America Developing Its Talent For Post-War World Tennis Revival

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 232, 30 September 1944, Page 5 (Supplement)

America Developing Its Talent For Post-War World Tennis Revival

It's been five years since a queue last formed at Wimbledon for the world's greatest tennis show. ' The famous carpet of priceless turf, whereon Tilden, Johnston, Lacoste, Cochet, Budge, Vines, Borotra, Richard's, Williams, Alonso, Brookes, Wilding, Von Cramm, Lenglen, Wills and all the other glamorous figures gathered from the four corners of the earth for half a century, has been posted with "keep off the grass" signs since 1 939,

UXCEPT for a few recent exhibiLj tions to raise war funds, access to the treasured greensward since the outbreak of war has been permitted only to grazing pigs—the mere thought of which would have given the shudders to former Wimbledon caretakers, bent over from their microscopic scrutiny and loving culture of its every blade. The British champions 'of 1939, who happen to be Americans—Alice Marble and Robert Riggs—are still the champions to-day, while Fred Perry and Bunny Austin are in the United States Army and Mary Hardwick has been giving her time to playing for our troops. Roland Garros • Stadium near Paris, during these five years has been blacked out. / Not until the vile invader has been thrown out will the world know the fate .of those dashing wearers of the Chanticleer, who, as the modern Musketeers, won the Davis Cup from the United States in 1927—Rene Lacoste, Henri Cochet and Jean Borotra. . The veteran Jacques Brugnon, the fourth Musketeer, happily managed to reach the United States after the fall of France. No Play" in Australia In Australia the other great foreign capital of the game, tournament, competition has been at practically a standstill too. Latest iadvices from Down Under indicate ithat John Bromwich, Adrian Quist, Jack Crawford and Harry Hopman, the quartet that won the"Davis Cup at Philadelphia in 1939, are all accounted for and in good health in the armed forces or war work. Tennis activity there is confined pretty much to fund-raising exhibitions as in Britain, with extremely few balls available for play.

Only, in the United States has the game managed to carry on extensively during the war, and the news of the considerable activity here has been eagerly received abroad, even though in Australia they are mildly apprehensive lest they fall so far behind us in the development of young players that they will be unable to make a successful defence of the Davis Cup when international competition is. renewed.

Until the Pattle of Midway and the conquest of Guadalcanal - they had something more serious to be apprehensive about in the Antipodes than the outcome of a sporting test. That they can turn their thoughts, even momentarily, to the defence of a trophy, is indicative of the changed outlook of the Pacific.

It will be good news to Australians, and to the British, that this week finds one of the American tournaments of which they have fondest memories coming back into the picture. After a year's lapse, the Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club is reviving its invitation grass-court fixture. Many Have Played There Australians have played at Seabright for many years. Brookes, Norman Anderson and Gerald Patterson preceding the present generation of Anzacs in competing there. From the world over the best have come to Seabright whose turf has been compared to Wimbledon's. The array of stars who have gathered there constitutes a Who's Who of tennis for half a centuryThanks to the efforts of Charles D. Halsey, this tournament is being restored to the calendar, and almost every prominent woman player in the country will be seen on the Seabright courts. Seabright is only one of a number of tournaments that are being revived this season. The Seminole Club of Forest Hills is conducting the men's New York State clay court championship this week after a two-year lapse, with Dan Johnson in charge. The Longwood Bowl and the East Hampton women's tournament, two other turf fixtures for years, also are being revived, and the Westchester Country Club of Southampton will continue to carry on their important grass court events.

From now until the end of the national championships at Forest Hills on Labour Day, there will be a lot of tennis in the news. Few of the men headliners will be around, but there will be real competition, nevertheless, and it will make good reading for the missing stars at their stations all over the world, as well as in Australia and Britain.

Allison Danzig in the New York iTimes July 26.