LAWN TENNIS.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14524, 28 November 1912, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS.

THE DAVIS CUP

United Pie_s Association— By Electrio Tolejrrap-—Copyright. (Received November 27th, 8-p.m.) MELBOURNE, November 27. Parke and Beamish have been selected to represent Great Britain in the Davis Cup Doubles. Dixon states that ho is unable to strike form. Brookes and Dunlop will represent Australia. The weather promises to bo fine.

Tlio matches for the Davis Cup will be played to-day, Friday and fc-tur-day. Tho interest in the games is very great. According to the "Australasian," over 2000 people booked seats on the 7s 6d stand by paving an extra fee of 2s 6d before the plan was opened to tho public. It was expected that the receipts would 1h? well over £2000 before the matches started, whereas in tho series played in Melbourno in 1008, the total receipts were under £1200.

A writer in the Sydney "Referee" says:—"Clearly, however,"from their pairing in practice and in tho Victorian championships, the doubles team will be Parke and Beamish. The latter player takes my eye as a fino stylist. His backhand is a model of grace and effectiveness. Ho leans low and with an upward sweep of body and racket .strikes the ball cleanly and decisively. On the forehand ho is not so good, but is by no means weak. Two things I notice of them all. First, they allow the ball to pet very low, and, second, tho flight of their ball is much higher than wo are used to. This will tell against them in doubles. Beamish also seems to mo to go too much for tho individual stroke. That is all right if one's eye ami hand aro working in unison, but tho essence of a doublo is the working for openings, which ho does not seem to do, but I repeat that I have seen too little. All of tho Englishmen on a single strike a lovely length. Ball after ball lands within a yard of the baseline. Beamish has quito tho best service, as it has spin, depth, and a distinct 'nip,' so that if tho ball be not struck firmly it does not go back over the net."

A writer in the Sydney "Mail" says of Beamish's play:—"As a player ho is ono of the most promising of England's younger school. Ho uses tho modern service, though in a somewhat heavy and laboured way, and ho volleys as often as he possibly can. He comes much closer to the net than Dixon, and ho volleys with more power, though with less control, than his captain. In his ground strokes ho is much stronger on his back-hand than his fore-hand. In a double ho invariably plays in tho left court. Dixon plays in either, but in tho right for choice. Parke is a right-court player, and Lowe a left. They thus easily fall into pairs—Pnrkc-Beamish and Dixon-Lowe, and that is the way they will probably pair in their matches against the States, though in the Davis Cup Dixon and » Beamish may be paired."