold him. His strokes are produced on unorthodox lines, but he is probably the fastest player in the history of lawn tennis, not excepting even Jean Borotra. He is aggressive, and deadly accurate with his aggressiveness. His temperament for a hard fighting game is ideal. He hits the hall early and) is in. to the net in a flash, and his volleying is brilliant and decisive. He is the greatest fifth set < player to-day—the greatest since Tilden.

Von Cramm. Baron von Cramm (Germany), whose improvement in recent seasons has been consistent, has earned the Number 2'position on merit. He is unquestionably the finest player on the Continent'of Europe to-day, and he has shown himself the master of Jack Crawford (Australia), one of the great players of the world. He possesses a fast service that is difficult to handle, a powerful overhead, and without any real weakness. He has a streak of genius in his game, and wins by shrewd tactics and clev'er passing shots, rather than by brute force. He is an even better player on the Continental hard courts than on grass courts.

Crawford. Jack Crawford! (Australia), has been called the “mystery man” of lawn tennis. That he is among the greatest of lawn tennis players in the history of the game cannot be doubted. He is one of the master stylists, and tho strokes that he plays in “bad form” are rare indeed. At liis best he strokes quietly, freely, and easily, and seems never to be out of position, and never in a hurry. He calls the tune for the others to dance to. He prefers to play from the back of the coprt, seldom going up to volley, although he is a fine volleyer. His backhand is among the most admired in the game. His greatest weaknesses are a lack of sting in his strokes (though their pace is often very deeeptiye), and a certain 'slowness about the court. This is not so noticeable while he can dominate the rally, but once that dominance is taken from him as Perry takes it, he cannot regain control. Wood. Sidney- B*. Wood (United States) from the first time he encountered Rene Lacoste on the Centre Court at Wimbledon in 1927. Avhen he caused a sensation by appearing in knickerbockers and played 1 with the assurance of a veteran (he was then 16), has gone from strength to strength. , He is now only 24 and has beaten almost .everybody of consequence in tennis to.day whom he has met, except Crawford and Perry. He has one of the finest backhands known to the game, and were his forehand as consistent, his future among the first three or four .players would be assured. He servos and volleys brilliantly. Although placed! Number 4 he would have more difficulty in holding that position than those placed above him would have difficulty in holding theirs. Budge. J. D. Budge (United States) is only 19, arid has been known mostly for his doubles play. This season, however, lias seen a remarkable advance in his singles play. He reached the last four at Wimbledon, heating on the way such players as Adrian Quist (Australia), Christian Boussus (France), and H. W. Austin (England), and taking a iget ofF Von Gramm in the semi-final. He has been well coached and his game presents no real weaknesses. He plays a heady game and is not easily ■rattled. His strokes are consistent and accurate. Indeed, his game is a ■well-balanced one of the all-court variety. He is placed Number 5.

(To be continued). An Error of Tactics. Mr E. L. Mcllraith, writing in tho “Sydney Referee” regarding thb challenge round match between Great Britain and the United States, points out

that while it is easy to bo wise after the event, many people in Great Britain felt that the United states Davis Cup captain was in error in playing Allison in the singles and leaving out Wood. Allison’s position as America’s No. 1 player no doubt decided the position, although he had been beaten at Wimbledon in the first round by McGrath.

Wood on the other hand, had been beaten by Jack Crawford when the tournament was in its last stages, and his physical condition was stated to have been much better than in England last season. It is almost certain that lie was good enough to have conquered Austin in the “key” opening match of the challenge round, and it is hardly likely that Hughes and; Tuekey could repeat their doubles victory over an Allison not completely tired out by too much play, and Van Byn. Then Wood is a player' capable of beating Perry, and Budge could be given a good clianco against Austin. Expert opinion is that tho U.S. team should have consisted of Wood and Budge for the singles and Allison and Van Ryn for the doubles, thus avoiding playing Allison in too many matches.

It is 29 years since Great Britain has scored a five matches to love win over America, and 10 years since all five matches have been Avon during the challenge round. This Avas Avhen the U.S. sAvopt France off the courts in 1925. t

Another record was set during the doubles match, Avlien all four player’s Avere “called” at different times for breaking the footfault rule—a thing unprecedented in big tennis, as lootfault judges usually appear to be too timid to open their mouths. Hughes and Allison trod over the line, Van Ryn jumped it, and Tuekey xvalked over while making liis strokes.

New French Stars. Rene Lacoste, the former French Davis Cup playei’, is searching for material to replenish France’s exhausted supply of brilliant laxvn tennis players. Armed Avith adequate financial resources and his OAvn great knoAvledge he has found the two youngsters of most promise in Destremeau and Petra. Destremeau, has a “classic” style, his forehand being avcll conceived: for some games he can play fine laAvn tennis, but the effort is apt to be shortlived. Petra is a huge man of about 6ft 2in, Avho suav Vines play one of his best games, and so lias modelled himself upon this great American and so Petra hits Avinners and crashes over giant services. Destremeau burst into tho picture by defeating Bernard and Boussus early this month. .