Familiar court for Davis Cup tie

Press, 27 May 1981, Page 44

Familiar court for Davis Cup tie

The synthetic surface on which Roscoe Tanner had tennis balls humming merrily at 160 km/h in Cowles Stadium seven years ago will make a sentimental journey back to Christchurch for the BP Davis Cup tie in July. The composition court, known as Supreme, was rolled up after the big international tournament in 1974 and was eventually sold by the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association to Auckland University. Now. at the recommendation of New Zeeland’s cup players, it will be used for the .quarter-final tie against Britain, in the Pioneer Stadium. The chairman of the N.Z.L.T.A; council, Mr lari

Wells, described the Supreme court as “still not the ideal surface for this contest.” But, he added, the New Zealand players were accustomed to playing on it, and this was its most redeeming feature. “This particular court appears to be as fast as you can get with that sort of surface.” He assessed the court’s pace as being a little faster than the current Supreme, which is spongier in texture. Artificial grass had been considered as-an alternative, but eventually the New Zealand players had opted for the composition court. "Britain has beaten Italy and Australia on Supreme, but I think that New Zealand still has a very good chance

of winning on it in Christchurch,” he said. "The British are by no means unbeatable.” The court will be freighted from Auckland to Christchurch as soon as possible, said the president of the Canterbury association, Mr Brian Faulls, yesterday. It will be inspected in a convenient area, such as a warehouse, and then the agents will travel froih Wellington to lay it in the Pioneer stadium. The association will have the use of the stadium from June 30, and it was hoped to have the court laid by July 2 or 3. There is a possibility that the rival teams will arrive in Christchurch at the same time, provided that all

members have ended their Wimbledon commitments. The erection of the stands will start at this stage, and the stadium’s squash courts will be converted to changing rooms, social and press centres. The New Zealand captain, Mr Jeff Robson, is keen to see a little more lighting, and the City Council staff will replace all lights not showing 100 per cent efficiency. This will reduce the amount of supplementary lighting required. "At this stage everything is going well,” Mr Faulls said. “Indications are that bookings are equal to those for ties at Wilding Park at a comparable stage, and we know of tour parties coming

• from Auckland. Te Puke, Wellington, Invercargill and ; Gore. In addition a group of ! English supporters is ex- ; pected, but the numbers are not known.” Requests would be made to spectators to be seated early because of the more concentrated nature of the playing and watching areas, he said. “I can see this becoming a problem area if patrons are not punctual; we will have to be more meticulous with crowd control than before.” Mr Faulls also emphasised that spectators would not be permitted to smoke inside the stadium. The British team is ®x- „ peeled to consist of . four

players, a manager, and a physiotherapist. The front runner for the position of referee for the tie is an Australian, Mr Bill Gilmour, and it is understood that the umpires will also be Australians. Mr Wells joined Mr Faulls in expressing satisfaction with the stadium as a venue, and he added his own words y>f praise for Canterbury’s organisational qualities. . “It will be an extremely attractive tie, and I am sure it will be well supported,” Mr Wells , said. “We are get ting nowhere in our efforts to avoid winter ties in New i Zealand, so we had better ’ get used to indoor tennis.”