TENNIS HOPES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 124, 29 May 1939, Page 10

TENNIS HOPES.

DAVIS CUP TEAM. AUSTRALIA'S BID. MORE CONFIDENCE FELT. CHANCES AGAINST U.S.A. More confident than last year that their mission will be successful, the Australian I)avi« Cup tennis team — Harry Hnprnan (captain-iiiaiiappr). .Icvhn liromwich, Adrian Quint and Jack Crawford—passed thronjrh Auckland in the Mariposa to-liny on their way- to Mexico City, where they will bejiin their part ill the international tournament on .Tune Also aboard the ship is Mr. Xorman Mrookes. a famous former player and now president of the Australian Lawn Tennis, Association. He. is travelling with Mrs. Brooke* to England, but he will return to the United States in time to watch the fortunes of Australia's team.

Provided that they make the proprens hoped for. the team's programme will bo an. follows:—Against Mexico, at Mexico City. .lime .'?(( and July 1 and 2; against the Philippines, at Los Anfreles. .Fiily I4lf>: ngainnt the winners of Canada v. Cuba, at Montreal. July 27. 2H and '20; against the European zone finalixU at Boston, Augiwt 24-26: and the challenge , round against the United States at Philadelphia, September 2, 'A and 4. .In addition they will play in the United States national doubles (August I ,, !)) and singles (September 8-lli) and later in two California!! tournaments. Leaving Los Angele* about October 11. they expeet to pan* through Auckland again, on the way home, on October 2S. Absence of Budge. "We left home a little more confident than we were last year, mainly because of the fact that Budge is out of the American team," Hopman said to-day. "Last year Budge gave hii* own team a terrible amount of moral support, since the fact that he looked a "good thing , to take a couple of singles lifted "liost of the responsibility off the ■shoulders of the other*:.

"This year that responsibility will probably be thrown on to R, L. Rigg*. who looks likely to be America"* Xo. 1 player, nnd it i« (wiswir!" I hut it inny affect liit« jrnme. I'm *p iiking now. of course, with the prc-iiirtit 'on that we shall jet. through to the challenge round —and we think we shall, d-.ir toughest opposition in doing so will be the winner of the European zone -rries, which looks like either dermany or Yugoslavia.

"Once we come through, as we think we will, to meet the Americana, we will have the decided advantage of having in Bromwich and Quist. a well established doubles pair regarded as outstanding in the world to-day, whereas the Americans are still looking about for a combination to replace the Budge-Mako pair."

Hopmitn emphasised that the outlook might easily charge in a month, and that the I'nit'.-d States might produce "something special" to upset the Australia's calculations. His team rlid not intend to extend itself unduly in the earlier matches, but would work up to form for the most important series. At the moment it looked a« if the choice for both singles nnd doubles would be Bromwich and Quist, but the selection would certainly not be tied down to anything like that: circumstance*: might easily show the way to variation*. "Silent Confidence." "T should say that Australia is full of silent confidence that our team is one of the best, we have sent away in many yciir*,'' commented Mr. Brookes, "and I believe we have in Brinnwich iinrl Quist the Xo. 1 nnd 2 ranking players in the world today. Provided notliiii'; unforeseen occurs: in the way of ill-he::!! li or lack of form, the i-hances n re m«re than evci money that we shall pull the cup off. There is no doubt in my mind that we enn -.yet to the challenge round." Although lie hopes it will be Ensrland, Mr. Brookes expect* that the winner of the European zone series will be fierm<»ny. Australia should certainly survive its contest against that finalist, ho believe*:. Mr. Brooke* paid a tribute to Crawford and Hopman, whom he doscril>ed a« two wonderful sriporti for Bromwich and Quist. dreal faith iti both of them in the event of an emergency vva* held: Crawford iv.i ■ !■< better form thnn he had been for years, and Hopman had always been in good form.

"The prospec , . of getting the eup back look very hopeful." he concluded. "This would n"">n a great deal to tennis in Australia :::..\ in New Zealand a* well."