N.Z. Tennis Titles

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28894, 14 May 1959, Page 18

N.Z. Tennis Titles

A special committee of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association has recommended fixed dates for the holding of the national championships but the association’s council has deferred action on the matter. Under the chairmanship of Mr H. N. Burns, the committee brought down a report which is designed to end several years of contention on this issue. There have been two schools of thought on the dates. One felt that the tournament should be held in the Christmas holiday period to attract the holiday public, make staffing easier and make more players available. The other argued that the holiday dates were too early and players were not in peak form. Fixed Dates The report has recommended that the dates be fixed, with reference to Christmas Day, and that they start on the first Saturday after a lapse of 12 playing days from Christmas Day. The 12-day period is designed to allow for three four-day tournaments before the national tournament. This recommendation may be a satisfactory compromise between the two opinions. The matter has been deferred because no decision has yet been received on amended dates for the Australian championships. At present the Australian titles are held in mid-January but there is a move to hold them either just before or just after Christmas. It is hoped that the New Zealand tournament could be played shortly after the Australian championships so that leading Australian and overseas players competing in Australia would be free to compete in the New Zealand tournament. One of the obstacles to getting top Australian players to New Zealand in recent years has been that they have had to get back for the Australian championships.