TENNIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16641, 25 January 1922, Page 3

TENNIS

FIXTURES. February 11—Otago v. Canterbury, at Christchurch (interprovincial match). February 18—Wellington v. Canterbury (Wilding Memorial Shield challenge). The Wellington Association has agreed to February 18 for the Wilding Shield match against Canterbury, but still desires to play the match on one ,day—the Saturday. Presumably, the Wellington team will arrive on the morning of the match, and. go north the same night. This will be a handicap on the Wellington players, especially if they have a rough trip. The Canterbury selectors have picked the original six chosen for the Auckland challenge, namely, Ollivier, Greenwood, Aitken, Wilding, Goss and Clark; but the question of order is understood to be in abeyance. The Wellington team is likely to include Peacock, Swanston. Salmond and L. France. In regard to the match against- Otago at Christchurch on February 11 no reply has yet been received to the Canterbury Association’s request for a confirmation of the date, but there appears to be no reason to fear that the match will fall through. The inter-club fixtures for this week are as follows Ladies. St Albans B v. St Albans A, at St Albans. New Brighton v. Avonside, at Avonside. Addington v. Opawa, at Addington. Woolston v. Canterbury College, at Canterbury CollegeMen. St Albans v. Lmwood, at Linwood. Redcliffs v. Addington A, at Redcliffs. Addington B v. Ascot, at Addington. Opawa v. Canterbury College, at Canterbury College. Avonside v. Sumner, at Sumner.

An experienced player expressed the opinion yesterday, apropos of the United Club’s championships, that February 2 is at least a, w eek too early for the closing of the first round, seeing that the draw was only published on Monday. He had in mind the many players who cannot get away before five o’clock in -the evening, which is a bit late for a five-set match. These players will only have one Saturday m which to get their matches off, and this may take some arranging. His view is that the first round should have included another Saturday.

A considerable variation in prices can be noted by anybody who sets out to buy a tennis racquet in Christchurch. Unaccountable variations for the same class of racquet were commented on by North Island players during the championship matches at New Year. Thus one firm can be found charging 2s 6d more than another, and a third firm charging 5s more for the self-same article, while the discounts for cash vary also- The moral is to make a circuit of the city shops before taking the plunge. Fortunately, the trend of prices appears to be downward, especially in balls, although complaints are frequent regarding “dud” and shortlived balls. Apropos of racquets, the Aucklanders who used the “Tilden” racquet stated that it cost them 755.

Mdllie Suzanne Lenglen’s brief adventure toward the United States championship became a closed book, according to a decision of the officials of the United States Lawn Tennis Association on December 1. A conference that included Julian S. Myrick, president of the association, and others arrived at the conclusion that any further statements or comment would serve no purpose and would only strain the friendly relations existing between the United States and the amateur sportsmen of France. The decision of the English Association to this year permit and next year require the champions of the world on grass courts to plav through is one of 'great moment. Thev have conceded to Tilden what they refused to Wilding, says Austral ”in the Sydney 14 e ~ feree.” Views may differ as to who has the better of it between the challenger, who has won through after perhaps half n dozen matches, and the holder, who has been resting and watching his opponent’s methods, but himself getting no extending practice, if any at all. A big, strong man like Wilding or Patterson would, as a rule, prefer to play through, and evidently Tilden prefers to do so; but a tactician like Brookes, of less robust build and with no reserve of tissue to fall back on, might do better to stand out. Manifestly, though, the new rule is the fairer, as all are equal. The champion was asked to stand out partly to ensure the best contest on the last day, and a good gate. Under the new rule, as in America this year, the final may be a virtual walk-over. Tho real contest in America this year wiu when W- M. Johnston met Tilden in the fourth round. To stage such a match on an off day is to make many enthusiasts miss it, quite apart from the loss of gate money.

The only remedy is to seed the draw, and as to theadvisaliilityof this, a great argument lias raged amongst American fans ever since the poor tussle in the final between Tilden and Wallace Johnson. Moreover, now that to such contests all the nations send their best men. there arises a stronger, and, I think, overwhelming argument in favour of seeding the draw. Openly, and not surreptitiouslv. as is almost alwavs done. That argument is that it is desirable that players w r ho come from the same country, and travel perhaps right across the world to compete, may, in an unseeded draw', meet each other in the first or an earlv round.

