THE HISTORY OF THE DAVIS CUP.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 14237, 28 December 1911, Page 9

THE HISTORY OF THE DAVIS CUP.

1 (CONTniBTTTED.) The Davis Cup is at present tho final evolution of lawn tennis. Talked about from 1884 onwards, it finally material-, ised in 1900 through the splendid generosity of Mr Dwight Davis, who was himself a player of tho very highest capacity. In. August, 1900; tho; first contest took placo atLongwood, Boston. The Americans had a splendid team, and wero easily victorious. Dwight Davis himself, to tho gratification of everyone, figured successfully both in tho Singles and tho Doubles, his partner in the Doubles being Holcomb Ward, who afterwards partnered with equal success Boals Wright. His colleague in the Singles was tho famous M. D. Whitman, for throe j'ears United States champion. Of tho defeated Englishmen A. W. Goro was destined the following year to slip into tho championship owing to tho retirement of R. F. Doherty. and to commence—at his country's call —that "Indian eummor" of base-lino play, only now just ended. Roper Barret nine years later was with Gore, to win th-o Doubles Championship, and to beat Brookes and Wilding in the Davis Cup. Black, tho third player, was a sood second-class player, and played very creditably. Two years later (1902) tho second British team crossed tho Atlantic and played at New York. H. L. Doherty had just won the English. Championship, but the-brothers had been defeated in tho Doubles by S. H. Smith and F. L. Riseley after a phenomenal match, Riseley's play being beyond all praise. However, the experts quite rightly picked tho brothers as tho most reliable pair. With more questionable judgment they brought back to match play the most famous Britisher that the game has produced, tho inimitable Irishman Dr. J. Pirn. It was just like Jeffries returning to fight Johnson. The United States substituted Lamed for Dwight Davis, and ho simply ran over Pirn, as indeed, though not bo terribly, did Whitman, but Lamed could not Quite beat R. F. Doherty, though Whitman beat him easily. The Brothers proved invincible in the Doubles, and America won tho rubber by the odd match. Tho British team was feted in the States with truo trans-Atlantic hospitality, and the brothers won the American Doubles, but Lamed as champion was again too good for the winner of tho allcomers, R. F. Doherty. It looked as if iv the States the American Davis Cup team were invincible; but the British team returned in 1903 and tried conclusions with the States at Longwood. Boston. Mahony was substituted for Pirn.. and the real question at stake was whether R. F. Doherty could bo trained to last through the three matches. His friends knew what, since his lamentable death, all the world now knows, that his general health was none too good, nnd when ho injured his shoulder the British players were in despair. With incrediblo kindness and solicitude the American doctors got him fit enough to play on the second day, but on tho opening day ho had to scratch to Lnrned. In the Doubles the brothers Doherty had to play those princes of lobbers, the brothers R. D. and G. L.Wrenn, but H. L. Doherty emashed the lobs from all over tho court, and pulled R. F. safely through. On the last day H. L. Doherty beat Lamed after a most terrific fight (afterwards beating him for tho United States Championship), and the matches wero now 2 all. The question was could R. F. Doherty beat R. D. Wrenn? He just managed to do so, and the Davis Cnt> went to England. The British victory was popular throughout Europe, and 1904 -wit-, nessed the unusual spectacle of both BeWum and France sending teams to Wimbledon. In this year first appeared Anthony Wilding's famous antagonist. Max Decugis. England played the final with Belgium, but their players could do little with the Dohertvs in the doubles, and did not win a single match against either H. L. Doherty, or acainst tho brilliant Gloucestershire player, Frank L. Riseley, -who made his first and last appearance in the oompe-

