LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 31, 5 February 1910, Page 14

LAWN TENNIS.

Some discussion has taken place in 'Australian papers on the question as to how Australia and New Zealand would fare in the Davis Cup contest if the services of Brookes and Wilding were not available. Naturally, in such a matter the views of Mr Norman Brookes—captain And sole selector of the Australasian team, as well as being the man primarily responsible for bringing the Davia Cup to these shores—will be read with interest. Hie reply was in answer to a question asked by a Sydney paper, and although as a general rule ne is rather prone to avoid making public recommendations, the Australasian captain has been good enough to send an interesting reply, portions of which are here reproduced. It will be noticed that the champion also insists on school co-operation.

"As to the future prospects of retaining the Davis Oup in the event of Wilding and myself not being available," writes Brooked, "II have no hesitation in eaying that if either America or .England were to send their best team we would have little chance of holding the cup at the present time. I do not attach much importance to the match played recently by the last American team against Victoria, because I do not think the Americans were, in the proper sense of the term, 'out to win,' but were more or leas 'on show.' I can see no reason, however, now that such a great public interest has been aroused in the game, why the younger generation of tennia players should not retain the cup, if we etill have it, or recover it, if in the meantime we should lose it. In Victoria lawn tennis is being encouraged and fostered in the public schools, and there are quite a number of promising young players.

"There is only one way to make a champion at any game, and that is to train him when he is young —in fact, the younger the better —and therefore the best suggestion I can give is 'Encourage lawn tennis in the public schools in every possible way.'

"In England, where they will not recognise lawn tennis in the schools, there is quite a dearth of promising young players, and all the players of any note are between thirty-five and forty-five years of age.

"In America it is quite another story. There they foster the game in the schools and colleges in every possible way, and place it on the same level as cricket in the English public schools. One has only to reflect on the team sent this year from America to regain the cup. They were more or less boys, under twenty years of age, but nevertheless they put up a gallant fight for their country, and proved to us conclusively the value of school training in lawn tennis. They are only two of many promising young players in the States.

"In conclusion, I should like to say again, 'Encourage lawn tennis in every possible way in the public schools,' and then I am euro we will be able to hold our own, and, incidentally, the cup, against all other nations."