What harm would there be, or rather how great an advantage would there not be, in placing two such players as, say, J. O. Anderson and G. L. Patterson in opposite halves, and Tilden and Johnston also in opposite halves, and so with every nation’s players? What a calamity it would be if Anderson and Patterson went next year to America and there met each other in the first or even in any early round I Surely the committee, trusted in all else, can be trusted in this also, and could even call the captain of the visiting teams or the visiting players into consultatipn to see that the seeding was fair and on correct principles. The actual ties could still bo left to chance; but seeding the draw' is essential to the maintenance and increase of international interest.

, THE AMERICAN RANKING LIST. The marvel of this year’s American “ Ranking Ten ” is the position assigned to Vincent Richards—next after the Big and Little Bills—Tilden and Johnston. Ahead of Wallace Johnson, Williams and Washburn, and at eighteen years of age, writes “ Austral ” in the “Referee.” Just what results justify this position it is hard to understand. Ho was not chosen for the Davis Cup four, though probably the choice of Washburn and Williams was due to their doubles play just previously in the National * championship. He is to-day junior champion, a title confined to those eighteen years of age or less, also with Tilden lie holds tiie doubles chamoionshfn, as he did in 1918, when about fifteen years old, and now ho is ranked third. Where will he be next year? In the recent National championship he met W. M. Johnston in tho third round and was beaten only 2- 3-6 6-3, 9-7, 6-2, so that Johnston won only by the skin of his teeth, just escaping a similar defeat to that inflicted earlier in the season by Richards on Tilden and Williams. In the fourth set, Richards led at 6-5; but Johnston led till he ran out at 9-7. In the fifth set, Johnston led 5-1. Richards’ play was admired for its “ rock-like steadiness. uncanny accuracy and anticipation.’’ He was in twelfth place last year. Against Hawkes, at Chicago, Richards won at 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. In a series of exhibition matches to raise funds for “devastated France,” Tilden beat Richards 2-6, 6-3, 7-5; then 7-5, 3- 6-3; then 7-5, 6-2; then 7-5, 4-6, 6- then 6-0, 4-6, 7-5; then 8-6, 6-4, 7- 6-0; then 6-4, 7-5 ; then 6-4, 3-6; then 6-4, 6-7. The next big surprise is the position- -ninth—allotted to Rice, who first came into prominence by getting within an easy kill of defeating R. N. Williams, and later a defeat of Tilden, mentioned by American lawn tennis. Rice met J. O. Anderson in the first round of the championship. He started with a rush, but then Anderson overwhelmed him by harder hitting, winning at 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, a severe defeat. He was in thirty-fourth place last year—a great jump. \\ allace Johnson once more gets into thq, first four by many successes. Last year he was tenth. He reached the final of the championships after defeating Washburn 6-3, 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Bub Johnson gets his place largely, no doubt, by his defeat of J. O. Anderson, being thus the only American to defeat Anderson. He did so at 6-4, 3-6, 8-0. 6-3, after “J. O.” had beaten R. N. Williams 6-3, 6-3, 26, 4-6, 6-4. It is described in “ American Lawn Tennis ” as “a pathetic match, for Anderson could have won if he had exercised a little more care.” He led at one set all, and 5-2 and 40-15. and then “ blew.” Against Tilden, Johnson led at 8-7 in the rain, when the match was post poned, and on the Monday Tilden, in the replay, won at 6-1, 6-3, 6-1. Washburn has fully earned his place at fifth man, his highest ranking, yet last year lie was seventh. There is some definite unmentioned reason for omitting Willis Davis from the ranking, last year he was fifth, and he is the most severe server in America, and a fine all round player of the M’Loughlin type. R. N. Williams drops out of the first three for the first year since 1913. Miles was ninth last year, and now is tenth. Tho inclusion of Vosliell, at eighth place, is not easily understandable, but he defeated Shimidzu twice. Last year he was thirteenth, and in the championship R. N. Williams beat him 7-5, 6-3, 6-2. Kumagae drops from fourth to sixth place, and clearly he has gone off. There remain two interesting questions. Why were Shimidzu, Anderson, Todd, Hawkes and Peach not ranked? And where would they be ranked ? Surely the Davis Cup contests should all have been regarded ns contests qualifying for ranking, and thev only have to be m three. As to their position, clearly J. O. Anderson and Shimidzu would be in the first ten. Anderson could scarcely be placed behind Richards, oven though Johnson beat him ns well as Shimidzu and Kumagae. He beat Tilden and Williams, and improved out of sight at the last. Shimidzu would have to go well ahead of Kumagae. He was within two strokes of beating Tilden in straight sets in the Davis Cup challenge-round. Tho defeats inflicted on him by Vosheli and Richards were in matches not so iniDortant in liis point of view. Fairly, one could not place Shimidzu and Anderson, lower than fifth or sixth, if so low. Anderson beat Rice decisively. If Anderson goes into the first six, so would Patterson, and that makes our Davis Cup chances look good for next 3 r ear, especially if Johnston drops out. The London “ Sportsman ” of Do cember 1 says:—“A remarkable lighting system—the invention pf a wellknown lawn tennis tournament player —by which outdoor games can be played at any hour of the night under perfect conditions, will soon be available to the public. The system is economical, the cost of lighting three courts, for instance, being less than two shillings per hour per court. A famous international lawn tennis player has tested the system and pronounced it perfect and one of the best known hard court lawn tennis clubs in London is about to instnl it.”

