LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 4074, 12 April 1932, Page 46

LAWN TENNIS

SATURDAY’S MATCHES. DUNEDIN. A GRADE. ROSLYN v. KAITUNA. Roslyn. 9 matches (119 games) ;■ Kaituna, 7 matcres (103 games). B GRADE. OPOIIO v. KAITUNA. Opoho. 8 sets (96 games) ; Kaituna, 8 sets (87 games). 811 GRADE. ST. MARY'S v COSY DELL. St. Mary's. 10 sets (101 games ) ; Cosy Del l , sx sets (83 games). FRIENDLY MATCH. NORTH-EAST VALLEY v. WEST TA I ER I. North-East Valley, 16 s?t< (170 games) : West Taieii, 7 sets (160 games). AUSTRALIAN DAVIS CUP TEAM EXHIBITION MATCHES IN AUCKLAND. AUCKLAND. April 4. A very largo crowd witnessed the Australian Davis Cup players in action here to-day. The outstanding display was given by J. Crawford, Australia's first, string in the forthcoming Davis Cup contest. His brilliance against his team mates was absolutely dazzling and thvariety of shots which he displayed compared favourably with anything that has previously been seen in Auckland by Davis Cup teams an dothers from overseas. In the Singles match, between Hopman and Sturt the Aucklander gained a meritorious victory. Full allowance must be made for the fact that Hopman is not a good sailor and had not enjoyed the trip from Sydney. Nevertheless, it was a highly creditable performance on the part df Sturt. The results of the matches were as follows :— SINGLES. N. G. .Sturt (Auckland) beat H. O. Hopman (Australia) 7—5. O—G, B—6. C. Sproule (Australia) beat A. C. Stedman (Auckland) G—3, G—l. Mrs .1. Crawford (Australia) beat Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) B—G, G—2. J. Crawford (Australia) beat C. Sproule (Australia) (> —-1. J. Crawford (Australia) beat J. Clem ei.ger (Australia) G—2. DOUBLES.

■I. Crawford and H. Hopman (Australia) beat C. Sproule and J. Clemenger (Australia) G—2. G—2.

C. Sproule and .1. Clemenger (Austra lia) ln-at N. G. Sturt 'and A. C. Sted man G-—4. G—4.

,L Crawford and Mrs Crawford (Australia) beat 11. O. Hopman (Australia) and Miss Marjorie Macfarlane (Auckland) 9—7, G—2. AMERICAN DAVIS CUP TEAM LOTT NOT AVAILABLE. NEW YORK. April 4. A message from Philadelphia states chat George Lott, who is second on the ranking list, announced that lie will not he a member of this year's United States I >avis Cup team. AMERICAN TEAM CHOSEN. NEW YORK, April 5. Ellsworth Vines, Francis Shields, John ’-'an Ryn and Wilmer Allison have been named for the United States Davis Cup earn against Canada in the first round >f international lawn tennis play. The 'earn originally selected included George Lott, but he announced his retirement. PLAYER INCURS BAN HOPMAN TAKES STAND. Declaring that he believed that all members of the team should be placed ou an equal footing so far as rights and privileges were concerned, H. Hopman, the Victorian tennis player, who has been selected as one of the Australian Davis Cup team, has refused to sign the usual agreement entered into between members of the team and the controlling authorities. His refusal surprised the members of the council of the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia, and has brought about a delicate position which is likely to lead to further complications. A deadlock exists.

The clause in the agreement to which Hopman takes exception is that in which a member of the Davis Cup team who signs it undertakes not to engage in a tournament or to contribute any articles or written opinions on the game during the tour. When the usual contract was forwarded to members of the Davis Cup team recently for their signature, Hopman sent it back to the authorities, with an intimation that he would not agree to the clause which debarred him from writing for newspapers about the game. In place of the usual contract Hopman forwarded one which he drew up himself, and under which be would fulfil all the other conditions with the exception of that which prevented him from writing. This was returned to him, and he was informed

that the council insisted on . his signing its form df agreement. ■

It is understood that the reason given by Hopman for his refusal is that permission has been given to Mrs Crawford, who will accompany her husband as a member of the team, to engage in newspaper work and to write during the tour. One of the conditions upon which the council of the Lawn Tennis Association agreed to Mrs Crawford going with the team wag that she should be under the control of the council, and, like the members of the team, under the control and direction of the captain-manager, Mr J. Clemenger, during the tour. Hopman considers that Mrs Crawford is thus placed upon an equal footing with all members of the team, especially as with them she will play exhibition matches. lie insists that if Mrs Crawford is allowed to write he and others should receive similar permission. Hopman stated to the representative of a Melbourne paper that it was perfectly true that lie had refused to sign the contract, aiid, while he intended to stand firm in the attitude he had adopted, he did not want to discuss the matter. He intended to go ahead with his original plans. He would take part in exhibition matches at Geelong and would leave with other members of the team by the Niagara.