PLAYERS RETIRE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19833, 31 December 1927, Page 11

PLAYERS RETIRE.

TENNIS TOURNEY INCIDENTS

A QUESTION OF FITNESS.

medical advice desirable*

[BX TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION, fj CHRISTCHURCH, Friday. Trouble is said to be browing in tennis circles over various incidents at the New Zealand championships this week. One incident was the retirement of Misses Speirs and Partridge from the final of the ladies' doubles on the advice of Mr. W. Goss, an official of the Canterbury Lawn Tennis Association, on the ground that Miss Speirs was on the point of exhaustion as the result of gruelling singles matches played earlier.

Another incident was the withdrawal of Dr. J. T. Laurenson from the men's singles semi-final against E. L. Bartleet because of bad feet, coupled with the fact that he was called upon to play in the doubles semi-final almost immediately.

Earlier in the tournament Mr. M. Denniston, chairman of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association Match Committee, refused to continue umpiring in a men's doubles because C. E. Malfroy persisted in going on playing in spite of an injured arm.

A report on theso matters will probably bo furnished to the New Zealand Management Committee by Mr. D. Murray Kean on his return to Wellington. In the meantime Mr. Kean refused to make any statement for publication. Tho general view is that the opinion of a medical man should be sought in championship matches, where retirement for health reasons appears desirable.