tition. 1905 found therefore the British Isles still in possession of the Cup, and they were able to put into the field tho most powerful, and certainly the most unusual combination that has ever figured in the competition. The position of the British Isles was indeed peculiar, Gore and Mahony, both of whom had won the championship, were considered to be- out of the running, the brothers Doherty were sure to bo picked for the doubles, and "H. L.," as one of the two single players, but who would be tho other? The choice seems to lie between ono or other of the famous Gloucestershire doubles pair: Frank L. Riseley and Sydney H. bmith. Against each other it wasalmost impossible to say who was tho best, but against the Americans all the cogniscenti were in favour of playing Smith. All the same, England approached what was destined to bo her most successful display with a great deal of nervousness. Her stock of promising yonng players had almost ceased to bo existent. Indeed tho outlook was serious for England. Tho wholo of their team, R F. Doherty, R. L. Doherty, F. L. Riseby, and H. Smith, had had enough of the game. The new player of the year was tho captain of-'tho Cambridge University team. His namewas Anthony F. Wilding—ho was by far the best player that had recently appeared, and tho best to come down I from the 'Varsity since H. L. Doherty left Cambridge in 1898—and ho was to play for Australasia. The Americana were sending to Wimbledon Holeomb Ward, J. W. Clothier, Bcab C. Wright nnd W. A. Lamed, and quite apart .from the general merits of these famous i players the American servico was justly j and widely feared. Lastly, Dr. W. V. Eaves—himself an Australian—had warned tho Wimbledon committee that a player was coming from Melbourne in the person of Norman F. Brookes, destined, co ho wrote, to win tho championship, and, if a proper colleague was found, to lift the Cup. Tho English Championship of 1905 was indeed a battle of giants. In tho opinion of good judges, Beals Wright, during this July, was eeon at his very best, but tho final for tho all-comers was fought out between Brookes and Smith. Brookes's subsequent failure to secure tho championship proved little, as a strained side mado his defeat by H. L. Doherty in no way a serious test. Tho Championship Doubles were carried off by tho Dohertys. Tho Davis Cup contest followed hard on the championship, and, by defeating FraJieo and Austria, tho United States and Australasia met in tho final round of the preliminary ties. Wilding had acquired immense "kudos" for grit by a most sensational defeat of Clothier in the championship, but ho was not yet- nearly good enough for Davis Cup form, nor could Brookes and Dunlop get more than one set against Bcals Wright and Holeomb Ward. But tho sensation of the meeting was Brookes's two single matches. He had to meet Beals Wright first, and lost tho first sot, which ran to 22 games. Ho won the second, a twelvegame set, but again lost the third, which again ran to 22 games, and also tho fourth by four games, to six. In all, GG games were iplayed, of which Brookes secured 31 to Beals Wright's 3/3. Whon, two days later, Brookes had to meetf Larued, and the first sot went to Lamed by 14 games to 12, it surprised no one to see tho match go to America, who won tho round, 5 matches to nil. Two days later tho final tie commenced between the United States and the British Isles, the venuo being Wimbledon. The Americans put Holeomb Ward into Beals Wright'3 plaeo in the singles. England gave 3. H. Smith the second nlaoe. H. L. ■ Doherty, of course, occupying tho first. England won both matches in the first round, Holeomb Ward taking the first two sets against Doherty, but tiring lijmself out in doing so, whilst Smith and Lamed played a characteristic hammer strong 4 set match. Smith proving "himself "to be rather the better player on the day, and justifying his inclusion .in the team. On the second day the Brothers Doherty just managed to .lefeat Beals Wright and Holeomb Ward in a memorable 5 set match, the final set being 0 all. Tho final day was famous for a great 5 set match between A. L. Doherty and Lamed, in which, we think, Doherty showed tn the whole, rather the better play and generalship ; but though the match went to the Englishman it was by the lowest of margins. Ward was unable to play owing to a family bereavement, I ajid at a moment's notice Clothier had to face Smith. No ono who witnessed it will ever forget tho match. Smith's forehanded driving was simply tremendous, and he only allowed Clothier to win eight games By the following year Wilding hud enormously improved, mid was assisted by L. 0. S. Poidcvin. He beat 11. O. Little easily, and Holeomb Ward after a 5 set match, but Ward and Little both beat Poidoyin, and winning tho Doubles quite easily, qualified for the final round. England again placed their chief reliance en Smith, and the Americans could literally do nothing with him. Ho simpty ran over Little and Ward, who only aggregated in the six sets 14 games to Smith's 36 games. Tho Brothers Doherty again proving themselves invincible in the Doubles, the British Isles won the final by 5 matches to 0. England had, therefore, won 10 successive matches in Davis Cup matches, a record which is not likely to bo equalled for many a