LAWN TENNIS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26511, 28 August 1951, Page 4

LAWN TENNIS

TOUR BY DAVIS CUP PLAYERS SUGGESTED MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING Canterbury delegates to the annual meeting of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association will be urged to emphasise the advisability of bringing Davis Cup players to tour New Zealand after the end of the games in Sydney. This was decided at a meeting of the management committee of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association last evening. With ever-increasing expenses for administration it seemed important that overseas players should tour the countiw, said the chairman (Mr J. K. Burtt). "The income from normal sources is insufficient.” The United Tennis Club was offering free membership to tennis champions of secondary schools and thus, in some cases, taking these playeis away from other clubs, said the representative of the junior tennis association (Mr A. M. Hatch).

“Tennis is slipping and we have got to bolster it up." said Mr J. W. Arnold, the representative of the United Club. “A coaching class conducted by the older players of the club will be set up for them," he said. “This may be a lead to other clubs," said Mr Burtt. It was not fair to other clubs to have promising young players taken from them in this way, said Mr M. Sharman.

Mr Arnold offered to put before the committee of his club the proposal that these Tree members should not be allowed to play In the United Club's team so that to compete in the association’s competition they would have to remain members of other clubs. “I have to report that the coach we had in mind is unfortunately not available,” said Mr Burtt when the decision, made at an earlier meeting, to appoint a coach, was mentioned. "What we want in Christchurch is an enterprising sports firm which will employ a tennis coach as is done In Auckland,” said Mr Burtt.

The possibility of holding the national junior championships in Christchurch next year instead of In 1953, should be discussed with the Auckland association which was to have the championships in 1952, said Mr J. Mercer. In 1953 the New Zealand championships would be held in the city, and they would clash with the junior championships if present arrangements were adhered to, he said. The names of Messrs W. Clothier and H. G. Wake were put forward for recommendation as life members of the association by Mr Mercer, who spoke of the long and valuable service given to tennis over a period of more than 25 years by both men.