SERIOUS TENNIS PLAYERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 66, 19 March 1938, Page 4

SERIOUS TENNIS PLAYERS

BUDGE ON AUSTRALIA HIS VIEWS OF GALLERIES WHAT THEY MEAN TO THE GAME I have never played in a country . where the gallery takes its tennis as seriously as in Australia. I am not complaining of the reception I had in Sydney, when I was badly beaten by Gottfried Cramm. Rather is my statement a compliment (states Donald Budge in the Sydney Morning Herald). In Sydney I played very badly and admit I did not exert myself, and so, when I learned that the gallery had come along anticipating Budge to serve cannon-ball deliveries and outpace Cramm on the drive, I did not blame them for showing their disappointment. I might say here that I was exceptionally sorry I did play that way, and expressed my regret by playing Jack Crawford in an exhibition two days later. It was very decent and typical of Jack to give me a chance to redeem myself. In America we usually fool around when we play exhibition games, and the gallery expects nothing more. It comes prepared for a laugh, and that generally comes through the champion biting the dust, but taking it easily in the process. Wimbledon is Different Now, Wimbledon is different. Wimbledon is on the London social calendar, and many of its devotees go along to be seen rather than to watch the tennis. A favourite with a Wimbledon gallery is likely to receive all the applause, regardless of the prowess he may show. I understand that Jean Borotra was Wimbledon’s especial favourite. I have been told that more than half the inquiries—telephone and otherwise—that reached the Wimbledon office concerned France’s famous “Bounding Basque.” Jean would have been lost without a gallery for important occasions. A good-humoured gallery was a spur to Jiim, and few galleries could fail to be good-humoured when Jean set himself to amuse them. He has had Wimbledon crowds almost groaning when he has been down, and wildly cheering when he has come out on top. It was unusual if he did not have the gallery in hysterics at least on one occasion a match.

Applause was a tonic to him and, regardless of whom he opposed, he always had the gallery with him. I must qualify that statement, for I understand that a gallery of his own countrymen was never as appreciative as foreigners.

“Dodo” Bundy has a similar complex to Borotra. She likes nothing ebtter than to put the crowd in good humour, and she plays her best when the crowd is her way. Fortunately for her she has a charming personality that “fetches” the crowd, and she is one of the most popular figures on the courts to-day. Normally the gallery does not worry me. It takes me all my time to concentrate on my own game and my opponent, and I try to ignore outside influences, but recently I played before a gallery whose attitude spurred me on to greater effort. It was my match with Cramm in the Davis Cup at Wimbledon. My German rival is a firm favourite with the Wimbledon gallery, and this day, practically all the applause was for him. I could not help noticing it, especially when I was going down hill in the vital final set. But it only served to make me try harder. Mind you, I don't hold anything against the Wimbledon habitues for showing preference for Cramm. If Gottfried was born with personality and appearance more pleasing to the Wimbledon gallery, I just can’t help that. I was there to play tennis and to beat him if possible, and so long as I could play him in the same sporting fashion as he always shows, 1 did 1 not have to worry about trying to please with my appearance. Can Help or Hinder A crowd can be of considerable help in other ways to some players, especially those ot international rank accustomed to playing before galleries. They can concentrate on the joo in hand more closely than if on an outside court, where distractions arc usu- ' ally more numerous and where Ire- 1 quently the background is continually changing as people pass at the back ol the court. A splendid example of the point J wish to make came around in the Australian championships. Without belittling George Holland’s success over llenner Henkel, I think Henkel would have defeated the Victorian lad ‘had their match been played .on one of the centre courts I instead of outside. Henkel won the i first two sets, but lost the next three. ! He lost the thiid set because of lack I of concentration and the fol io wing i two through lack of confidence against an opponent who had improved very j considerably on his play during the | first tv,u. Hi... IlaJ the match he< ’ on a stand cour. bciorc a gallery, 1 thin’., Ihe crowd n 0.;.- ot applau.: : ■ah. . :..»V‘ s'.l •: oned Henkel’s ecu- : eend.'.tion in that third set which he be;,.ui confidently anti on top. une of tiic greatest lots ol a , u c's concentration is a match on an outside court in a big tournament where the • crowd overflows the stands and; wanders round the outside sampling a ■ bit here an 1 a little there. Usually i ali is well for the first sot, for thecrowd is interested in watching, the • individuals and studying their game.;, but when a set score is called, many : of the gallery will begin to more, de- ’ ciding they have seen enough. As the! crowd starts to go ihe player's con-! 1 centration can easily be broken, fori Ihe people packed close around ihe, courts had become part of the al.-? niosphere and, in their going the;, broke it up. The part the tennis player acts in ' the tennis world is not as simple as;' it appears to Ihe majority of the gal- •• lery. It is not just a matter of walk- ;■ ing on the court and playing. The? player is not a machine, and many ? outside influences can affect his game, ; and he suffers just as many reactions ,1 as any member of the watching crowd, 1 perhaps more.