year. Nineteen hundred and seven saw two countries challenge for ' the Cup, namely, Australasia and the United States', and it was expected that wlie Challenge Round would decide tiny of the Cup, as the British Isles had lost tho whole of their team. But the two most wonderful feature of this remarkable year were- Firstly, the splendid seraes of victories that Brookes won; and, secondly, the bulldog fight that the British Isles put up for the Cup, with an entirely fresh and, mdoed, a veteran team. Wo think that nothing .can quite fairly bo put into comparison with Brooke.vs 1907 record. It the American service chastised the somewhat heedless crowd of English playeis with whips, Brookes's serves chastised 41 i™ Tri+h scorpions. Never in England ffiftSS SS?Sn such brilliant ser vice and overwhelming net play. If our Election is not at fault, »'«*<* dul not loso a set in singles play to an> English player during 190/, t" o^' l Behr and Wilding each knocked two Sβ out of him In the championship., fhi United States had fixed their hopes on Beak AYri E ht and Karl Behr,.and by tho experts Behr was very highly rated, and indeed had been fancied for tho championship, but in the Davis Cup matches, though he got one set out of Brookes, he could only get two out ot Wilding, and so lost both his matches. However, he proved himself a magnihcent partner in tho doubles -peals Wright, beating Brookes and Wilding by 3 sets to 2 with a fair margin of Eames. In the deciding match Brookes only allowed Wright to take 10. games in 3 sets, but English critics, who havo always a tenderness for the vanquished, remembered how badly Wright had fared against Wilding in the first round of tho championship, and felt certain that ho could not have properly recovered from the effects of his accident, and that he was .somewhat below high-water mark. Coming to the final the British Isles had to fall back on the veteran. Gore, and on Roper Barrett. Gore managed to get to 5 all in 2 sets against Brookes, and lloper Barrett knocked one set out of Wilding, but Australasia started the doubles with two matches in. A most, extraordinary double followed, and after losing two set*, Gore and his partner managed to snatch the third out of the fire, then lost the fourth, and secured the fifth, which ran to no less than 24 games. Gore made the ma-tehea two matches all by beating Wilding, but Brookes was all too good for Roper Barrett, and

quite easily took the deciding match, which- was the rubber match, and bo succeeded in lifting the Cup. The later history of the Cup is wellknown to oxir readers. Three times havo the British. Isles sent teams over 1 to tho United States, but without success, and twice havo the United States crossed to Australia for tho final tie. The match at Melbourne, played in November, 190S, is of historic interest, and to a certain, extent a guide to the present contest. Beals Wright and Alexander tried conclusions with Brookes and Wilding. Alexander led off with a sensational game with Brookes, winning tho second and third sets, to the general surprise a "d_ consternation of the beholders, and Wilding could only get ono set out of Beals Wright, score, one match each. The contest, therefore, obviously turned on the doubles, that is, Australasia required to win them. Sho took tho first two pets pretty easily, managed to just lose tho third, only got 0110 eamo in the fourth, but after a good iisrtit captured the fifth. The odds were now against America, but Beak Wright mado tho matches two all by defeating Brookes 'ill a great five-set match. Wilding beat Alexander easily enough, and so kept tho Cup for Australasia. Then came the final tie. played at Sydney in November, 1909, and won by Australasia without losing a match. Our present visitor, M. E. McLoughlin, with M. H. Long, was of course unable to succeed where Beals Wright had failed, but the pair put up a fine double, and with his daring, aggressive game McLoughlin managed to snatch tho first set out of Wilding and to make the second set five games all. And now McLoughlin has brought his youth, daring, and dash to the assistance of two of the greatest players and strategists America has ever produced, and Australasia has no Wilding to bring to Brooke's assistance. But tho chances of tho game are endless, and if Alexander could knock two sets out of Brookes, why should not Heath hop© to defeat Lamed? Again. Dunlop is a most polished doubles player—a. littlo weak in service perhaps—still almost a perfectt partner, and if tho crisis turns on tho doubles, Brookes and Dunlop may well bo trusted to keep their end up. Of tho six contestants tho only one fresh to Davis Cup honours is Heath.