LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 24, 29 January 1927, Page 22

LAWN TENNIS

,- "mr huka"

A NEW CHAMPION

WILSON DEFEATS FRANCE

HOLIDAY TOURNAMENTS REVIEWED

"With the holidays over, players, who have beea engaged on a round of tournaments, are slowly but surely returning to their home towns. The local tournament competitors all report having had a most enjoyable time, whether they were in the trophy list or not, and next season many more players will be induced, by the good reports that' have been circulated, to join up with the " tourists '? who have tasted the pleasure of outings that are now becoming the 'fashion at all the tournament centres. The New South Wales team had but a short stay in the South Island, but the most notable'result of the Canterbury championships was the defeat of Norman Peach by G. Ollivier in the final. Peach had always previously been able to account for the New Zealander, but at last Ollivier has Ead his revenge, and gave a masterly display in defeating the Sydney player.in three sets straight. Dr. A. L. : North and J. M'Causland proved themselves to be the best pair of the New "South Wales team. They beat tjhe Peach brothers easily, and also accounted for their team mates, .Fitzgerald and Brewster,' after losing the second set at 6-1. The surprise of the meeting was the defeat of Dr. A. L. North by C. Brew-6-2, 6-3. North mast have been right off his game, for the Sydney University colt to secure such a victory. For all that Brewster must have been- playing good tennis, as he pushed Norman Peach to an 8-6 set iruthe semi-final. Miss Speirs won the singles championship, beating Miss Wake in the final, 6-3, 6-2, and in. consequence it has been reported in Christchurch that she has regained her form and is the outstanding lady, player of NewZealand. From this it might be thought that Miss Speirs did not show her true form at Auckland^ but that is hardly correct, as she was beaten by the superior tennis displayed by Miss Howe. The new champion must be given the credit she deserves for a 'well-merited victory in Auckland. The New South Wales team takes back to Sydney a few scalps which were secured at association tournaments, and it is to be hoped that it also takes back the information that,in future stronger teams mnst.be sent to New Zealand for any engagement against a Dominion team. If any of the New South Wales players, are looking simply for a good holiday tour with tennis as an introduction, they will be welcomed by any of the tournament committees, but when it ■comes to official matches between New South Wales and New Zealand, the Dominion's Council, should insist upon athoroughly representative team, and if such is not guaranteed then it would be well to' drop the fixture. It lias been plainly stated by Mr. M'Kay (the manager'of the visiting team) that few Australian players find December or January suitable months for New Zealand, as most of the prominent players will not miss the Australian championships, which are usually played during January. It is from-the ;results of these championships that players' are judged for bigger events —such as the Davis.Cup for men, and world tours for the ladies. February or March are better months.as far as the New South Wales, players are concerned, and really first-class teams,- composed of the leading men and women players, would willingly make the trip during those months. It is, however, a question whether February or March would suit New Zealand, or whether the New Zealand championships would pay if held during those months. No harm would be done by having the matter thoroughly looked into, but before a change'is made every aspect would have to be carefully considered, and) definite information on the subject obtained from the New Zealand players who compete in national championships. Foot-fault Rulings.

"Foot-fault" is the most dreaded call that any umpire can possibly give.' Players can take the call of "game, setj and match" with a smile, tint no player smiles when foot-faulted. ' Wherever matches are played there is constant footfaulting by players, and the champion players are the worst offenders, and they are Hardly ever called.The moderately good player seldom offends. The champions are too , frequently given the benefit' of the doubt. ,The time is ripe for the forming of an Umpires' Association in New Zealand/ but if it is formed it is to be hoped that it does its duty better than such associations do in Australia. Umpires are seldom seen in action, even in championship matches, in Sydney, and only the very important matches or finals have scoring umpires or linesmen. During the recent New ■ South Wales-New Zealand match only twice was "foot-fault" called, and then people who should have known-v better '• were heard to say that the .umpires should have given the offending players a warning before calling them. The rule, however, is plain enough, and- players should strictly observe it. Umpires make a mis: take by not calling the offending players at the very first fault, which would be the means of pulling them up at once, and then they would be less liable to offend at critical stages of a contest. The umpire who allows the player to foot-fault right through a match, and only calls him when match point has been arrived at can only be condemned. By calmly ignoring the early footfaults he makes the players think that he does not intend to enforce the rule, and it gives players a bad jolt when he suddenly enforces the rule at some critical stage; /but there have been occasions when players have only offended at a critical stage, and the umpire has been alert enough to call them. Owing to the general slackness which has crept into the game, there may be many black lobks if an. Umpires' Association is formed and members are instructed to strictly observe the rules, for it is not only in foot-faulting that umpires may be asked to take a stand. How many players, or officials of tournaments for that matter, have carefully considered rule 28 in the Rules of Lawn Tennis? The rule is as follows:—"Play shall be continuous from, the first service ' till the match be concluded, provided that after the third set, or when women take part, the second set, either player is entitled to a rest, which shall not exceed three minutes, and provided further that when necessitated by circumstances not within the control of the player's, the umpire may suspend play for such period as he may consider necessary. These provisions shall be strictly construed, and play shall never be suspended for the purpose Of allow-

