PROFESSIONAL BAR

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1934, Page 14

PROFESSIONAL BAR

DEMARCATION DEPLORED.

TILDEN URGES CO-OPERATION. London, Nov. 16. Speaking to-day at a luncheon welcoming competitors in the world championship tournament to begin at Wembley next week, W. T. Tilden pleaded for co-operation between amateurs and professionals, saying: “Why should demarcation exist in tennis games? We play the same game, so lets all be equal socially.” He described Perry and Austin as the greatest singles team in the world, and added: “Professionalism would consider them a very great asset, but I do not think either will turn until England has again defended the Davis Cup. Professionals, he said, hoped to promote an international championship, to be held in turn in England, France, Germany and America, and also a competition on the lines of the Davis Cup for the Bonadelle Cup, for which already there were American, French, German and Irish entries, while England and Czecho-Slovakia had entered provisionally. Mr. S. N. Doust says that the Lawn Tennis Association is antagonistic to the professional championship and on its advice members of the Umpires’ Association have withdrawn their services, although Lord Desborough, an ex-cham-pion of the association, has presented the championship cup, and, with Lord d’Abernon, the present chairman, attended the luncheon.

Mr. Doust says that if the association meeting in December decides to permit amateurs to make instructional films, thus bringing films into line with the writing of tennis books and articles and illustrated action photographs. Perry, doubtless, will reject Tilden’s offer to join his troupe, which, with his film offer, would yield £50,000. Thus, the association would not only make the rule more logical, but would retain Austin and Perry as amateurs.