LAWN TENNIS RANKING LIST RULES

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27801, 28 October 1955, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS RANKING LIST RULES

EFFORT TO RAISE STANDARDS TRAINING FOR WILDING SHIELD CHALLENGE In an effort to raise the standard of play among the province’s top players and to train a team for the Wilding Shield challenge against Wellington on December 9 and 10, new rules for men’s ranking matches this season were approved by the management committee of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association last evening. The rules were submitted in a report by Mr M. C. Healey on behalf of the selectors, . Messrs Healey and A B. McCallum and Dr. B. R. Penfold. They will apply for one season and may be changed after that. u Jl ining th e rules, Mr Healey said u ran l c^n S .lists would be chosen by the ranking list supervisors, whose decision would be final, and they would arrange matches not necessarily in order of challenge. The list, which would be limited to 24, would be split into two groups of 12, most of the first group playing among themselves and the same with the second group. Matches would be held twice a week, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for the first group and once a week for the second, Mr Healey said. A start would be made next Tuesday and such arrangements would remain until the Wilding Shield match. The new idea would give leading players two hard matches each week as well as mter-club matches.

It was felt that the association should supply the balls, he said. It was estimated that the total cost until the shield match would be £24, towards which the first 12 players would contribute 10s each. By making players selected in the team for Wellington pay half their expenses, the association would save the other £l2 and would have to bear no burden for the balls. The. second group would have the use of balls already used once by the first group, free. Mr Healey said the players would also be required to engage in some Physical training such as runs round Wilding Park. “With that and the extra play from now until the challenge they ought to be fit.” “I think we have to do something to raise the standard and to get the players out an extra twice a week will be a move in that direction,” said Mr G. E. R. Atkinson.