LAWN TENNIS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 19

LAWN TENNIS

WORLD’S BEST WOMEN PLAYERS THIS YEAR’S FIRST TEN The principal lawn tennis “Test” matches of the year, in which women compete, have now been concluded. It is possible for the dispassionate appraiser of world form to classify names and nationalities, writes Wallis Myers in the “Daily Telegraph.” The new order, founded on play in two Continents, has a feature most gratifying to the home public—the promotion of a British player to the No. 1 position for the first time since a womens r’anking list was added to the men’s list in 1925. The two previous leaders were Mile. Lenglen, for the first two years, and Mrs Moody, for the next seven. These are days when talent, under the spur of world-wide competition, ripens more rapidly. Miss Round only entered the “First Ten” last year, securing the high position of No. 3. She was the first British winner at Wimbledon since Mrs Godfree’s success in 1926, the year that Mile. Lenglen finally retired. Here is the list:— 1. Miss D. E. Round (England). 2. Miss H. Jacobs (U.S.A.). 3. Mrs Sperling (Germany). 4. Miss S. Palfrey (U.S.A.). 5. Miss M. C. Scriven (England). 6. Mine. Mathieu (France). 7. Mile. Payot (Switzerland). 8. Miss J. Hartigan (Australia). ' 9. Frl. Aussem (Germany). 10. Miss C. Babcock (U.S.A.). If Miss Round’s place at the top is unassailable in view of her triumph at Wimbledon and her revelation of technique and tactics against Miss Jacobs in the final, the American champion equally deserves to retain her second position for a third year. Miss Jacobs, like Austin, was . more successful in team matches than in championships. She could not get further than the final in Paris and at Wimbledon, but defeated both Miss Round and Miss Scriven in the Wightman Cup without losing a set. Championship Calibre Both Miss Round and Miss Jacobs have the champion’s ability to raise their game under threat of disaster. Miss Round was faced with five match balls against her when opposed to Miss Scriven in the final of the British hard court championship at Bournemouth. Miss Jacobs found Mllle. Payot on the verge of victory in Paris, and Miss J. Ingram startled the American and the crowd by gaining a winning lead at Wimbledon. Competing less than usual in the first half of the season, Mrs Sperling, now a Danish subject, was beaten at Wimbledon by Miss Joan Hartigan, an unseeded player. But she was the victim of a passing malaise, caused by the drought, on that occasion, and in the subsequent Irish championship showed her true form when she defeated the Australian girl with the loss of only four games. She also beat Miss Hartigan 'at Liverpool in two sets, while she retired at Queen’s Club when within a stroke of entering the semi-final. Her victory in the German championship at Hamburg was conclusive; she remains the best player on the Continent. Miss Sarah Palfrey mounts the scale. That America retained the Wightman Cup this year was mainly due to her fine victories on successive days over Miss Round and Miss Scriven; against the latter she caught ap from 5-1 down in the final set, playingbeautiful tennis. Genius for the Gann She was beaten in the subsequent championship by Mme. Mathieu, but reached the final of the American championship, and won the doubles with Miss Jacobs. Miss Palfrey has an inherent genius for the game, only lacking the physique essential for continuous warfare. Only in Paris, where she retained the French championship in a strongfield, did Miss Scriven maintain her reputation. At Wimbledon and elsewhere her defence was broken through and her science proved a source of weakness. Perhaps next year she will move forward again. * Mile. Payot played less this year, but extremely well in Paris against Miss Jacobs. Frl. Aussem, now in good health, is steadily regaining her form. Miss Hartigan and Miss Babcock are newcomers to the “First Ten.” The Australian champion was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon, defeating Mrs Sperling and Miss Scriven; soundly tempered, she will doubtless advance. Much improved this year, Miss Babcock defeated Miss Jacobs at Seabright, New Jersey, and is one of several gifted Californian girls. Almost alone among the prominent British players. Miss Round has moved forward. Mrs King has beaten the champion, and Miss N. M. Lyle has defeated two players in the “First Ten.” But there has been no progressive movement towards championship class. There is a marked lack of generalship and too much stereotyped play. This may be due to the present tournament system, which does not furnish adequate resistance. The decline in standard is obvious, and ought to be checked.