Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-01-12
TENNIS TITLE MATCH
Jay Gould and G. F. Convey Will
Play for Court Honors.
TO BE FEATURED IN MARCH
Foreign Professional Will Start
Practice in February to
Master Conditions.

NEW YORK, January Fin the long
list of international contests which are
being scheduled for the present year
none stands out with the peculiar unique
ness which will surround the court tennis
contests between Jay Gould of the United
States and G.. f. Convey of England
This match. which will be played in
Philadelphia late iii March. brings to-
gether the American amateur champion
and the worlds professional titleholder.
That an amateur and professional
should meet for a worlds championship
is unusual in sporting competitions. but
the fact that Jay Gould is member of
family famous for its wealth. even in
country of immense fortunes. deprives
this meeting with the professional en-
pluyed by Neville Stephen Lytton at his
home court Crabbet lark, Sussex, Eng
Rand. of sinister reelection on amateur
status.
Although the final details of the match
are still to be settled, interest i'll the
contest is rapidly increasing both in this
country and England. This is particularly
true in English amateur sports circles,
where tennis is i'll great vogue. Not only
Is the outcome awaited with great inter-
est because of the remarkable playing
=
fact that it is the first time that cham
pionship match has ever been arranged
between an amateur and professional,
and the first time that the championship
match has been payed outside England
lends additional zest to the contest. 1t
is understood that the match will be the
best out of thirteen sets, and that Ameri-
can balls will be used. There is little
variation between English and American
courts, but the balls differ considerably.
Covey Will Get Months Practice.
AS a result, it is believed that Convey
will arrive in this country a full month
before the match in order to accuston
himself to the balls and the court upon
which the match will be played. Convey,
who is professional to Mr.. Lytton. the
British amateur champion, is thirty-three
years old. the best age, according to ex-
perts, for the game. He learned court
tennis at Princes Club, when Punch Fairs
was head professional there, and in
March, 1907. went as professional to Mr..
Lytton at Crabbet Park, when the court
was established there.
In 1910 Convey played his old tutor,
Fairs, for the championship at Brighton,
and was beaten seven sets to six-hfty-
nine games to -three-after an excit-
ing match. He was more successful in
1912, when he beat Fairs at Princes Club
to forty-two, 341 strokes to 316-thus
gaining the championship, which he VIII
risk in meeting Gould.
Gould the Younger Man.
The American amateur, who is about
five years younger than Convey. has for
some seasons stood out as the leading ex-
ponent of court tennis in this country.
According to the English method of han
dicapping, the average professional Is
considered to be 10 better than the lead
ing amateur.
In the case of Could he was rated at
half 10 in 1908, when he won the Eng
lish amateur championship from Mr..
Miles. 1t is generally conceded abroad
that he must have improved his game
considerably since that time. Judging
from his play in the American champion
ships. this opinion appears borne out. but
whether Gould has reached the point
where he can wrest the worlds title
from Convey remains to be demonstrated.
History of Tennis Championship.
CHANGING over the history of the court
tennis title. it develops that no champion
ship match has been played out of Eng
land for nearly 100 years, though there
have been several international matches.
held by an Englishman, Old Cox. From
1879 to 1862 J. Edmond Barre was SUI
preme and unchallenged and the cham
pionship rested in France. In 1862 Ed
mund Tompkins and Barre played a
draw at London. In 1885 there was an
other international match, when George
Lambert of England was defeated by
Tom Pettitt of America The champion
ship thus for the first time came to
America. 1t remained here until 1880.
when Pettftt. after beating Charles
Saunders of Dublin. resigned. Since then
it has never left England Up to 1885
every match had been an International;
since then. when Peter Latham beat
Saunders. there have been nine matches
of which only two-Latham VS.. Pettitt in
1888 and C. Punch Fairs VS.. Ferdinand
Garcin of France, in 13o6-were interna-
Tan.