TENNIS CIRCLES AMUSED

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 20 February 1932, Page 10

TENNIS CIRCLES AMUSED

CRITICISM' OF WIMBLEDON

AMERICAN PLAYER’S VIEWS

‘JUST ANOTHER TOURNEY”

Some amusement, and a little mild indignation, have been caused in British lawn tennis circles by a statement made in the official organ of the United States Lawn Tennis Association, by’ Samuel Hardy, the non-play-mg captain of the United States team which was beaten by Great Britain at Paris fast year. “I am very much opposed to sending the men to Wimbledon,” is Hardy's considered judgment that has caused the amusement. Incidentally, Hardy is the man who recently made some unpleasant remarks about S. B. Wood, a member of liis team.

Hardy’s objection to sending the men to Wimbledon is not based on the fact that the Wimbledon surface is of turf, whereas that at Auteuil is of specialised clay, or on the different type of ball used in Paris-—Technical (flanges that might well have been emphasised. His . first complaint is that “the competition at Wimbledon is no longer of a sufficiently high order to be of any great benefit (that is, lor the subsequent Davis Cup- matches) as practice among the Davis C'up squad players.” Hardy Obviously thinks that the standard of play at Wimbledon lias fallen. “In the days when Tilden and the great Frenchmen and Australians competed there,” he declares, “the competition was the finest, in the world, but now it is just another tournament.”

An English reply to this consists of pointing to the fact that in the Davis Clip inter-zone final at Auteuil the American team was beaten by Great Britain. Little wonder at the laughter, over Hardy’s suggestion that the Wimbledon tournament does not give the American players practice good-enough. Hardy’s “second and important reason” for recommending that the U.S.A. Davis Cup team shoulej, not compete in the British championships is that his players were subjected “to a terrific strain for two entire weeks.” He instances the crowds which “mull constantly about,” the “clamour of journalists for interviews,” and “the climax which follows climax, ” alleging that at the end of the fortnight his players “were utterly worn out.” Commenting on this, ail, English, writer says: “It may he supposed that English crowds ‘mill’ rather than, ‘mufl,’ hut how very interesting to read of American players distracted by journalists seeking interviews! This is a turn of the wheel with a vengeance. One has grown accustomed to excuses for British defeats based oil such conditions in America., and no book of reminiscences by a near-cele-brity is complete, without a thrilling account of the horrors of the American interview, but it is a surprise to hear of hardened American athletes shrinking before the poised pencil of English pressmen. “Is there perhaps an obscure compliment involved? Can it be that the English interviewer is so careful of tlie truth that lie will go on asking till, lie gets, what he wants, while the American interviewer (according to his traducers) either gets his story right away or goes home and invents it?” However, as another writer points out. Hardy’s, remarks about the Wimbledon tournament were rather out of place, as there has been no suggestion in America that the American pla-yers-should give any more attention to the Wimbledon tournament than they have given before. The Davis Cup competition, which they founded and which symbolises the international team championship of the world, lias always been accorded, xWde of place, in the affections of United States players As holders for six successive years, from 1921 to 1926, they only had to concern, themselves with one match, hicb.. came at the end of the season, over, two months after Wimbledon. In other years, even before the war, when they have been abroad in pursuit of the cup, Wimbledon, while supported by thenteams, was always regarded as a subsidiary objective. ~ , Hardv’st outburst about W imbledon, and his row with young S. R. Wood, suggest, though, that he is not the type of leader to whom a Victorians player Would sav “Kiss me, Hardy.