OPEN TENNIS Stop Quibbling, Players Told

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31333, 1 April 1967, Page 15

OPEN TENNIS Stop Quibbling, Players Told

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) LONDON. The professional tennis organiser, Mr J. Kramer, has advised professionals to take the “golden chance" of an open Wimbledon as fast as possible, the “Daily Express” reported.

His advice was aimed particularly at the Australian professonai, A. J. Cooper, the 1958 Wimbledon champion. Cooper has suggested that the professionals are not keen to rearrange their schedules to play with amateurs. Mr Kramer, in London to organise a £5OOO one-night professional championship to be played at Wembley next Wednesday, said the “reluctant” professionals should “stop quibbling” about open tennis. “The pros, have got to stop giving the appearance of hav-

ing their backs up and swallow • foolish thing called pride,” Mr Kramer said. “They should realise there can be no really golden future until the barriers are down, and they should hasten to acknowledge their appreciation of the pressure put on world tennis by Wimbledon.” He thought “his boys would take a good, hard look at the sort of prizes offered before agreeing to compete. “Meanwhile, in the professional field we want to try to build up prize money so that the public gets a vicarious thrill from seeing matches where huge sums are at stake. “I am sure that this partly accounts for the popularity of professional golf. The Mme could happen for tennis.”