LAWN TENNIS

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 6

LAWN TENNIS

N.Z. DAVIS CUP TEAM OTWAY AND BARRY RETURN (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, October 2. New Zealand should send a Davis Cup team overseas every year if it is to make any headway in tennis, according to Mark Otway (Auckland) who returned to Auckland by air today with John Barry (Wellington). Otway, Barry, and J. Robson, who will arrive at Auckland with his wife in the Wanganella on Monday, were members of New Zealand’s Davis Cup team which! was eliminated from the European zone by Hungary, 3-2, last May. Since then they have competed in tournaments in Britain, Europe, Asia, and Indonesia. Although the New Zealanders were eliminated so early from the Davis Cup contest, Otway said they had soon settled down to the strange conditions, and had considerable success in all the countries where they played. New Zealand’s prestige had been well established overseas, said Otway. Its players were wanted in tournaments in which Barry, Robson, and he had appeared. But unless New Zealand sent players to these tournaments as soon as possible, Otway thought New Zealand might be forgotten by those countries. All three New Zealanders had to change their style of play to suit the conditions overseas, said Otway. Grass courts were non-existent in Europe, and the hard courts bred a strong defensive type of player. This meant that it was a great deal harder to gain a point, and often prolonged the length of games. The courts were very much slower than New Zealand’s, and Otway considered this one of the main reasons for their Davis Cup loss. Otway said he was confident that with further experience of Continental conditions, New Zealand could win the Europeon Zone of the Davis Cup. Sweden, Belgium, and Italy were about the only countries that might beat New Zealand on hard courts now. Otway said he considered the AllEngland championships at Wimbledon the most wonderful experience he had on the trip. He was twice on the centre court.