WORLD TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 188, 9 August 1924, Page 1 (Supplement)

WORLD TENNIS.

AUSTRALIA SECOND.

WONDERFUL TILDEN.

J. O. ANDERSON'S ADDRESS.

"If more encouragement is given to the younger players Australia will undoubtedly hold first place in the world of tennis before very long," said 2klr. J. O. Anderson, the well-known tennis player, in an address given before the Public Question Society on "World Tennis.",

Long before Mr. Anderson commenced his address the University Union was crowded to the doors with undergraduates, and although the students usually remind those lecturing to them when their time has expired, they were content to let the tennis champion talk as long as he .desired.

Mr. Anderson remarked that England was still represented by men of the "old school," such as Kingscote and Lycett, and he was quite certain that the younger players in Australia could defeat all of them. In his opinion Kingsley, of Oxford University, was one of the most promising players in England. Allan Watt, the Sydney Rhodes Scholar, and Lowrie, of New Zealand, were also men with brilliant futures.

Referring to the Americans, Mr. Anderson declared that Tilden was not only the world's greatest exponent of tennis, but a tennis freak as well. The match in which Anderson beat Tildea in Chicago lasted from 1.30 p.m. to 6.5 p.m., and ran to five sets. Four dozen balls were used during the progress of the match. According to Mr. Anderson, Tilden does nothing else except play tennis. He plays on bothgraas and hard courts.

"Johnson is a natural player," said Mr. Anderson, "and he is perhaps the finest all-round player in the world. All of the American universities have professional coaches for their tennis teams, and Mr. Anderson mentioned that young men who show that they are likely to develop into good players are singled out for careful coaching. Next they are associated with the leading tournament players, and finally the Davis Cup men take them, in hand and train, them in exhibition matches.

Mr. Anderson expressed the view that Australia's 1924 Davis Cup representatives were probably making a mistake in participating in too many tournaments. "They have had several defeats," he said, "and these must tend to give a loss of confidence." The heat is more oppressive in America, and a lot of serious practice tires the players.

Mr. Anderson suggested that there was a possibility of France defeatins; Australia, as both Borotra and Lacoste had developed into fine players. He thought Mr. Norman Brookes had passed his prime. "He probably can't time the balls now like he could five years ago," added Mr. Anderson, "and as far as the singles games are concerned we have not got two players in Australia, capable of defeating Tilden or Johnson." ■

He believed that the grass courts at the White City were as fast as the American hard courts.

Mr. Anderson expected Australia to beat Japan in the coming Davis Cup matches, and he expressed the hope that more teams would visit Australia in. the future. Tenni3 was becoming the national game in Australia. Considering the small population, he thought that Australia could be proud of the fact that it held the second place in the tennis world. Apart from the best eight players in America, there was no difference of standard in the players of America and Australia. Mr. Anderson saw no reason why a competition should not be organised for women similar to the Davis Cup, as under present conditions they have practically nothing to strive for. He thought that the women playing tennis in Australia were quite equal of those abroad.

The students were advised by Mr. Andersen to adopt plain strokes when playing. They would save themselves from getting into difficulties. He did not think fancy shots were any good. Plain strokes were much harder to return than those cut or sliced. Mr. Anderson pointed out that Australia must cultivate singles players if ever it hopes to win the Davis Cup again. :