DEFENDERS CONFIDENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 292, 7 December 1920, Page 7

DEFENDERS CONFIDENT.

OX'R CHAIiPIOXS IX FCRM. Quiet confidence in himself and h's colleagues, ac Austraiasian defenders of the Cup. was the note sounded t>v 'Norman E. Brookes, selector and captain of the Aestralasian team. when approached for an opinion on the forthcoming contest. He stated that in the selection of the team he had chosen absolutely on merit, according to hie personal judgment. He recalled that Gerald Patterson was not in foTm to do h'mseJf full justice tvhen in England in June, and that he himself had been below par in health. Xow they were both fit and well, and in O*Hara Wood and R. M. Heath they had a pair of experienced, tried, and able lieutenants. Among the members of the team they would pet practice of the type of pflay they expect d to meet from the challengers, and in the last week before the match the members of the Xew South Wales team would be available for practice also.

The kind of tennis that O'Hara (Wood! and Heath can give the two leading■ champions, whose prowess has become a household -world, may be gauged from! the words ef an Aasirali-an authority I on tenni«. "O'Hara Wood," this critc' writes, a has been knocking at the door! for a long t'me now. Well under 30,1 Wood is a stylist of the first order, and I play* a joyous game of tennis. Rod Heath played in Davis Cup singles in) 1911 and 1312. In 1»H he defeated the American, W. A. Lamed, and in 1912 he was d-efeated by the Englishmen, J. C. Parke and C. P. Dixon. He is now plav-in-sr better tennis than ever before, and his meet'ng with Patterson in the Victorian simfles this year was described a* 'suDT-tennis'.''

"We are full of hop»." corcluded Mr. Brookes, who added that A'lstralasa : last defended the Crp against America nine years ago they were up against a team that had been heralded, in the American Press as siitier-Tilayers. and yet they managed to hold the Cup. They expected to do co acpin. OALAXY 'OF SECONDARY STARS. The Xew South Wales team, which will play a New Zealand tea.m after the Davis Cup has been deridei, comprises M. H. Marsfh. N. Peach, F. Peach, S. H. Henderson, X. M. Gregg, and A. 8. Watt. They mill arrive a week before the Davis Cup match. Marsh, the captain, i-s a veteran, but a player of fine physique and great energy, who can probably st : ll outlast many of the younger players. N. Peach is one of the best plaverq in New South Wales: in fact, :s pecmid only to J. O. .Anderson, and for the last eeas°n nr ?o has win many orcen singles. F. Peach does many startling things, hne a multitude of etrokes, some of thrm darr-in-glv bri'liant. and would be of international rank but for the percentage of prro-T! 'be mingles w'th 'his tnrsta of brilTancv. The Peach brothers are New Zealand bom. an.i lived in Aulfklaid «». bTvs. .Ander=on. the bwt New South Wales singles player, had to stay behind on account of i^-health.

These Dlaver-? nre of s calibre to keep the Davis Cun four right up to concert nrtch in their final oractices. The prsctices of fne Cut teams will be held frr»m now on n the vari n u= cub courts of f'e city, though the Remne-a cotk-ts w : ll prrthnbly not be used mweh for a week or two.