New Zealand Tennis

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27860, 7 January 1956, Page 8

New Zealand Tennis

As has long been its privilege about every third year, Christchurch will for the next week be host to the leading lawn tennis players of New Zealand, who will be taking part in the national championships at Wilding Park—still, in spite of the progress made by North Island provincial associations, the best tennis ground in this country and among the best in the world. The national championships, of course, are normally the most important event of the New Zealand season. This year they are of more than ordinary interest because form in the championships will largely determine the choice of New Zealand’s Davis Cup team. New Zealand has entered for the great international competition this season after a lapse of several years, a decision that will have been welcomed by most tennis enthusiasts in this country. In these days when the tennis strength of the world is so heavily concentrated in Australia and the United States, few of the 30 or 40 competing nations can have any real expectation of winning the

trophy; but most of thenr think their regular participation is necessary to keep themselves on the world “ tennis map ”. New Zealand, indeed, will be one of the humbler competitors whose greatest ambition is to win through one or two rounds. But the Davis Cup competition is, in fact, more often a means to an end. The cup ties are only a small part of the big programme of matches and tournaments, in many different countries, that is customarily arranged for a Davis Cup team. For the 'chosen players it is an opportunity to see the world and to improve their play by playing against the champions of other countries. Nationally, it is perhaps the surest method of raising the standard of play at home; but unfortunately the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association is not a wealthy body and accordingly must weigh these advantages carefully against the very formidable cost of sending a team to Europe or America. At no time since the war has the selection of a New Zealand team been sq “ open Young players of considerable ability and greater promise are coming forward to challenge the automatic right to selection of the few who have dominated the game in recent years. The chosen team should be young enough to show the benefit of their experience—and to enrich the game in this country—for some years ahead.