Tennis payment dispute hits Canterbury

Press, 20 February 1980, Page 42

Tennis payment dispute hits Canterbury

By

JOHN BROOKS

An impasse between the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association and its provincial captain, Peter Hampton, might cost Canterbury the chance of retaining the Wilding Shiel l next month.

Hampton, as a professional, asked for appearance money from ' the association for the threeday inter-districts’ tournament at Lower Hutt The association’s management committee turned down the request, so. Hampton has declared himself unavailable. This development comes hard on the heels of Brett

Hibbert’s announcement that he will leave for Germany on Saturday to take up a coaching appointment. There is a strong possibility, too, that Steve Harley will be invited to accompany the New Zealand Davis Cup team to Brisbane —- which would

leave only one member of last season’s shield winning quartet, Michael Mooney, still on call. The chairman of the association’s management committee, Mr Colin Hunt, said yesterday that it was C.L.T.A. policy not to pay players to appear for Canterbury. This had been

made clear to the selectors. Hampton’s approach was the first of its kind, he said. But the Canterbury cap-

tain advanced a different point of view. “I treat tennis as my job,” he said. "Although I don’t think many people from outside agree with me in my stand, I am sure there would be some grizzling if they had to work, for three days without pay.” /

He declined to nominate the amount he expected, but said he felt justified in making the request because the inter-districts event was the toughest

tournament of the year, with 10 matches in three ■ days. . .' . - ■ ■ He agreed that the Canterbury .association met travel r’and accommodation. costs, but said this was normal practice. "Naturally; I would like to play fpr Canterbury, bud as the situation stands

at the moment I can’t,” Hampton said. “I would like to see Canterbury hold ' the Wilding Shield for some time, but I realise that it will be difficult this year with Brett being away and probably Steve, too. But other teams will be weakened as well.” Unless the breach is healed in the next day or two it appears that Canterbury will have to do without its captain at Lower Hutt As the holder of the national hardcourt singles and grasscourt doubles titles, Hampton would have been the logical Nd. 1 player.

In the meantime the selectors, Messrs W. Thom, N. R. Dillon, and Mrs P. Leopold, have named a squad of six from which the selection will be made.

They are, in ranking order, Mooney, Ralph Webster, Hugh Robinson, Rhett Mason, Jim Martin and Ken Elliott. Mason was the reserve for last year’s side, and Webster has played in previous inter-districts’ contests. The selectors will make their choice after a further round of ranking matches at Wilding Park tomorrow evening.