1937-04-26 — Page 21

THE CHINA MAIL, APRIL 26, 1937.

GREAT BRITAIN'S TENNIS PROBLEMS

PERRY'S SUCCESSOR MUST BE FOUND QUICKLY

WHY

BRITISH

YOUNGSTERS

ARE HANDICAPPED

(By R. MAILLARD STEAD)

London.

RUMJAHNS- SHOULD. WIN EASILY

To-day's Doubles Semi-Final

(By "ADREM")

This afternoon at the Hong Kong C.C., the second semi-final in the Colony doubles tennis champion-

ants being the Rumjahn cousins

C. M. ("Jimmy") Jones, ranked No. 12 and ambitious to end up the 1937 ships will be decided, the contest- season decidedly higher than that, was with me on the courts at Nor-and Weng Shui-wing and Luk Ding- wood Club the other day, indulging in a gentle knockup. And afterward, cheong. as you can well imagine, the conversation turned upon lawn tennis in gen-phasise the disparity between the eral and the British aspect of it in particular.

THE GREAT QUESTION UNDER DISCUSSION WAS, WHO WILL TAKE FRED PERRY'S PLACE ALONGSIDE H. W. AU STIN AS A SINGLES PLAYER ON THE BRITISH DAVIS CUP TEAM THIS YEAR? PRESENT COMPANY ALWAYS EXCEPTED, AS IS ONLY POLITE, THE CANDIDATES FOR THE HONOUR WERE ACCOUNTED TO BE C. E. HARE, C. E. PETERS. D. W. BUTLER, NIGEL SHARPE, F. D. WILDE AND R. J. RITCHIE, IN THING LIKE THAT ORDER OF PROBABILITY.

H. G. N. Lee we omitted be- cause he is understood not to be playing serious competitive lawn tennis this season, C. R. D. Tuc- key and G. P. Hughes because they have formed Britain's dou- bles pair since 1935 and may well be reserved to do só again, though other combinations, of course, will be carefully tried

out.

al-

'Admittedly, at present, all this is last year's surmise, based upon

revela- But,

form.. Radical changes of opinion may be occasioned by the tions of the season of 1937-

horizon darkly, scanning the

doubt it.

1933

REINFORCEMENTS MISSING Because it has held since the Davis Cup, emblematic of the world's team championship for men, Great Britain has for three years been acclaimed the strongest lawn tennis nation. But its strength, nationally speaking, is much more apparent than real, just as France's in the days of the "Four Musketeers"-Jean Borotra, J. Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet and for strong or promising male pairs

just now. Jacques Brugnon.

While these men,

or

was

S. H.

A. D. Rumjahn and Rumjahn, above, former holders of the Colony Open Doubles Lawn Tennis Championship, will be seen in action this afternoon in their Semi-Final Round ́ clash againsť Wong Shiu-wing' and Luk Ding- cheong.

most of KING WILLOW RESPONSIBLE

Why is there always such a dearth them, could be relied upon to play, the Davis Cup glittered in Paris of really good British singles play- and France was on top of the world. ers? I believe the answer to this But when they had to stand aside, often-asked question lies it was quite another story for deplorable lack of supporting troops was made evident.

а

SAME SITUATION That is precisely the situation in the British game to-day. There have never been any strong reserves be- hind F. J. Perry and H. W. Austin. Those two men won back the Davis Cup for Britain (after 20 years of hope deferred) by capturing, be- tween them sufficient singles mat- ches to decide the issue in the chal lenge round. They repeated that measure of success in 1934, and 1936.

1935

on the smooth green turf of the school playing fields. For there King Willow-or cricket, if we must be prosaic-reigns supreme.

they

Consequently, in their most malle- able years, boys who might be de- veloping a forehand like Austin's

(whether are being drilled like it as most probably do OF not) to hold a straight bat at cricket. ··· Lawn tennis has to be a second-string sport for the ma- jority of young Britishers, except during the holidays and after they leave school. -. ⠀⠀⠀

A BIG HANDICAP American boys, French boys and Now that Fred Perry has gone the boys of f many other countries

alcan start in on over to the professionals, with

the out- ing of much fine gold, Britain's set of their sporting careers; but power to win her one Davis Cup the English lad, as a rule, has to match

of 1937 the Challenge build up his lawn tennis on a mote Round at Wimbledon, July 24, 26 or less carefully-laid foundation of

cricket. and 27 would seem to depend upon Austin's capacity to win his two F. J. Perry and H. W. singles. This is assuming a victory like most other male stars

(thanks to for the British doubles pair-whe- were cricketers first

and lawn tennis ther it be Hughes and Tuckey, their schools) Hare and Wilde, or some other players afterward (thanks to their couple. Britain is rather well off fathers), and it is impossible

flourish of trumpets and the chink-competent sun ennis, under

Austin, here,

to

I do not wish to continually em-

standard of the newer players compared with the older stars, but I cannot see the Chinese pair do- ing any better than the semi-finalists of the past week.

We have been unfortunate enough SOME-to witness two games which were so one-sided that they were almost pathetic. This afternoon I am very call to memory an outstanding Eng-much afraid that there will be lish lawn tennis, expert of any era similar result. The Rumjahus must who owes any of his skill to coach-win and all the public can hope for ing at school in the years when is that they will be given enough good style is most easily ingrained. opposition to prolong the match a

"THE OLD MAN”·

little longer than the 40 The reason why so many boy which have been the order in the lawn tennis players fail to justify other two semi-finals.

the

optimistic predictions made

a

minutes

about their future is that they sim-was completely successful. Father's ply have not the time to give to practical encouragement led to fame But not all parents the game after they start to earn and fortune. their own living. That is where are willing and able to do what Pop comes in. You need to spend Perry's father and Austin's father many hours on the court if you are did in order that their sons might to become a Fred Perry. Perry is excel at lawn tennis.

if Thus it is that the first to admit that he would not have become one himself if his fa- through the parks or ther had not undertaken to look clubs in Britain you will see that, after him financially while the at-though there are an enormous num- tempt was made to scale the topmost ber of enthusiastic racket-wielders, heights of the game.

surprisingly few of them can truth- The scaling, as everyone knows, fully be said to play lawn tennis.

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