Bigger tennis crowds next time?

Press, 29 November 1978, Page 18

Bigger tennis crowds next time?

By

JOHN BROOKS

All the glamour and excitement associated with a major tennis tournament abounded at Wilding Park last week when the $36,000 Colgate international tournament for women was held. The grass courts were in superb condition; the weather remained fine and warm for the whole eight days, and the preceding practice days; and the standard of play produced by a host of overseas champions was gratifyingly high. Only one thing was wrong — the crowds stayed away. Understandably, there was a modest number of spectators during the week, but fewer .than 300 attended semi-ffnal day on Saturday. The number rose to about 450 for the finals. Some Canterbury officials were bitterly disappointed at the public response, but the executive director of the New Zeav land Lawn Tennis Association. Mr Jtan Painter,

adopted a philosophical attitude. “Everywhere in the world the outcome has been the same when a major women’s tournament has been held for the first time,” he said. “Lesley Hunt told me that invariably crowds were small whenever a women’s event was held at a new venue. But once they were established it was a different story.” Mr Painter said the poor crowd support could be attributed to the dearth of top tennis in Christchurch and New Zealand’s virtual isolation from the world’s big circuits. Another factor was that women had usually played a supporting role in New Zealand tennis; the Colgate tournament represented a departure from this situation. “Really, women’s tennis provides a better spectacle than men’s,” Mr Painter

said. “The ball goes over the het more, and the girls can play all the shots the men can.

“If, in some magic way, the same sort of tournament could be held at Wilding Park next year, I am sure you would draw the crowd. “The behaviour on and off the court by the girls had been magnificent, and they have played the game hard but fair. And the standard has been excitingly high — you wouldn’t get a better final anywhere than that between Regina Marsikova and Sylvia Hanika.

“Women’s tennis hasn’t had to stand bn its own in this country before. Also, New Zealanders lend to recognise only the top six or so of women’s players. The names of many of the competitors at Wilding Park were unknown to the general public, but the

slight margin between world tennis leaders and those Weil down the list was illustrated in the singles final.

“Marsikova has beaten Martina Navratilova, and must rank among the top dozen players in the world. Yet Hanika, who gave her such a tough battle is ranked sixtysixth.”

Mr Painter was impressed with the organisational capabilities of the Canterbury officials. The competitors, for their part, appreciated the smooth, unflurried progress of the tournament and although some of them were not happy at having to forsake their familiar clay surfaces for grass, there was widespread approval of the class of the courts.

The tournament, after all, was scheduled as the forerunner to the Federation Cup contests, which are being played on the Kooyong grass in Melbourne. The experience at Wilding Park would have tuned up the competitors, expecially those who last-ed-spiore than one round.

The Colgate representatives,. Messrs Don McDonald and Graham Bull, worked in closely with the national and provincial officials to ensure the success of the tournament. Their hospitality tent was a pleasant oasis, and it helped some players to think that they were not too far removed from Monte Carlo.

All that needs to be done now is for the Colgate men to persuade their chiefs that Wilding Park is an admirable place for a follow-up tournament next summer. If Mr Painter's theory is correct, the crowds would be queueing along WooUham Road.