TENNIS Drobny Expects Close Fight For Davis Cup

Press, Volume C, Issue 29684, 30 November 1961, Page 7

TENNIS Drobny Expects Close Fight For Davis Cup

(N Z.P.A .-Reuter—Copyright)

ROME, November 28. A close fight can be expected in Melbourne when Italy meets Australia for the Davis Cup match after Christmas, the Italian team manager, Jaroslav Drobny, said today. The team, consisting of N. Pietrangeli and O. Sirola, with S. Tacchini and S. Jacobini as reserves, “will this year have ample time for training on grass courts and stands a good ehance of giving the Australians a tough time,” Drobny said. The Italian players are due to arrive in Melbourne on December 1 and take part in tlhe Victoria championship there from December 4 to 9. Sirola. who has lately suffered from “tennis elbow”— a painful condition of the elbow peculiar to tennis players—.has undergone cortisone treatment and has now completely reovered, Drobny said. In the Victoria championship the Italian players may meet their Australian Davis Cup opponents—N. Fraser, R. Emerson and R. Laver. In Rome, Pietrangeli said tonight after playing a game of seven-a-side football, that he thought the Italian team had a 40 per cent, ehance of winning on grass courts. It would have been a 50 per cent, chance on hard courts. “This time we shall not have passed our peak effort as last year when we first beat the Americans and lost to Australia,” Pietrangeli said. Asked if he preferred Fraser or Emerson as an opponent, Pietrangeli recalled that he had beaten them both several times and lost once to each. He said: “My bete noire is Rod Laver, whom I have beaten only once—this

year at Turin —while he has beaten me five times. I hope I do not have to meet him first.” Sirola was more pessimistic than Pietrangeli. He said: “Let’s not delude ourselves. On grass and at home the Australians are undoubtedly the strongest. I do not give us more than 25 per cent, chance of winning, but we shall try.” Asked if he was satisfied with his condition, Sirola said: “My arm has given no more trouble after the cortisone treatment. I have felt fine in training. Now’we must see in a match.”