TENNIS MUSINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 246, 17 October 1936, Page 4

TENNIS MUSINGS

FRED PERRY’S REFLECTIONS WILL HE TURN PRO. .' ADRIAN QUIST SAYS "YES" Fred Perry set sail for America on August 5, but he wasn’t too talkative, writes Clifford Webb in a London daily. The things he did say were not quite the things I wanted him to say. I think he must have known that wnen I arrived at the office a copy of his latest book, “Fred Perry on Tennis,” would be awaiting me. Several passages in the book contain things that I wanted Perry to say. Fred said some astonishing things one evening in Paris when he formed one of a group which included Georges Carpentier, and two other journalists besides myself. No more about that, except to say that he has definitely toyed with the idea of quitting the game. Perry is an impulsive individual. But he always gets time to think over his decisions; often changes them. This is his book piece: “I am now 27, not old for first-class lawn tennis, but old enough to make one wonder how long, if at all, championships can be retained and how long one ought to go on trying to retain them. “Ought one to carry on year after year until, inevitably, sooner or later, one is placed forcibly among the back numbers; or ought one to leave gracefully before that time arrives? . . . Difficult to Know When to Quit “. . . There is nothing more difficult I for any champion in sport than to know how best to cease to be a champion.” Pery reiterates that his years of tennis and travel have not made him a millionaire, and re-describes the attempts that have Deen made to make him turn professional. I think it is true to say that, at one time, if the actual cash in advance had accompanied a certain offer, Perry would have fallen for it. As things are now, I doubt if Perry will ever become a professional. Film work is much more likely to lure him. Neither he nor his wife is greatly in love with the life that keeps them apart for a good many months in the year. I doubt, though, whether Fred Perry just now has any idea of quitting big tennis for three years at least. But, as I have said ,the Wimbledon champion is an impulsive individual. Finally, listen to Perry on Budge, the American red-head, whom I confidently predict as Perry’s successor In the Wimbledon honours list: “At 20 he (Budge) is established as one of the first three or four in world tennis, and is equally good in singles and doubles. . . . “In two or three years (possibly less) he may well be the world's leading amateur.” So we leave Perry, pipe in hand, gazing seriously out of a railway carriage window as the train steams out on the first stage of a tour that will take in several countries before he reaches Australia in November. He is due in this country again next April. Quist’s Opinion According to Adrian Quist, who returned from England to Australia with manager Cliff Sproule, manager of the Australian Davis Cup team, on September 26, F. J. Perry is certain to turn professional, and join the Tilden-Vines troupe at any time now. Quist hinted that he, too, might turn professional later, but did not contemplate such a move at present. If Perry turned professional it would be almost impossible for England to hold the Davis Cup. “It is no good turning professional unless you are number four,” he said. Quist brought back 500 feet of film of the Davis Cup challenge match in which Britain defeated Australia, and one of the new streamlined rackets as used by Austin. Quist says he wants a short spell and will not flay in district tennis in Adelaide for several weeks. Acording to Quist a mistake by Mako during the contest between Australia and America probably cost America the match. “In the fourth set of the doubles, when the Americans were leading six-five, and I was serving, Mako missed a simple smash which would have given America two match points at forty-fifteen,” said Quist. “Mako ran in front of Budge, and both missed the smash. That one point meant thousands of pounds to the Australian Association.”