“ American Lawn Tennis ” publishes the fallowing appraisement -if Anderson, with a fine picture of the Sydney pi aye r in action “J a m-es On tram Anderson, of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, comes pretty close to being the enigma of the 1921 season in this country. He dropped sets to La framboise (Canada), and Woosman and Low© (British Isles), and to Sliimidzhu • a,n.d Kumagae (Japan). In the championship he los* the first set to Lawrence Rice, and then rose to magnificent heights bv beating Williams in five sets, after everybody had begun to think that Dick would pull it out; and, incident-a-lllv, knocked the daylights out of that meeting by that and subsequent performances. Then he failed miserablv against Wallace Johnson—and that after having the match cinched and copper-riveted. Not content, with this the tali and lanky man from down under staged an almost mirific performance at Chicago. Nominated for the West (United States), he played in and ''but tennis against Tilden for four sets during which scarcely any one imagined that there could be other than one result—a fifth set victory for the American. Then Anderson took the bit in his teeth and literally plaj-ed th« champion off his feet, and won the rubber set, willy nilly. Nor was it any fluky victory Our correspondent describes this set the best match of the entire meeting, and talks with others confirm this view. “ Anderson’s gnmc is apparently his own. It does not bear the slightest resemblance to that of Norman Brookes or Gerald Patterson.

whose methods are at opposite poles; nor to that of tlie late Anthony Wilding. It may hjeuAlescribed as a game that is thoroughly American in its co». ception and execution. It is an allcourt game, too, for the Australian can drive and volley splendidly. His first serve is distinctly good, viewed in every aspect, but his second is usually a pretty weak thing. Overhead he. is severe and reasonably sure. His backhand is relatively weak, but, like his second delivery, it is dangerous ii. his best moods. He is very’ fond of executing delicate drop shots just over the net; rather too fond, for a wide awake opponent can get some of these finesses and salivate them. He has, finally, a clear understanding of the value of angles, and possesses the fa v ulty of bringing them off almost perfectly. Anderson likes speed, although speed is not an obsession wit’ him. Fast shots by his opponent bring out his best game; he can hit tremendously hard and bring off his strokes under pressure. He proved this conclusively with Williams in the championship, and against Tilden at Chicago in the East v. West match. He beat Ixiwe at Pittsburg, despite the Englishman’s comparative lack of pace. But he fell down» completely before Shimidzu at Newport, and, after the match was half over, against Wallace Johnson at Germantown. There’s true Davis Cup and championship stuff in Anderson, as George A dee discovered in August last at Pittsburg, and ns this journal said at about the same time. Hir. game is a bit rough yet, as a successful opponent in one of this year’s meetings told the present writer; anti he needs a little further seasoning. But lie should go still further. We shall probably see him again next year, with an even stronger aggregation of antipodeans to strive with him for the Davis Cup—and also to have another try at our championship.”