LAWN TENNIS

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3586, 27 July 1912, Page 10

LAWN TENNIS

NEWS AND NOTES- * Local enthusiasts are looking forward to the opening of the Gisborne season with keen anticipation. 0, Eroitzheim competed at Weisbaden, and although opposed by Rahe, Kreuzer, and the Kleinscliroths, won both the Championship and the Cup without the loss of a set. Heath (Victoria) won the Championship in 1911. 11ahe and H. Kleinschroth, who played so finely in the Doubles at Wimbledon 12 months ago, won the Men’s Doubles. It. Kleinschroth and Frau-, loin Rieck won the Mixed Doubles from Eroitzheim and Frau Larida. Fra ulem Rieck won the Ladies’ Singles. Eroitzheim got to the final of the Handicap Singles, to be narrowly* beaten. a * * . . * C. Rergmann (Germany) was in evidence at Edmonton, where the first tournament of the English season on grass eras carried through. The Her-, man bad no difficulty in capturing the Men's Singles; also the Doubles, with A. L. Bentley. * * * Andre Boberfc has -made known his intention of celebrating his twentyfirst year by endeavoring to capture three championships this season —the Hard Courts Championship of the

World (which was played early last month in Paris), the 'Championship of England at AVimbledon, and the Championship of America next month.

AVhon Set-terwall and Kempe, the Swedish pair, beat Gore and Barrett in the semi-final of the Olympic Doubles, their Swedish friends stormed the court and congratulated them. It would bo impossible to count the number of times they were .patted on the back. It reminded, one of a Surrey cricketer at the Oval, having performed some notable feat with hat or hall, being surrounded by liis admirers as the players are returning to the pavilion. * * * The form of the British Isles players when practising at the coveted courts at Stockholm the two days previous to the Olympic tournament was scarcely convincing- "A Swedish player, turning round to Aliss Aitchison, w.uo was also watching certain English players at practice, remarked: “Are these your very best?” and expressed much surprise when told they were. * * * The Foot-faulters. There is a tremendous outcry tn England against tho army of fooifaulters, and the columns of the leaning journals, which devote considerable spare to the game, teem with letters from leading players like Ritchie, Dixon, Lowe, and others, also tournament secretaries and referees. Practically all of these call upon the Lawn Tennis Association to insist on umpires seeing that the rules arc strictly adhered to.

■Says a Sydney writer: —“The footfault question has again become acute in England, and many suggestions arc being made, and often repeated, to have an additional line behind the base line, -on or behind which the server must stand, but would then be free to run in as lie liked. Personally I think that the present rule interpreted against the server is quite good enough. By against the server I mean that the umpire should foot-fault unless he is clearly satisfied the service is fair. Then if a server cut it fine in crossing the hack line before be struck the ball the umpire would call fault. (Seeing that the server has.all the best of it iat present, this would tend to even tilings up. Of course, there can be no difficulty when there are linesmen —that is, in big matches —other than the unavoidable one of getting linesmen who will discharge the duty they undertake. If they won’t do'that every rule will fail. It is pleaded in the English discussions that it is'difficult to watch two things at once—that is, the foot travelling to tlie back line and the recquet striking the ball so as to decide whether the foot reaches the line before the ball is struck. Of course, that is extremely difficult, and, indeed, in many cases absolutely impossible. But it is quite easy to listen for the compact of tho ball and watch the foot, and then to decide. Seeing, however, that most linesmen will not call a footfault, when a player ‘put his foot on the line’ or when he ‘hope’ or ‘strides in,’ is it to be wondered at they won’t execute the more difficult task? Afost of them have come to watch a pleasant game, and get too keen to analyse. In big matches it is not very difficult to get capable linesmen, but they should be asked to make their friends sit away from them.”