ZONING SYSTEM.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 260, 2 November 1935, Page 14

ZONING SYSTEM.

FOR TENNIS TITLES. NORMAN BROOKES' PROPOSAL.. "The failure of the Australian Davis Cup team was due largely to playing so many matches nnder strange conditions without sufficient time for rest or practice," declared Mr. Norman Brookes, non-playing captain of the team and former world's champion, who arrived in Auckland by the Lurline yesterday afternoon. Criticising the present zoning system Mr. Brookes said ho did not think it fair for Australia to challenge again in the European zone and under strange foreign conditions. On the recent tour they had not had time, he said, to get into form and to study the new conditions. The main reason for their being beaten at Berlin was that they had only two days before the match and one of these was wet. However, conditions there were certainly good. A new zoning system suggested by himself had, he said, been unanimously agreed to by a special committee of the Federation and would probably be adopted later. The Pacific zones would be north and south divided by the equator and the winners of each would play off and then play the American zone, the winners going on to the European zones. This would give more equable treatment to Australia and New Zealand. It was proposed, continued Mr. Brookes, that the northern section of the Pacific zone would comprise all the nations on the eastern side north of the equator, these being Japan, China, Philippines, Java, Indo-China, Malay States and India, The southern section would embrace Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. "The scheme would bring interest in the Davis Cup into this part of the world," said Mr. Brookes. "It will mean the playing of Davis Cup matches in Australia and New Zealand, whereas formerly we saw them only when we held the trophy. The meeting of, say, Japan with either Australia or New Zealand in the zone final would create much interest where it was played. Apart from a playing point of view the expense of sending teams abroad would also be very considerably lessened, and Australia and New Zealand would have a much, better chance than in the past."