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Tennis - The New Vass Points System

1968 , Cambridge (Cambridgeshire)

Cat no. 205248

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

Shot of a tennis player on the court at the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. Camera follows him as he walks across the court. Shot of another tennis player serving on the other side of the court. Back to the first player walking across the court followed by a shot of him serving. The umpire announces the score every time a point is won. Close up of a man sitting on a bench watching the match. Shot of tennis champion Jimmy Van Alen walking across the lawn towards the camera whilst holding a cigar. Tennis players are playing in the background. Shot of a table with silver trophies on it. Shots of two men playing tennis. Close up of the umpire sitting on the umpire’s chair as he calls out the score. Tennis players practice in the background 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. Outtakes from the interview are shown. Close up of the presenter as he practices asking Mr Van Alen about how widely the scoring system has been adopted. The scene has to be cut as the presenter’s tie is crooked. He fixes his tie and resumes the interview practice. He then practices the next questions. A woman reads out the questions and then the presenter says it back to her. Someone shouts cut and the presenter laughs. Close up of the chalkboard with the Vass Points Based System scoreboard drawn on. Shot of Mr Van Alen standing by the umpire’s chair. Close up of a sign reading ’Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club’ before the camera pans over to the court where people are playing tennis.

Keywords

Score; Scoring; Sport; Sportspeople; Tennis; Vas Points Based System

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

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