PROTEST BY CROWD

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21580, 26 August 1933, Page 17

PROTEST BY CROWD

LAWN TENNIS INCIDENT WIMBLEDON LADIES* FINAL Commenting upon the final match in the ladies' singles championship at the recent Wimbledon tournament., an English writer says:—Great Britain might have done even better but for a misunderstanding between the umpire and a linesman at 7 —6 to ]Miss Round in the second set, and tho English player 30 —40 holding tho service. Miss Round sent over a shot that many people thought was out. Mrs. Wills-Moody made no attempt to play the ball and began to walk to tho umpire's chair for a drink of water under the impression that she had won the game.

Then tho Wimbledon tradition of discipline was swept away by the crowd in a roar of protest. Simultaneous with the umpire's call of "Game to Mrs. Moody," and the flashing of sevenseven on the electric scoreboard, came loud cries of protest from tho spectators.

"Deuce, deuce!" bellowed excited men and women. "It's deuce."

Mrs. Moody stopped halfway across tho court in bewilderment; Miss Hound stood silent on her baseline. The umpire repeated "seven games all," for such a storm of protest to break out that tho faces of officials looked anxious. The crowd at Wimbledon is often carried away with excitement, but their feelings on this occasion wore aroused to such a pitch that not even the presence of tho King and Queen prevented them from protesting violently at what they considered an injustice to the plucky little English girl. The linesman hurried to the umpire's chair to explain that the ball was in. A second linesman got up from his chair to confirm his colleague's opinion. The umpire accepted their word, and, amidst a storm of cheering, the scoreboard flashed back to Miss Round seven, Mrs. Moody six; Miss Hound forty. Mrs. Moody forty.

Both players were obviously upset by the incident —the only jarring noto in a magnificent final that lasted one hour and 42 minutes. When Miss Round took up her service again' she was very nervous. So was her opponents It is safe to say that tho only people who were happy about the affair were those who, perhaps misguidedly, were only seeking what they considered justico for Miss Round.

The quality of the lawn tennis was great. No women's final sinco Mile. Lenglen's heyday has produced such a contest and sc. many thrilling rallies. Certainly never beforo has Mrs. Moody been made to run about so much or been beaten so cleverly on so many occasions. She appeared a little slower than last year, and perhaps tho heat affected her.

The umpire, at the end of the match, said that in tho noiso during tho second set ho misunderstood his linesman s signal in that fourteenth game. Neither of the players would say a word about the incident.