Evening star., 1932-08-14

N YEW YORK, August 13-Where
will the national tennis cham
pionships be held next year?
Here's the womens cham
pionship beginning Monday with only
SO competitors-the smallest entry in
years. AS for the mems event, gossipy
tongues are wagging as to why Henri
Cochet is imported, and all that, in the
effort to save successive national tour
naments for the concrete elephant" "
as the Forest Hills stadium is flip
PANTY called.
the ground, if that is preferred, may
learn that there is an increasing an
tagonism to Forest Hills. IIkewise,
that in widespread sections of the
country foremost officials hold to the
opinion that the monopoly of any one
club for the major competitions should
be discouraged.
The situation is a parallel to that
which existed in 1924 against the Bijou
Casino at Newport, r. l., where the
title tournaments were established in
1881 Those most outspoken against
Forest Hills shouted abroad that the
present stagnation of the American
game SO overwhelmingly apparent this
season is due to the sadly incompetent
management of the entire tournament
schedule.
IT'S as certain as death and taxes
i that q wholesale revision of the en-
tire competitive list, a Shake-up
akin to a revolution, Is in store for the
game before another season. The
West is clamoring for important COM
petition So is the Philadelphia area
Oficials fairly yell it at the writer:
''We are being starved for Forest Hills" :"
Invitation tournaments are largely
blamed for the low estate to which COM
petition has sunk. Tournaments of this
character should be stricken from the
schedule" an important member of the
New York Athletic Club told the writer.
''Have the clubs willing to do so hold
open championships, especially in the
various sections of the country, with the
winners coming together in the national
championship These hand-picked
fields, together with expensive foreign
players at Forest Hill, are joke"
Of course, this is all highly exciting
with H. Ellsworth Vines fresh from his
European conquest while other British
and French players are here or on the
way. In this respect there is keen
curiosity as to the inducements offered
Henri Cochet to come over. Those on
the inside are aware that Cochet o.
mands generous expenses, otherwise he
is not interested.
r LIKEWISE, outside sections Of the
- country declare that the game at
Forest Hills has been built up at
their expense. Also, compared with
Wimbledon, it has not been glitteringly
successful, as the grand total attend
ance at the recent Wimbledon was
$4,000 spectators, an average daily of
1920.
That makes American figures look
sickly.
Having the courage of his convic-
tions, P Schuyler van Bloem, former
president of the Eastern Lawn Tennis
Association, leaves no doubt as to where
he stands.
"I have consistently advocated re-
forms looking to a complete reversal of
the policy which encourages competi-
ton among clubs in extending expenses
In conducting tournaments" ne says.
"I have repeatedly shown that invita-
ton tournaments have led the way in
encouraging the very thing that is now
complained Of.
II believe that only a constructive re-
versal of plan and policy and Of sched-
ule, as well as the relative Importance
in ranking data, i'll correct the funda-
mental developments brought about by
the present policy"