THE DAVIS CUP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 66, 19 March 1925, Page 9

THE DAVIS CUP.

INTERNATIONAL CONTESTS. THE DRAW IN , WASHINGTON. ]>B. DWIGHT DAVIS SPEAKS. (By Cable.—Press Association.—Copyright.) WASHINGTON, March 17. The draw for the Davie Cup contests to be held this year took place to-day at the Pan-American Building, Washington. The Vice-President of the United States, General C. G. Dawes, presided. The Ambassadors of most of the nations of the world were present. Twenty-five countries have challenged for the cup. The draw resulted as follows:— American Zone. Firet Round.—Cuba plays Spain. Second Round.—New Zealand plays Canada; Japan plays China; Mexico plays the winner of tlie Cuba v. Spain match; Australia plays Hawaii. European Zone. , First Round.—Holland plays Czechoslovakia; Switzerland plays Sweden; Belgium plays India; Austria plays Ireland; Hungary plays France; Portugal plays Italy; Rumania plays Denmark; Poland plays Britain. The uneven number of the challengers for the American zone made it necessary for all the nations but two to receive byes in the first round. The eight winners in the first round of the. European zone play will be matched, and the four winners of that round will be reduced to two. These will then meet to decide which shall meet the winners of the American zone group, who will be determined in the same way. The winners of the final contest between the American and European zones will challenge the * lited States. General Dawes acted, as the representative of Hawaii . and drew the first name from the bowl. Sir Esme Howard, British Ambassador, drew for New Zealand, Australia, Canada, India and Britain. Dr. Dwight Dajvis, donor of the cup, said the% competition was surrounded by unusual circumstances this' year. It marked the , twenty-fifth anniversary of the cup contests and, coincidently, 25 nations were challengers. This was a new record in international tennis. The entry was two more than that of last year. ■ Dr. Davis outlined the history of the cup competitions since 1900, when there were only two entries. No other amateur sporting competition, with the exception of the Olympic Games, had ever attracted such world-wide interest. It was a splendid demonstration of the growth of tennis as an international pastime.Meetings on the tennis courts, said Dr. Davis, were the means of developing a better understanding of the personal sportsmanship of the nations concerned. It was to be hoped that this sport and good-fellowship would continue to grow and broaden as a result of these annual contests. —(A. and N.Z. Cable. J