New-York tribune., 1921-05-18
Latest Default
Rule I'm Tennis
Adds Hardship
Metropolitan A association
Must Go Easy TO Increase
Interest Ia Tourney Play
By Fred Hawthorne

The new Metropolitan Lawn Tennis
Association has been actively functien-
ing now for two or three weeks, and,
although some Of the rough edges have
not yet been worn off, there is s4f-
feient evidence ia show that the new
rules Of the association governing the
conduct of tournaments should do
much to advance the welfare Of the
game in the metropolitan district.
The first outdoor tourney under the
auspices of the Metropolitan Associa-
tion, the University Heights Tennis
Clubs annual open event, was not thor
eughly efficient from managerial
standpoint, there being several lapses,
although not OF serious nature.
There we're not enough umpires TO
serve in all the matches, there were
delays in scheduled matches and ther4
were one or two cases OF shifting OF
names in the draw.
The same conditions have obtained
in many tournaments all over the coun-
try before, and perhaps if we had not
expected extra efficiency on the part OF
the new association these things would
not have beon worthy Of special COM
ment.
Would Decrease Defaults
There was a decided Improvement
noticeable in the running of the Har-
lem Tennis Clubs open singles tourns-
ment last week. A great majority os
the matches had the services Of UNI
pires, the time schedule was adhered 20
more closely than at University
Heights and there was more attention
given to details than at the opening
outdoor tourney of the season.
l am not one oe those who believe
that tournament tennis players are TO
be treated like schoolboys; that they
must have cut-and-dried rules of con-
duct that they must follow lavishly,
under pain of disciplinary punishment.
Grown men cannot be. handled By any
such methods in business or sport, and
I believe that it would be we'll for the
officers of the Metropolitan Association
to act with due caution and common
sense in handling players and tourna-
ments.
One of the new rules was framed
particularly to prevent the numerous
defaults Of players, and they are now
required to send in their entries, with
/ fees, in writing, two days before the
tournament is scheduled to begin. This
is good rule, for it will make players
more careful about showing up and not
defaulting without giving the cora
mittee due notice.
New Rules May Work Harm
Heretofore almost every sanctioned
tournament has had one or more cases
of players whose names appeared in
the draw never appearing in the
tournament; and sending no word to
the committee as TO the reason for
their default. That was largely the
fault Of the clubs themselves which
put in the names of players who they
had no reason to believe would p.a-,
merely to make the draw look goodp
OF course, there have been other cases.
far too many, where players who had
sent in their names simply decided II
the last inmate not TO play, and did
not think 1T worth while to notify the
tournament committees. Aa ems ,.f,t,
+ 9he new rules should do away With.
this trouble and force the players TO
give due regard to the convenience OF
the club, the other players, and the
spectators, but the threat Of suspend
ing player from further tournament
competition if he is defaulted twice.
without an excuse that shall satisfy
the officials of the association, is quite
liable to work more harm than good,
if not interpreted with wisdom and con-
sideration of each individual case