TENNIS STAR

Evening Star, Issue 22271, 24 February 1936, Page 3

TENNIS STAR

HENRI COGHET IN DUNEDIN EXHIBITION MATCH ON THURSDAY Henri Cochet, one of the leading tennis players in tiie world, including both professional and amateurs, arrived in Dunedin by car from the north yesterday afternoon. He is accompanied by Mine. Cochet, and the American professionals, Messrs L. Baker and A. and J. Willard, are also travelling with him. On arrival in Dunedin the party was welcomed by Mr W. R, Sinclair, president of the Otago Lawn Tennis Association. To-day the visitors left for Invercargill, where exhibition matches will be played, and will return to play exhibition games in Dunedin on Thursday afternoon. Cochet', who lias a wonderful record as a Davis Cup player and has also held the singles title at Wimbledon and the American and French championships, has no regrets over his entry into the ranks of the professionals, a step which he took five years ago. He stated that the change had been better for him in every way. Previously he had been hampered by having to earn his living apart from lawn tennis, and this, compulsory division of interest had prevented him from reaching the maximum efficiency. Once he had made the change he was free to devote his whole time to the game, and to the training necessary to maintain the high standard of physical fitness which was essential. He was of the opinion that both his play and his physical condition were better than they were five years ago. Throughout his tour of Australia and New Zealand he had found great interest manifested in the professional game. Everywhere he had gone there had been large attendances of people who followed the exhibitions keenly. Despite the strictness of the bar which at present existed between amateur and professional lawn tennis players, he was of the opinion that this attitude would change in the course of a few years’ time, and that open tournaments, in which players of either status could compete, would not be an impossibility. Owing to the comprehensive nature of the present tour, M. Cochet regretted that he had been uuajble to see meal players in Australia and New Zealand in action, and, consequently, had been unable to form any opinion of the standard of the game here. He remarked that the Australian team for the Davis Cup contest was “ very fair,” but that, for the result, there would be an open choice between England, America, and Australia. He was enjoying his tour, said M. Cochet, and, although he was busy playing so much and did not have a great deal of time to look about him, he had met with great kindness wherever he had gone—-a courtesy for which he expressed his appreciation. He said that he played only when he felt fit, believing that to do otherwise was to subject himself to undue strain and also to fail to give the public the exhibition to which it was entitled. An over-strenuous tour affected a player s standard and his reputation and was also poor propaganda for the game itself. EXHIBITION MATCHES. The exhibition games will be played on the Logan Park courts on Thursday, and the following are the approximate times at which the matches will be commenced: —2.30 p.m., A. Willard v. L. Baxter; 3.15 p.m., Cochet v. J. Willard; 4.15 p.m., doubles match.