LAWN TENNIS.

Thames Star, Volume LVII, Issue 14801, 4 November 1921, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS.

THE PLAYER OF THE YEAR.

B. I.- C. Norton defeated M. Sleem, the Indian lawn tennis player, in the final of the South of England Lawn Tennis Championship at Eastbourne by 3 sets to 2, the scores being o—6,0 —6, 6—4, 5—7, 6 —2, 6 —3. Before describing the match itself I would like to mention Norton’s performances this year, Which go to prove what a wonderful player he is, says a London journal.' (Norton is 22 years old. He lost to F. G. Lowe on the hard courts at Roehampton, but after that lie Avon three successive open tournaments. At Hendon he reversed his defeat by Lowe in five sets, at Phyllis Court, where all the members of the Indian Davis Cup i team • were competing Avith the exception of Sleem, and at Surbiton, where he beat S. M. Jacob very decisively. Norton’s next performance Avas to win the all-comers singles at Wimbledon, with the right--Ao challenge W. Tilden, the holder, and, as everyone knows, he came within a point of being the world’s champion. Since then he has never been beaten, haA ring won at Edgbaston, Scarborough, Carlisle, Bexhill, and Eastbourne. As to the Sleem-Norton match, Norton lost the first set to love. He seemed undecided whether to play his own game or adopt Sleem’s tactics. He was caught between two minds, and having lost the first three games he never tried for the remainder of the set. In the second set Norton discarded his sweater and proceeded to play Sleem partly at his OAvn game. The rallies grew • monotonous, but Norton won the set at 6 —4. The third set was similar to the second, except that Sleem won 7 —5, but in the fourth Norton changed his tactics and proceeded to carry out a volleying campaign. He found he could volley Sleem’s high returns successfully. Sleem certainly was tired, but Norton’s A r olleying in the fourth set, Avhich he took at 6 —2, was superb. In the final set Sleem took an early lead of 3 —l, but Norton persevered with his volleying and won five games running and the match. Norton’s tactics were certainly open to criticism, but they had the desired result eA’en if they, prolonged the match.