BUDGE’S DISPLAY CAUSES A UPROAR IN SYDNEY

Northern Advocate, 29 December 1937, Page 5

BUDGE’S DISPLAY CAUSES A UPROAR IN SYDNEY

Tennis

(Received 10 a.m.) SYDNEY, December 28. . There is a chorus of .condemnation of the poor display given by the American tennis player Budge, in his exhibition match against von Cramm (Germany), yesterday. It has become the main topic of conversation. Mr Henry Marsh, general secretary of the New South' Wales Lawn Tennis Association, writing to the “Sun,” says: “Not one of the 10,000 people who saw Budge in action yesterday ever want to see him again. I owe public an apology for urging them, through the press, to see the match. “My association has been fooled.”

“Beaten By Better Man,.” Budge told an interviewer from the “Sun” that he was beaten by a better man on the day, and added: “A man

is not a machine. He cannot be at top all the time.” To H. C. Hopman, former Australian Davis Cup representative, Budge said he just could not raise the necessary effort to stall off the German’s formidable challenge. Tennis officials

and Budge met in conference to-day. It was subsequently announced that - Budge had expressed his sincere regret for not taking the match as seriously as the occasion demanded, and that he wished to make amends. He will play a special exhibition match against Crawford today. Severe Criticism. The newspapers severely criticised Budge’s disappointing display against von Cramm. The “Sydney Morning Herald” says: “Budge seemed to treat the match as a joke, but it was the '} 10,000 enthusiasts who paid up to ( 30/ for a seat, principally to see ‘ the two great players do their best, i who failed to see the point.” The. “Daily Telegraph” says that

Budge played like a second-rater and the “Labour Daily” comments that ’'v Budge made a near farce of the game. Budge,, who was heckled by a sec-

tion of the crowd at the conclusion of

the game, said: “I never win an exhibition match at home or abroad. I am not keyed up‘when there is nothing hanging to it.”