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Tennis - The New Vass Points System', 1968 [excerpt from longer film - edited interview only]

1968 , Cambridge (Cambridgeshire)

Cat no. 229136

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Anglia TV: Interview with Jimmy Van Alen regarding the new Vass Points System in tennis.

Tennis players practice in the background of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club as ITV presenter interviews tennis champion Jimmy Van Alen regarding The New Vass Points System. The interviewer states that the scoring system Van Alen developed was initiated 10 years ago and enquires how widely it has been adopted since then. Van Alen replies that it has had great recognition but that people who are resistant to change oppose it. He says that new players are using the system in all their matches which makes it more portable for television. He also explains how the new system makes it easier for the audience to understand the tennis matches. The interviewer questions Van Alen’s comment that many members of the audience don’t understand the scoring in tennis, commenting on the vast numbers of people who watch Wimbledon matches and why they would watch something they don’t understand. Van Alen replies that it is a debatable point. They discuss the audiences in America and how they differ from in England. The interviewer questions whether this new points based system eliminates all of the variety of the tennis match. Van Alen replies that he is reducing the monotony of the game. He also comments that he can see his points based system being used around the world in the next ten years. He says that this points based system is a breakthrough and that he’s focused on getting more young people to play tennis.

Keywords

Scoring; Sport; Tennis; Tennis Match; Vas Points System; Wimbledon

Background Information

Jimmy Van Alen was the creator of a new scoring system for tennis matches. Aimed at energising the game, VASSS, the ‘Van Alen Simplified Scoring System’, was first developed in 1958 and advocates a sudden-death tie breaker to end prolonged sets and matches. Van Alen's scoring system did not wholly take over from the conventional scoring system, however the tie-break has remained.

Manifestations

Tennis - The New Vass Points System', 1968 [excerpt from longer film - edited interview only]

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