TO BOYCOTT WIMBLEDON

Taranaki Daily News, 23 March 1932, Page 12

TO BOYCOTT WIMBLEDON

AMERICAN TENNIS MEN’S THREAT; MOVE TO ABANDON GRASS COURTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) London, January 28. The feelings of English lawn tennis players are hurt by the attitude which American authorities have recently assumed towards the Wimbledon championships and the game in this country Generally. It has been declared to be X waste of time for American players who are chosen for the Davis Cup ties to compete at Wimbledon. In effect, it is said: “The play is not worthy oi them. They would be much more profitably occupied practising on the hard courts in Paris.” There has been no decision actually forbidding the _ cup team to play at Wimbledon, but it is expected that this will be the ruling. Following this startling and unfriendly new policy, the Americans have launched another attack on Wimbledon. A resolution is before the United States Association, which would bar all inteinational tournaments which are held on grass, confining them entirely to those played on hard courts. So far as the Davis Cup competition is concerned, it is a reasonable proposal, and I think it will command a good deal of support. Thirty-three countries have entered for the event this year, and the players of most of them are accustomed to a hard surface. Indeed, in this country - hard courts have won considerable favour, and it is urged that the introduction of a standard court would make for improvement in play. At the same time, it is strange to find a move to abolish grass courts coming from America, for the championships at Forest Hill have been decided there under these conditions ever since they were instituted, and ii they had beaten England last year in the challenge round of the cup, I do s ot think the change would have been suggested. The truth is that the Americans have taken their defeat to heart, ana it is owing to their keenness to recapture the cup that they now threaten to boycott Wimbledon. The fact, too, that the events at Wimbledon have always carried world titles has rankled, in the U.S.A. Under present regulations cup matches may be played either on grass or a hard surface, and it has only been since France has held the trophy that there has been a departure from grass. Any resolution which America might approve would not, of course, be binding on the rest of the world. International tournaments with championship titles are sanctioned by the International Federation, and only if they took the American view would a change fake place all round. It would be a tragedy if the centre court at Wimbledon had to be scrapped. Famous all over the world, leading players from abroad have declared it to be almost perfect. Even the French cracks, who at home play entirely on hard, courts, are delighted with it. Indeed, they have always said that their form at Wimbledon is better than anywhere else. Mr. H. Roper Barrett, the veteran captain of the English Davis Cup team, expressed English views when he said: “Lawn tennis is our game, and we played it long before hard courts were invented. I hope it does not come to a world of hard courts. They are only an expedient; and the game would not be the same if grass went out of use.’ France was within an ace of losing its supremacy last year, and its prospects of successfully defending the cup again are impaired by the decision of Jean Borotra to withdraw from the Singles. In giving his reason for this he told me: “I do not think there is much difference in my play as compared with a few years ago, but I have lost the stamina necessary for big tennis. I can last three sets and keep ray form, but after that the strain is too much for me. If I could get plenty of sleep, and it was possible for me to train hard, I should be all right, but I can only get an hour’s play a week and it does not suffice to keep me thoroughly fit.” But it is not Borotra’s intention to retire from the game. “I might play in the cup doubles, and I shall certainly be at Wimbledon,” he added. “There is no place like ’Wimbledon. I love it.” France had hoped that Rene Lacoste would come 'back and take Borotra’s place in the cup match, but he has announced that this is impossible. His home ties —about a year ago he married Mlle. Simone Thion de la Chaume, the golf champion—and his wofk in the motor trade will prevent this.