TOURNAMENT AND CLUB MANAGEMENT
I wish an "Order of Play" could be used more at English tournaments.
That is to say, I wish matches could be arranged to take place at a
certain hour, following the plan adopted at Wimbledon and at all the
meetings on the Continent. Such an arrangement would greatly add to the
comfort and enjoyment of competitors, and would, I imagine, be a great
boon to the referee. Spectators, I know, would welcome it. I think a
time-table might prove unworkable where handicap events are concerned,
but in the case of open events I feel sure it could be introduced with
great advantage to all concerned. I have so often sat hour after hour at
a London tournament (having only entered for the open events), perhaps
playing one match, perhaps not playing at all. If I had been told
overnight that I should not be wanted, or exactly at what hour my match
would take place, it would have been so much more satisfactory and saved
so much wasted time. This waiting about takes away half the pleasure of
playing in London meetings. Even if there are good matches going on you
do not care to watch them incessantly; there may be a chance of your
playing off a tie, and it would tend to put your eye out. On one
occasion, having a long way to go to a tournament in which I was only
entered for the open mixed doubles, I telephoned to know whether I
should be wanted or not. "Well," replied the referee, "if I call you and
you are not on the ground, I shall scratch you. In your own interest you
had better come over." For my partner's sake, as well as my own, I was
bound to go. As I expected, I sat the whole afternoon and evening doing
absolutely nothing. When I begged to be allowed to play, as I had come
some distance for this one match, the referee examined his programme and
said, "Oh, it is quite impossible to-day. They have not played the round
in front of you yet!"
[Illustration: AFTER THE LADIES' FINAL AT WIMBLEDON: TEA ON THE LAWNS]
This sort of thing implies gross mismanagement, besides resulting in
unnecessary wear and tear for the competitors. If there was an order of
play arranged for each day, all the bother would be obviated. I believe
that business men who cannot get away in the early afternoon have their
matches timed and arranged for them. Why are not all competitors treated
alike?
While I am on this subject of "waiting about," let me say that I think
ladies do not take nearly enough care of themselves after playing. They
ought to wrap up well if they have not time to change before their next
match. Men are much more careful. They put on their coats immediately
they leave the court, and change their clothes as soon as they can. But
you will see girls chatting after a match, and even having tea, without
deigning to put on an extra wrap. It is courting disaster. The colds and
more dangerous ailments that arise from this little want of care
naturally afford people a line of attack when they object to girls
engaging in violent exercise.
You cannot be too careful after strenuous play. I am well aware that
ladies are catered for very badly at most of the tournaments in regard
to changing-room accommodation. Some places we have had to put up with
are disgraceful. I think most lady players will agree with me when I say
that Wimbledon and Queen's Club are about the only two grounds where you
can change with any degree of comfort. This is not right, and I am sure
if men had to experience the changing-room accommodation afforded for
our use there would not be many of them competing at tournaments. I
think the two clubs I have mentioned are the only two where we even get
a bathroom! Some tournaments provide a draughty tent for our use.
Moreover, there is generally only one dressing-room, and feminine
spectators often crowd round the one looking-glass, staring at the
players as if they were animals on show! It is sometimes even impossible
to sit down to rest after a hard and tiring contest.
I appeal to secretaries of tournaments for some reform. A number of lady
players have asked me to use this opportunity to point out some of our
most pressing grievances. I hope these remarks, which are none too
strong, may bear fruit. Visitors who come over from other countries are
always loud in their complaints, and I am not surprised. I believe the
Beckenham authorities are doing all they can to impart a little more
comfort to the ladies' changing and resting-room, and they have greatly
improved their accommodation. It is time other meetings followed their
example. At the seaside meetings it does not so much matter. Most of the
players stay near the ground and can go to their own rooms and be back
in time to play again, if necessary; but in London tournaments, where
there is often a long drive or train journey before one reaches home, it
is most important that there should be a good changing-room.
[ILLUSTRATION: A TOURNAMENT HOUSE-PARTY AT NEWCASTLE _Front row (left to
right_): THE LATE MISS C. MEYRE, MR. G.W. HILLYARD, MRS. HILLYARD, MRS.
LAMBERT CHAMBERS, MR. N.E. BROOKES, MR. A.J. ROBERTS]
There is another improvement which I feel sure would be greatly welcomed
by competitors, and that is a separate tea-tent for their use. Often a
player has only a few minutes to get her tea, and, with the general
public engaged in the same amiable pursuit, she is not able to be served
and has to go away tealess. If there were a competitors' tea-tent, a
player could obtain her tea in comfort when she wanted it.
Always bear in mind that a referee at a tournament has a most "worrying
time of it." Players can and should help to make his task lighter.
There are many ways in which they can assist to make the tournament as
successful as possible. One is by being punctual and ready dressed to
play when wanted, and another is by umpiring when they are disengaged
and have not an important match just coming on. "Taking the chair" may
help them not to dispute an umpire's decision when they are in court
themselves. They will realize how difficult umpiring is, and that bad as
umpires often are they are doing their best. To dispute a decision or to
argue with the umpire never helps matters; it usually makes him nervous.
A bad decision must be taken as a fortune of war, and borne in a
sportsmanlike manner. But you must never allow the crowd to influence
the umpire. It is a hopeless expedient, for many people who watch
matches are ignorant of the rules of the game.
Sometimes--I suppose it is Hobson's choice--an umpire is chosen from the
"gate." If he knows little or nothing of his duties the result is
disastrous. Should there be difficulty in getting an umpire who knows
something of his work, I think the match should take care of itself. I
have experienced umpires who do not even know how to score!
And now a word or two about _Clubs._ It is very difficult to manage a
lawn tennis club successfully; much tact is required. I think it is
almost impossible to prevent a club being "cliquey," and I should always
advise a player who wishes to improve her game to join one which is more
concerned with its tennis than its social side. Some clubs still use the
game for a garden-party, where long trailing skirts, sunshades, and
basket chairs predominate. Perhaps a game or two is played in the cool
of the evening. That sort of club should be avoided if you are a keen
and enthusiastic player.
The committee of a club should be a small one, consisting of members
who are devoted to the best interests of the game. Their aim should be
to keep in touch with all the latest developments, and above all to keep
up to date, advancing with the times. A committee sometimes embraces old
supporters of the club who have been members for years and years. They
have old-fashioned ideas, are very conservative, and do not like
innovations of any sort, even if changes are obviously necessary for the
benefit of the game. A committee should see that their club has a good
match-card, for inter-club contests are excellent practice for the
members, and there is nothing like fostering a spirit of friendly
rivalry. Care should be taken to choose players who make a good pair and
combine well together. A committee should do all in its power to improve
the standard of play, and that can only be accomplished by having
well-tended courts and good balls. Many clubs are not equipped with
side-posts for the single game. That is a great mistake, because a
player will practise without them in her club, and then when she enters
for a tournament will have to use them. It is bound to put her off her
game. Such details make all the difference between good and bad
management of a club.
[Illustration: "MY SISTERS AND MYSELF" _A picture postcard sent to Mrs.
Lambert-Chambers by Miss May Sutton from her home in California_.]
It is an excellent plan for members of the committee to drop in at some
of the tournaments and see how things are done there. Developments may
have occurred of which they know nothing, and they could pick up many a
wrinkle by a tour of inspection. Before one secretary of a fairly large
tournament went to Wimbledon he had never seen a canvas background.