LAWN TENNIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 5 March 1927, Page 13

LAWN TENNIS

THE WILDING CUP. OLLIVIER BEATS ANDREWS. Over the last week-end before a packed gallery, and after one of the most thrilling contests in the history of the Wilding Shield—the Davis Cup competition of New Zealand— Wellington (challenger) defeated Canterbury (holder) at Wilding Park on Saturday afternoon by 15 sets to 13, each team having won six rubbers, Canterbury (writes “Quiz’’ in the Christchurch Sun) fought to the last ditch, but fortune swung to the challenger, and the strongest team that ever represented Wellington scraped home only by the narrowest margins. The contest aroused keen interest, and ia. large crowd assembled on Saturday, when the concluding matches were decided. the tennis was disappointing for a shield event, this being due to the “heavy courts, on which fast play was impossible. . . The games were all contested grimly, and with the issue in doubt throughout, each man gave of his best, and the fighting spirit of both toiaan.s- was‘vvoirtliy of the best Wilding Shield traditions. The outstanding feature of the contest was the fine play of Geoffrey Ollivier, former New Zealand champion, who won both his singles and doubles matches. The hero, however, was C. Angas, the baby of the Canterbury team, who. won hi,s spurs in big tennis by his defeat of D'. G. France at a critical period, Angas played the best tennis: of his career, and although France was not up to his. best form, be was beaten by steadiness in the pinch, and a boy’s "clogged determination! to justify his inclusion in a Wilding Shield team. . , The istoiler attraction of Saturday s play was the meeting of G. Ollivier, first man for Canterbury, and six times holder of the national title, and E. D. (“Buster”) Andrews, reigning champion. Ollivier was in, a match-winning mood, and in two sets the Wellington man’s quota was three games. Ollivier, deadly accurate in his placements, reeling off nine games in succession to win at 6-3, 6d>. The results w&re as follow, Canterbury names being given first: SINGLES. G. Ollivier beat N. R. C. Wilson, -1-6, 6-2, 6-0. I. A. Seay lost to E. D. Andrews, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6. _ T. W. Patterson heat D. G. France, 6-3, 6-4. O. Angas lost to A. I/. France, 2-6, 3-6. 1. A,Seay lost to N. R, 0. Wilson,

5- 5-7. C. Angas beat D. G. France, 2-6, 9-/, 6G. Ollivier beat E : . D l , Andrews, 6-3, 6-0. _

T W. Patterson lost to A. L. France 1-6,''3-6. DOUBLES.

G. Ollivier and I. A. Seay beat X. vt. 0. Wilson and A, L. France, 6-4, 8-6. T. W. Patterson and O. Angas lost to E. D. Andrew's and D. G. France, 6-8, 2-6. G. Olliver and I. A. Seay beat E. D. Andrews and D. G. France, 6-8. 6-2, 7-5. , , 0. Angas and. T. N. Patterson: lost to N. R O. Wilson and A. L. Far nee, 2-6, 6-8. Beautiful stroking, excellent anticipation, and uncanny accuracy enabled Geoffery Ollivier to defeat B, D l . Andrews in straight, sets in the big event of the contest. The ex-champion demonstrated beyond all shadow ol doubt that he is still the' player paramount in New Zealand, and 'although Andrews deserved more than three games, he was outclassed from start to finish by >a master of court strategy. Ollivier seldom hit hard, but the way in which he manoeuvred. Andrews to make openings for low, shooting crosscourt drives was a treat to watch. Andrews played a solid driving game, and he attacked Ollivier’s backhand from the outset, but to no purpose, for the Canterbury star played the returns deep from the forehand line, thus inviting drives cross-court, which then allowed him to command either side-line with his forehand. Andrews iron a number of points by fast forehand drive® to> the. Canterbury man’s backhand, the direction of which was conceled cleverlv until the moment of impact of ball with the racket. The champion’s high-bounding, ■service held no terrors; for Ollivier, who handled it with confidence. His forehand drive, however, was dangerous always, and he demonstrated at Ollivier’®! expense Iris ability to make excellent shots off any kind of hall.

PLAYER-WRITERS

ENG LIST! AUTHORITIES ’ ATTITUDE.

