GREATEST OF ALL

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1935, Page 9

GREATEST OF ALL

TENNIS STARS OF ALL TIME. WALLIS MYERS SAYS TILDEN. I Mr. A. Wallis Myers, founder and chairman of the International Lawn Tennis Club, London, and one of _ the leading authorities on the game, thinks that W. T. Tilden is the greatest player lawn tennis has produced. Next to him he places H. L. Doherty, Norman Brookes, W. M. Johnston and R. Lacoste in that order. Mr. Myers, who arrived at Sydney recently, said that Tilden was a complete player, combining great physical reserve with variety. He always had his cannonball service up his sleeve, with which he could win an important ace, calculated to win an important game. He could play on any surface, in wind or rain, and could face any new opponent without previous experience. Any of the other four players named might rise -on occasions to the same heights as Tilden, but would not remain- for a long period in the refined atmosphere. ‘Often I have been asked whether the standard of play is better than it was 25 years ago,” said Mr. Myers. “Tennis is not as sound and consistent as it was in.the days of Brookes, the Dohertys and Tilden. My, own opinion is that, while there are many more first-class players now, the tennis at the very top is not as sound and consistent. Modern play is not as scientific and accurate as play in past years, and there are more loose shots. I saw Tilden win his . six successive United States championships and his' great duels with Johnston. Those were years when the winner of Wimbledon would go to the American championships and find himself beaten on the second, or third day, so marked was the superiority of Tilden and Johnston. That went on until Lacoste, probably the greatest student of lawn tennis tactics, and the man who took most pains over his play, discovered, after years of patient practice and observation, the secret of beating Tilden. When he beat Tilden the latter was on the wane. It is possible that neither Crawford nor Perry has yet reached his prime, and, on their present form, I think that Tilden at his best would have beaten either of them. Mr. Myers said the invitations of the Australian tennis authorities were only partly the reason why so many players visited Australia. So many fine Australian players had influenced them that, in accepting invitations, they wanted to know why Australian players were so good. Australian players ranked high in world tennis, and he could speak from. 30 years’ experience. He had seen Brookes play at Wimbledon in 1905 and Crawford in 1933. Coming to Australia was like chasing the rainbow to the end. Tennis, he said, had bc~n checked in England in the last fe- years, probably owing to the popuIr’ty of motor-cars and golf. There was an increased interest in big matches. Z . the knowledge of the public increased they were less inclined to go to smaller matches. The world’s best tennis players " were frequently travelling, and it wgs rare now to get a concentration of talent other than at Wimbledon. Modern play was not as scientific and accurate as play in past years, there were more loose shots.