Neutral tennis umpires

Press, 1 May 1981, Page 24

Neutral tennis umpires

NZPA London The International Tennis Federation is compiling a register of international umpires, qualified as grand prix officials, to act as neutral umpires in David Cup ties. The federation’s secretary, Mr David Gray, said that a register of the body of umpires was being compiled in London. He said this was to foster a policy of neutral umpires at Davis Cup clashes, and that later this year a proposal would be put that in future only neutral umpires be used. So far there were ten Britons on the register, and Mr Gray said that Australians would also be included. He said Australia had already benefited from the move to neutral umpires, with the recent Australia v. France tie umpired by two Italians.

“That was a great success,” he said, “and we will have neutral umpires for Australia’s next tie against Sweden as well: “The neutral umpires panel is part of our policy of improving umpiring in Davis Cup ties,” Mr Gray said. He said there would obviously be a need for a large number of umpires on the panel, although there would be no set number from any country.