The New York herald., 1921-11-15
TO RATE 100 LOCAL
TENNIS PLAYERS
Metropolitan Association to
Include Performances In
and Outside District.
By SAMUEL j. BROoKMAN.

BY SAMUEL y. BROOKMAN.
A tennis ranking that will stand next
in Importance 10 the national rating list
is to be issued early next month by the
Metropolitan Tennis Association. 1t will
include the names OF at least 100 play
ers and will be doubly interesting be-
cause OF the decision of the national
association to conhne its selections to
twenty players this year. II Is to be
based not on any mathematical system
which considers scores. games won and
lost, and so forth, but on common
sense comparison of the accomplish
nents of the players throughout the sea-
son of 1921.
Because of the stimulus &c lends to
competition and the interest it attracts
among playing and non-playing devotees
of the sport, the tennis ranking is Il de-
sirable thing. 1t may not In many cases
meet with the approval of players who
had reason to expect a higher ranking
than they received, but on the whole it
valuates the merit of a mans game cor
rectly and instils desire for improve
ment that works for the good of the
sport
The association will not make the
season of ranking players solely on their
performances in the metropolitan dis
trict. Last year, for instance, the COM
mittee decided to give Vincent Richards
no ranking at all because most OF his
tournament play had been outside the
district, yet the fact remained that he
deserved TO be rated close to the top in
metropolitan tennis. The Fundamental
idea is to determine who the leading local
,zIo -
compare. Now il Brown and Smith are
acknowledged to be the leading players
in the district, what is there gained
by placing Jones No. / just because
Brown and Smith happened to play the
bulk OF their matches outside OF the
metropolitan area?
1t was this argument that induced
the metropolitan association this year
10 change its system of ranking and to
take in all matches of metropolitan play
ers wherever contested. II Is not diff
cult TO guess who the first three in local
ranking will be, although the order is n
bit in doubt. While some critics favor
Watson NJ. Washburn for the leading
position, the consensus seems to lean
toward Vincent Richards, with Wash
burn second and Ichiya Kumagae third.
The task the local ranking committee
has is comparable with the task the ma
tional committee had year after year
until the present one, for the activity OF
metropolitan players is widely scattered,
and many of them compete in tourna-
ments in all sections Of the country. The
gathering Of the data, which entails con-
siderable work, is in the hands of Will
lam NJ. Fischer of the University Heights
Tennis Club and Walter l.. Pate of the
Nassau Country Club.
The Probable Leaders.
That India intends to challenge again
for the Davis cup next year was the in
formation advanced by S. NJ. Jacob, cap
tain of the Indian international team.
shortly before the squad left England for
their home country recently. Be added
that the chances favored the return of
the same team that defeated France in
the preliminary round this year and that
reached the semi-fnal of the interna-
tioual event.
For an initial effort IN international
competition the showing Of the India
team in 1921 far exceeded expectations.
What is more, the men appeared to i'm
prove with every tournament, and i'm
pressed critics both here and in England
with their possibilities. Tho progress OF
NJ. seem in particular has been as
tonlshing. In the recent Welsh covered
court championship Slecm triumphed
over a strong field. defeating F. Gordon
Lowe in tho seml-fnal, 6-3, 6--1. and
w. c. Crawley in the title round two sets
out of three. Earlier in the tournament
Sleem outplayed Arthur NJ Lovibond.
the American. who won the title n year
ago, with the loss of only two games in
the match. Sleem also disposed OF his
teammate, S. NJ. Jacob, in the London
covered court championship, and looms
up as the strongest Indian player at the
present time.