I understand, writes a London correspondent, that the Lawn Tennis Association, which is the supreme author - ity of the game in England, has abandoned) its intention of barring from open tournaments anybody associated with manufacturers of liawni tennis goods. The reason for this is to. avoid possible “colonial complications. What this means is that so many of the leading players in Australia are in the direct employ of lawn tennis goods manufacturers that few of them would! be eligible to compete in the Wimbledon championships if the suggested ban became lawn tenuis law. ” It is hoped that several of the Australians will be coming over for the 1927 ’Wimbledon, and the presence ot Go raid P’ntterson, for instance, would undoubtedly be a great gate attraction ; but. as Patterson is associated with ci. big manufacturing concern, it would be ai waste of time for him. to make the long journey if he wore regarded! as ineligible. Thus the lawn tennis authorities are to be found bowing down in the house of Rimnion. With a view, however, to cleansing the game, they intend to deal drastically with the player-writer, and. will attempt to pass a rule to- prohibit anybody who plays in a tournament from writing about it in a uewspnner. This move, if successful, will cause rejoicing in genuine. Journalistic circles. T knew a journalist who used' to write Mile. Suzanne Lenglen’s Wimbledon stories for her. I asked him once if she altered much of the work that ho did 1 on her behalf. “What!” he excki.imed. “do you imagine for a- moment that I would allow her to alter a word I wrote? No. sir! It_ goes straight in, and she. never sees it till it is in printL” The United States Lawn Tennis Asfjpeiation passed a rule a year or two ago forbidding players to write- for the papers. This, seriously annoyed W. T. Tilden. who did actually write- his stuff himself, and made a Tot of money at it.

TILDEN STAYS AMATEUR. WILL VISIT ENGLAND THIS YEAR Apropos of professional tennis, which seems to have dropped out of sight, or at least off the sports pages for the last two weeks, perhaps the most in—tresting feature has just come to light. A feature that .somehow escaped the news and public—William T. Tilden’s refusal to join the ranks of the “pros” and why. None knew, but. many suspected that the former national champion had been approached by C. C. Ryle, the promoter of professional tennis. The actual meeting between Pyle and Tilden, held at the request of __ the promoter, took place in New York, and the complete report of that meeting is published in American Lawn Tennis. Tilden’s reasons for not turning professional are much to his credit, and have made him a. firm and greatly admired' fixture in thei minds 1 of the leaders of amateur tenuis. In short, he refused because he 1 would be needed next year to help the U.'S.A. to hold the Davis Cup and to try and regain the* lost national championship. The interview between the tennis player and' the' tennis promoter took place just a few evenings before the inaugural of the professional venture at Madison Square Garden. .William M. Johnston had refused to 30m the ranks, and the accession of Tilden was needed, and needed badly. Pyle was prepared to make an offer —a: good one, and hacked by real money. He did so, in set and formal phrases. Tildqn ns>tened, and when Pyle finished! he said: “I shall not become a. professional! at the present time. I think the movement will he a 1 success, and there is a field for professional play. But. I believe that my duty is to remain an 'amateur, and to play for my country in, 1927.' We shall have a struggle to retain the Davis Cup, and we must try to win hack the championship that, we lost- the other day. Therefore, I am at the service of our association, and snail do my utmost to keep the supremacy in the game which we have had for the past six years. “But even if I were ready to opn.sider an offer to become a professional, I would not consider yours. It would have to he doubled. . . Without a moment’s hesitation 1 yle “The offer is doubled. Will you a-cceiDt " Tiklen replied that, as he already had stated, he was not open to any proposal. That ended the interview. An American writer says: YW have to take our hats off to the “big four” in tennis, no matter what our persoina.l views; are* on •professional tenn,is—Tilden. Johnston, Laicoste, and Borotra. To Tilden, because he put duty before dollars; to. Johnston, who thinks more of his standing as an amateur than the money he would get as a. professional; and to Lacoste 1 an cl Borotra, who turned down) professionalism because they would not get a kick” out of it. ... The former champion, was in Madison Square Garden at the opening of the professional game, and he was asked to say a few words over the loud speaker. Although he made his way to the side of the court as inconspicuously as possible, he was quickly recognised, and the applause l lie leceived surpassed that given to any of the players and was much longer sustained. Tilden’s plans for 1927, as announced in the American' Lawn Tennis, include a trip to Europe, where he will p'lav for the French championship at St." Cloud, and the Wimbledon allEnglish championship. Everything depends upon the condition of" his knee. He has had trouble with the knee for more than, three years, and the-injury he l sustained. in his match with Lacoste in the Davis Cup play has been slow to respond to treatment, hut Tilden hopes that by spring it will lie. in good 1 shape for his third invasion of Europe. If all goes well, he will leave New York late in April, and go direct to Paris. He will have several weeks there in which to prepare for the. French championships. That tome will he devoted to accustoming himself to the courts, the climate, /and the halls. From Pains he. will go direct to London, and prepare .for Wimbledon in the same way. „ T . ,„ , At the conclusion of the Wimbledon tournament, Tilden will return to America to .prepare for the big meeting here. , . . _ • Tilden’s former visits to Europe were in 1920 and 1921. He played atWimbledon both times, and won. The first year he did not play in France, hut in 1921 he won the French as well as the all-English championship. Since that time he has not played out of th' 1 United States. . The last time we saw Tilden m England was in that never-to-be-forgotten match when “Bailie” Norton, then of South Africa', had the championship in his pocket and. for some reason which will always remain one .of the great mysteries' of lawn tennis, failed to clinch matters.