Evening star., 1920-01-04
EXPLAINS RANKING
SYSTEM IN TENNIS
Bassford Answers Criticism
by Outlining Method
Used in Ratings.
CODE MAY BE ALTERED
BY w. II, HOTEL.


BY w. H. HOTEL.
Abraham Bassford, jr-. Of Harts-
dale n. Y, chairman of the ranking
committee of the National Tennis
Association, has come out with an
explanatory statement following the
storm of criticism that followed the
rating of the 1919 players. especial
ly the placing OF Roland Roberts of
San Francisco at No. and Walter
T. Hayes of Chicago at No. ?. After
pointing out the difficulties of the
task Mr.. Bassford outlines how the
committee arrives at its conclusions,
as follows:
'"The committee works under den-
mite instructions, adopted by the an
nual meeting of the national asso-
citation. These rules eliminate from
consideration all unsanctioned
matches, whether they be interclub.
post-season or foreign, and require
the committee to conflne itself strict.
ly to the actual performances OF
players in the current season.
Furthermore, the committee can
not rank on it's opinion of players
relative ability, nor on what might
happen if A played B. Defeats are
considered as well as wins and the
whole record is an average or the
seasons play. This puts the pre-
MUM on performance.
What the System Attempts.
an this connection, it is well to
bear in mind that the ranking sys-
tenn attempts the following:
"(a) The analytical consideration
of all sanctioned matches between
rated PLAYERS, except those matches
played indoors.
"(b) The system of comparison is
based on the simple fact that as n
general proposition it requires bet
ter tennis to win match at 6Al.
81 than to win from the same op-
ponent at, say, 6-4, Ga.
"(c) IntercIub. indoor. preseason
and post-season events, as well as
those of past years, are not consid-
cred; only the matches of the sane
toned schedule have a bearing.
"(d) Certain values are assigned
for various scores. These values are
merely to provide a means OF compari-
son.
"(e) Tournaments are given GER
tain weights in computing the gen
eral average, in order to emphaslIs
a players ability when he should
have reached his best form. III ne
pIavs poorly in the national his rec
ord suffers more than II ne pays
poorly in the North Side champion
ship, and, conversely, his record is
bettered by good showing IN tne
national more than by good sho "
ing in smaller tournament
May Rectffy Faults.
AS the committee works under
definite instructions by the national
organization, as Mr. Bassford has
stated, it is evident that some move
will be made to rectify apparent
faults in the system of rating when
the U. S. n. L. T. A. meets in New
York next month. A fight to have
certain Journeys carry more value
81 10 certain
be made. particularly as to Newport,
Southampton and Seabright, the first
two of which are known as the ma
tional singles preliminaries. coming
as they do just prior the competition
at Forest Hills. Both draw a ma
national title. Seabright also usually
attracts many players of champion
1Y These three. with Philadelphia and
District, Western Pennsylvania and
Central States Journeys, have the
weight of sectional championships"
of two points-Such as the middle At
lantic held here. A weight of four
points is given the national cham
pionship, three to the clay court and
one to all other sanctioned Journeys.
Many contend that Newport, at least,
and Southampton possibly, should be
placed in the four-point class, and
which the clay court title event now
stands alone.
In connection with the discussion
of tourney values in ranking players
it might be well to call attention to
the fact that the governing organi-
Zation of tennis has declined despite
repeated suggestions to add the word
national to the clay court cham
pionship tourney. So though winning
of the events carries the honors of
being the king-pins of the hard court
players of the United States, the
players cannot call themselves the
national clay court champions"
Should Disregard Tradition.
In fact. it is contended in some quar-
ters-and it may como to that eventu-
ally-the national championship should
be decided on the clay. More than s5
per cent Of the tennis in the United
States is played on concrete or clay, and
the hard court championship competi-
ton naturally is more representative of
the turf. Tradition is a terrible thing
to overcome. but it should be cast aside
in tennis. Many players who have the
ability to forge to the front never get q
chance to practice on grass and fall
down badly when they compete in an
event on the turf. Every tennis fol-
lower, as well as the players, know that
the ball bounds differently on turf than
it does on clay. A remarkable feature
of William NJ Johnston's ability to win
the national turf championship Is the
fact that he plays most Of his tennis on
the hard surface.
It seems that it would be advisable, at
least, to give the clay court tourne~
national status, and give it the same
value as the title tournament played on
the grass. 1t would be a good idea also
to have the winners of the clay court
honors and the victors in the turf title
events meet in special matches to de-
eide the American championships. Such
matches could be the best four in seven
sets, with three to he played on clay one
day, a trio on the grass the next, and
the location of the odd set, IL it should
be necessary. to be decided by the toss
of a coin. OF course, if the same player
wins both events, AS did w. NJ. John
ston in the mems ringles in 1919, there
is no room for argument.