TENNIS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19048, 27 June 1924, Page 6

TENNIS

THE WIMBLEDON TOURNEf Received June 26, 8.40 p.m. (Reuter). LONDON, June 26. * At Wimbledon, for the second round, the weather was very hot. Brookes defeated the Cingalese, Prutnam, 6—2, 6— -i 2—6, 6 —l. Brookes played with his full old skill and force. Mrs McKane beat Mrs Mallory 6—l, 6—o; Mdlle. Lenglen beat Miss Clarke 6—o, 6—o. TILDEN AND U.S. ASSOCIATION To “American Lawn Tennis,** which has just come to hand, Mr. Tilden offers some comments on the events which have led to his breach with the executive of the American Lawn Tennis Association. America, Mr. Tilden declares, is a nation of organisation. It believes in efficiency, in committee management, in standardisation. Wa turn out of our factories a standardised product from raw material to completed commercial goods. Why, say our organisers ,should we not supervise create, and control our tennis players under like methods!” The American champion does not deny that this system has been productive of sonio excellent results. It has borne fruit in the tremendous growth of clubs holding sanctioned tournaments throughout America. It has been responsible for the remarkable increase of the game in schools and colleges, its popularising among the boys and girls of the country. The rules have been clarified and unified, the upholding and interpreting of their placed in the hands of a group of eon* petent men joined together in an umpires* association. Yet Mr. Tilden holds that the syston has failed conspicuously in one mater ial respect. <4 lt has totally overlooked the human equation. Tennis playen are not raw material to weave into a certain pattern which pleases th< taste of the National Association officials. They are individual, conscious, responsible, thinking men and women who are capable, and in some cases determined, to shape their own decisions, even in sport. Time passes and the game of tennis changes, advances, and expands. The ideals and ethics need not seriously alter in the fundamental idea of amateurism and clean sport, but the press of life, the growth of inter-sectional competition the demand of the public for first* class tennis all over America, makf necessary and sensible a relaxaticr of certain standards which grew up ti the days when tennis was a game <»i the idle rich.”