QUIST V. RIGGS, BUDGE V. BROMWICH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 9

QUIST V. RIGGS, BUDGE V. BROMWICH.

DAVIS CUP DRAW.

Australians Confident of

Victory.

FAVOURED TO THE LIMIT

Initcd Press Association.—Copyright,

(Received 12 noon.)

PHILADELPHIA, September 2

J he draw for the first day of the Davis Cup final between Australia and America resulted: Quist v. Riggs, aud Budge v. Bromwieh. On the last day Quist meets Budge and Bromwieh meets Biggs. The doubles have not been announced.

'1 he draw was eminently satisfactory to the Australians, coming out as they had hoped.

Behind the draw lay an interesting series of circumstances. Ilopman and I'ate. linn playing American captain, agreed to suspend the Davis Cup rules and stipulated verbally that the first name from the bowl should play the first and fourth matches. 1 bus Quist, as the more experienced Australian player, will have the most important or potentially most vital matches, and Bromwich's opponent in the fifth and possibly deciding match will be America's weakest player, Riggs. Hopman said to the Australian Associated Press representative that Quist, who is a superior vollcyer. should find Riggs easy to handle. The value of Quist's victory in the first match should be difficult to overestimate. It would immediately encourage Bromwieh, and even if lie loses against Budge he will know that Riggs should present no difficulties in the doubles, which will in any eventuality bring Budge and Mako and Quist and Bromwieh together. This must not be viewed in the light of what happened at Boston, when America won, which meant nothing. '"We think we will win the doubles, and there is nothing that can be advanced reasonably that will show otherwise. You can reiterate that the draw favoured us to the limit," he added. Xot for nothing did a broad smile break on Hopman's face when the names were drawn and Quist, who was standing by, expressed his pleasure to the Aus" tralian Associated Press correspondent, saying: "It couldn't be better." Vincent Richards, the former American Davis Cup player, says the draw speaks for itself. "I cannot see how the Americans rate the odds four to one in their favour, or their prediction that they will take four rubbers. The odds might conceivably be eight to six favouring the Americans in view of the Boston match, but I still choose the Australians to win the challenge, Riggs losing both his matches to the more experienced or better players, and the Australians taking the doubles possibly by three sets.". Hopman told the Australian Associated Press that the courts are in poor shape. There is little grass on them and if it rains again they will be very slow for the matches. "Bromwieh is feeling fine and is improving daily. We were worried for a time about his two-handed forehand, but he has come round in fine shape. Quist had a let-down in the doubles last week-end, but little play aud plenty of rest has brought him in to fine shape and given him confidence. Schwartz is healthy and ready."

PLAYERS IN ACTION.

Both Teams Have Practice

Work-Outs.

COURTS IN BAD SHAPE.

(Received 12 noon.) PHILADELPHIA, September 2. The Australians and Americans shared the courts for an hour's practice each. The Australians played first. In view of the protest of the referee, Mr. Weare, neither V. Richards, American coach, nor G. M. Lott, Australian coach, practised with the Australians, but the Japanese player, Nakano, practised with Quist for 15 minutes. Although the Davis Cup rules forbid any but the participating teams to play on the courts on which the match is scheduled, Nakano was allowed on them, but Richards and Lott were ruled to keep off. Hopman did not want Quist to practise much with Nakano owing to the latter's failure to take the net, therefore not giving Quist the kind of practice he needs. Altogether it was not a serious practice, save a half-hour doubles game in which Hopman and Schwartz gave Quist and Bromwicli a real work-out. Pate, the American non-playing captain, watching, declared: "If I was the Australian captain I'd designate Hopman and Quist for Sunday's doubles. Hopman is a canny doublist." The courts appeared to be in an increasingly worse shape. They have patches of clay interspersed with a little clover. The Australians declared the 4>ound was untrue, and, indeed, the courts lack every quality necessary for turif playing. Workmen are still busy finishing off the grandstands which will seat 10,000. Pate estimated a capacity attendance of 30,000 for the three days, and a ."0.000 to 00,000-doiiar gross gate. The Americans had six players on the courts simultaneously, but apparently did not put great pace into their play, which seemed just an hour's warming up preliminary to' to-morrow. The Australian Associated Press learns that Budge is very confident about his own showing. He told his physician that rumours about his condition were unfounded and he never felt better in his life. The matches are arousing very great interest. Approximately 5000 persons watched yesterday's practice, and despite qfficials' strenuous efforts to minimise the crowd to-day, since the players yesterday were reported to be disconcerted by them, at least 2000 watched keenly. The United Press interprets Hopman's attitude regarding the selection of the doubles pair as an indication that he may intend to substitute himself or Schwartz as Quist's partner instead of Bromwich. „-