TENNIS TOUR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 281, 26 November 1937, Page 8

TENNIS TOUR.

BUDGE AND MAKO.

ON BOARD MONTEREY.

NOT PROFESSIONAL YET.

TRAVEIJLINO TO AUSTRALIA.

"I have plana for the future, but they are so far ahead as jet that it would be better not to say anything about them now," said Mr. Donald Budge, Wimbledon champion and leader of the American Davis Cup tennis team, this afternoon. He declared that he had no intention of turning professional for at least another year—if then. He would represent America next year.

Mr. Budge, who was accompanied by Mr. dene Mako, arrived in Auckland by the Monterey en route for Sydney. They will play in exhibition matches and championship meetings in Australia, but this afternoon they completed arrangements with the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association to play at least one match in Auckland on their return in nine weeks' time.

It was 12.30 p.m. when the two tennis stars were seen. Up to that time they had been sleeping—"making up on lost time" they described it. Then they were interviewed by Dr. E. Park, of the management committee of the N.Z.L.T.A., who had come from Wellington for the purpose of making match arrangements, by Mr. F. Lamb, president, Mr. Harold Clay, past president, and Mr. Rolf Porter, secretary of the Auckland Lawn Tennis Association. Attractive Offers. Both of thein young, they expressed great enthusiasm for the game of tennis in which each of them has made a great name for himself. They had had somewhat of a "hectic time" with tennis prior to this trip, and had postponed their departure from America for several weeks in order to have a rest and see their families. When they returned to America they would have another two months' rest and then would be bound for Wimbledon again. "We have had one or two very attractive offers," said Mr. Budge when questioned about professional inclinations. "We like playing amateur tennis though. It is great fun wandering about and seeing the iworld, and we like playing for America, too." "The Australians are grand players, and we like them," said Mr. Budge. "They had bad luck with Qutet going ill on them just before their match with iw—but they are grand players just the Mine."

Referring to England, he said that the loss of Perry had made a big difference to the game there. Bunny Austin had aeen hie best day*, but lie was still a player to be reckoned with. He had eeen little of the junior players of England during hia visits and could express no opinion about the prospects for the future. America, though, had any number of promising junior*.