SENIOR TENNIS EVENT

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21907, 7 October 1936, Page 4

SENIOR TENNIS EVENT

ATTITUDE OF UNITED CLUB

MATCHES ON HOME COURTS

WELFARE OF GAME SHOULD BE CONSIDERED

[By OBOSSCOtJBT.J There are few lawn tennis enthusiasts in Canterbury who will not concur with the views of the competitions committee of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association on the United Club’s decision to withdraw from the senior competition, and to arrange match play on its own courts for the leading players of the province. The committee, when it discussed its plans for the season on Wednesday evening, had nq official notification of the club’s decision, but it was learned yesterday that the facts as outlined by delegates are correct.

The committee of the club, by a substantial majority, has decided to take no part in the association’s competitions this season, and in order to stimulate interest in the club, it proposes to arrange matches for its players on Saturday afternoons. What will be the nature of those matches has not yet been decided, but apparently the committee recognises the need for match play to maintain the standard of play among the leading players. Club’s Support Essential

Admittedly, the United Club is in a difficult financial position, but that is no justification for an action that will threaten the success of. one of the parent association’s most important activities, as well as cause it some financial loss and loss of prestige. For it must be admitted at once, although some members of th\ association’s competitions committee appeared to think otherwise, that no senior competition worth the name can be held without the support of the United Club, which is by far the most powerful club in the province. The association, assuming it will admit that it is in the hands of its leading clubs, no doubt will ask the United committee to 'reconsider its decision. The club apparently believes that it must provide competitions and tournaments for the great bulk of its players, and when it comes to reconsider its decision, it will have to weigh the disadvantage of the loss of senior players for only a small part of the season, on the one hand, against the considerable harm it will do to the association on the other.

A club as strong numerically and in standard of play as United has certain responsibilities and obligations to the association and to other clubs, many of which are in just as difficult a financial position as United. Any action which threatens the continuance of the senior competition must affect other hard-court clubs which take part, for it is well known that many United Club members subscribe to other clubs merely for the privilege of playing for then* in the senior competition. The club hopes to bring all such players into its own private competitions, and they will, as a member of the association’s competitions committee pointed out, no longer have any incentive to join the hard-court clubs. Value to the Game

The saving to the United Club from non-participation in the senior competition is negligible—and the club does not claim that it is an economy measure—but the loss to the association would be nearly £l6. Even this is a very small consideration beside the adverse effect the abandonment of the senior competition would have oh Canterbury tennis. In the last few years the event has provided the leading men of the province with regular weekly match play, in both singlesand doubles, in the best possible conditions, and undoubtedly has assisted Canterbury to retain its position as champion province. The top ranking men have been well distributed among the various club teams, and there have been few “walks-over,” even for the provincial champions. This has undoubtedly been a factor in maintaining the standard of play among the best players, but the competition has done more than that. It has' given young and improving men the chance of meeting and gaining experience against a better class of player than they would normally meet. Apparently one of the reasons for the club's decision is that some members have complained that with the senior competition taking the best men away froifl the club each week, they have no chance of playing with the best players. Any form of competition that may be devised by the club to meet, the demands of these members—no plan has been formulated as yet—will certainly fail to give the leading players the kind of play they need to keep in championship form, and the club cannot hope to Offer as good facilities for play as does the association at Wilding Park. Short Period Affected It is to be hoped that the United Club’s committee will consider thoroughly the full implications of its proposal before committing itself. The senior competition actually occupies only seven of the season’s playing Saturdays, and does not start until the United Club!s season > has been under way for four or five weeks. The club, therefore, has plenty of time in which to arrange tournaments or matches for members, including senior player?, and it is very doubtful whether these cannot be run just as successfully when the senior players are absent. In its endeavours to reduce its liabilities, the United Club is appealing for .support to former members and tennis enthusiasts. Most of these will be inclined to take the view of the association’s committee—that a club should not organise activities in oppo-

sition to the association to which it is affiliated—and there is a consider* able danget that the club may forfeit the Sympathy of those followers of the game who feel that a club should place the general well-being, of the game ahead of its own interests, especially when those Interests are far from being vital to the Club concerned.

ST. MARTINS VALLEY • CLUB , The St. Martins Valley Tennis Club opened its season in the presence ot a large gathering of members and friends. The president, Mr R. Gallagher, In declaring me season open, welcomed new members ahd visitors. The club trophies, which were presented by Mrs Gallagher, were won by* the following;—Men’s championship singles, C. Courtney; ladies’ championship singles. Miss J. Bamford; Wilding Cup, C. Courtney; ladles’ handicap singles. Miss , J. Bamford; combined doubles, Mrs f. Partridge and J. Galbraith. , : .