ing a player to recover his strength or wind. The umpire shall be the sole judge of intentional delay, and' after giving due warning he may disqualify the offender." There is no rest in a two out of three sets match in men's events. Nations are at liberty to rule how many minutes the rest shall-be, or their representatives can-rule the rest out altogether. New Zealand decided that the rest shall not exceed three minutes for" all matches played under the control of the New' Zealand Association, whereas some nations allow a fullten minutes. In the Canterbury, and also in the Wellington Association's handbook, the time is given as ten minutes, which, so far as New ; Zealand tournaments are concerned, is wrong and should read three minutes. During the New Zealand championships', at the match between New South Wales and New Zealand, and at-many of the tournaments held this season, the rule has simply been ignored, and players have not only taken rests between sets but between games, and also during games. "stallers" were not pulled up by the umpires, and their opponents, while feeling annoyed at such deliberate resting, did not ,care to object. ■ One player claimed' that he had a right to take a rest between sets, and quoted the regulations and conditions on the programme as his authority. The following was certainly printed on the programme:—"ln all championship matches the interval between sets shall not exceed three minutes," but the writer is not aware that rule 28, which was passed by the International Lawn Tennis Federation, and came into action as from Ist January 1924, has ever been altered. According to the New Zealand Tuling, three minuites' rest can be taken only after the third set m men's events, and it must be taken after the third set or not a"t all. If this resting is allowed at any other time, it simply means that the untrained player has a decided advan■tage. Coming back to the umpire, it is well to explain that when the central umpire has linesmen for all the lines foot-fault judges, and a net umpire, his job is simply to record and call the score. There are a few things that: he has to attend to before the match starts, and also during play, but his ,main job is in scoring the points. After a linesman or foot-fault judge has given a decision the umpire should repeat it, if necessary, so that the spectators may hear; but he should by.no means call before the linesman, as the latter is the sole judge of his particular line, and no one can overrule the decision of a linesman oil a question of fact. Many .matches have been lost through bad decisions, and the blame is.on the ten-! nis authorities, for not having an um-pires-association, so that a band of competent judges are always available for. champion matches. It. is. mostly the good-natured person who is pressed into service when big matches are staged, and naturally mistakes occur through want of practice or experience at taking a line, which is no easy job.

■Wellington' Championships. The 'Wellington Championship Meeting provided some ' excellent tennis and a number of the matches were most exciting. The men's singles championship provided some; good matches, and that between Wilson and Lampe (Wanganui), which the former won, 3-6, 6-4 6-4, was' a real thrilling fight,, but the match of the meeting was the final between Leri France and Noel Wilson; The whole five sets had to be played before a decision as to who was champion could be given. Wilson from the start made the attack, and, being in good condition, rushed the net whenever opportunity offered. It was the correct game to play again3t. suchv a wily and experienced player as Len France. Both, players excelled in their adopted methods of- play, and when two sets all was called it was anybody's match. The score ran evenly to' 7-all m the last match,* when Wilson's attack carried him through to win 9-7 giving him match and championship' The younger player fully- earned the honour, but his opponent, although beaten, played a great match. Len France, is still in the running as one of the' champion players of the Dominion, and as he is not yet out of his twenties, he can still be classified as a young player withmany-.years.of good tennis in front of him. The Mewchampion is not yet 22 years of age, and his play this season has proved,that he is one of the foremost in the Dominion..'Misses Tracy and Howe had a tremendous fight in the final of the ladies' singles, but the former, chiefly by her splendid volleying, defeated the New Zealand champion, 9-7, 10-8. There is very littlg between these two players, and had Miss Howe managed to take a ; set it is just possible that sho would have out-stayed Miss Tracy, as she is the stronger girl of the two. Both gave a .first-class exhibition of all-round tennis, and it is absurd to say that ladies' tennis is "slipping back?' when such a match can, be staged. France and Wilson won.the doubles' final from' Dr. Park and Lampe, 1-6, 7-5, 2-6,: 6-2, I 6-3. -The- winners .livened up' in the fourth: set, and raj^ out -easy winners." The final of the ladies v ' double proved a runaway victory for ; Misses Tracy and East, who defeated Misses A. and' D. Howe. Miss .Eva Travers and Noel Wilson won the 1 final of the mixed doubles from Miss Tracy and Len France, 6-3, ,8 : 6. The losers had a chance of taking the second set when' leading 6-5, but a determined, attack, carried the day for Miss,Travers and Wilson. Miss Travers, who won the New Zealand championship singles in 1910, played" a great game, and often scored points by passing her male . opponent with^speedy drives down the side line." Altuough the entries were not as good as expected, the tournament was a most enjoyable one. Miss Nancy Fleming the. junior champion of Otago, won the girls' singles, and. also the girls' doubles with Miss M. Howe, of Brouehham Hill Club. ■ ' ,