Wimbledon the ultimate for umpire

Press, 21 October 1987, Page 54

Wimbledon the ultimate for umpire

By

DIANNE LESLIE

The return of the New Zealand tennis team to the 1988 Davis Clip world group will be marred by the "extremely disappointing” opening draw against Sweden, according to Mr David Munro, an International umpire who has recently returned from officiating at the semi-final clash between India and Australia. Sweden Is the favourite to win this year’s final against India and has a formidable array of talent among Its players, "The prospects of New Zealand beating Sweden are zilch,” he said. Another blow to the New Zealanders will be that It will play In Sweden on the clay courts where its opposition Is familiar with the surface,

To add Insult to Injury, If New Zealand does lose to Sweden it will then

face Paraguay which has a checkered history of conduct In the Davis Cup ties.

"If the draw works as I would expect It to work we will probably meet Paraguay, if we lose to Sweden and since it will be played on their home track the prospect of remaining in the World Group In 1989 will be slight,” Mr Munro said, Paraguay had a ban Imposed on it which ruled that Its next tie had to be played on neutral ground after It beat France, In dubious circumstances,

"Players were threatened and there were one or two physical assaults, It Is beyond what Is expected at a Davis Cup tie," Mr Munro said. And the New Zealand side might have to play in Paraguay If it does succumb to the odds against Sweden,

"I am assuming that the ban would have run Its course and that the 1988 competition will be permitted to be played in Paraguay," Mr Munro said.

Surprisingly Mr Munro would have preferred the New Zealand side to face India, the other finalist in this year’s tie, "It would have been interesting to see India play New Zealand because we would have a reasonable chance of knocking them off," Mr Munro said. New Zealand’s slim hopes of beating Sweden will rest largely on Kelly Evernden who has had a stunning season, He has won two Grand Prix tournaments this year and is presently ranked number 32 in the world.

"Kelly has finally produced the form he showed as a junior. But he will have to win both singles and play a major part in the doubles event to give us a chance," Mr Munro said,

Mr Munro, a partner in a chartered accountancy firm In Christchurch, has

umpired at Grand Prix events as well as the patriotic Davis Cup ties, Mr Munro said that nothing could compare with the players* dedication to the Davis Cup ties. "The players have an Immense pride In playing for their country. There is something about the Davis Cup, Even If you are neutral you share in it. In a Grand Prix event it Is simply player A versus player B and it becomes much more personal," Mr Munro said.

"Playing for vour country brings out the best in people," he added. Mr Munro has had extensive umpiring experience and has been in-

volved at international level since 1979 when he umpired in the New Zealand versus Japan clash and the New Zealanders’ tie against Australia.

Teamed with John Barry and Guy Nash they have been regularly called to officiate at Davis Cup ties since. In 1983 Mr Munro travelled to Melbourne to attend the New York based men’s International Professional Tennis Council course, Mr Munro passed the three day course but still had to gain umpiring experience before he was granted his international umpiring badge in 1986. "f had to have Grand

Prix experience of a sufficiently high standard and be assessed by different supervisors to be awarded the blue badge." The course was not a prerequisite to umpire international games, but It kept Mr Munro on course for his ultimate goal In umpiring — to be invited to officiate at Wimbledon. "To work at Wimbledon would be a highlight of my career, notwithstanding the immense satisfaction I have derived from performing well in Davis Cup ties. I need the blue badge to umpire at Wimbledon," he said, Mr Munro visited the Wimbledon courts recently and was astounded with the atmosphere — even without the players.

"Even without the players or spectators the atmosphere was electric when I was standing on the centre court," he said. Mr Munro is proud to say that he has not had many incidents where players have had to be strongly disciplined.

"We have had a relatively trouble free history in matches where we have officiated, Ninetynine per cent of disputes involved are about whether the ball was In or out. As a chair umpire we have the right to over-rule a linesman, but only if a clear mistake has been made,

"Where necessary we have the machinery which allows you to control sensitive moments," he said. One such moment was in a Davis Cup tie between Australia and Yugoslavia, The linesman called a foot fault on a second serve. Yugoslavia was serving and with the score at 30-40 and the game score at 5-6 it gave Australia the second set,

"Yugoslavia were very upset, and refused to continue playing. The only remedy was to call a code of conduct for delay of the game. They soon

came back on court, but the timing of the call could not have been worse," said Mr Munro. Australia went on to win the match. „ Mr Munro has officiated at international matches since 1979 with a break between 1981 and 1982 when the neutral umpiring was employed between Davis Cup countries. New Zealand was not invited to a tie in those years. Mr Munro has the distinction of being the first New Zealander to referee a Davis Cup tie overseas. He also won the Kramer Trophy twice for being voted the top umpire at the New Zealand championships, New Zealand will have two Grand Prix events this year, The national championships will be held In Wellington at the Renouf Tennis Centre and will have the same status as the Benson and Hedges event played in Auckland, Mr Munro will be officiating at the Wellington tournament,

"Wellington now has a venue of true international standard and it Is appropriate for the facility to enjoy an annual event where international players can come and compete." Mr Munro is not unaccustomed to players’ frustrations. He has represented Otago and Southland and played in the Wilding Shield competition,

In the long term Mr Munro sees the emerging players as the wave of hope in an era when tennis In New Zealand lingers at low tide. ,r We have to concentrate on promoting and training junior players In the 12 to 14 age bracket, and nurture them through carefully controlled programmes, while maintaining their education," he said.