TENNIS Mr A. S. Burns Manager Of Davis Cup Team

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30055, 13 February 1963, Page 5

TENNIS Mr A. S. Burns Manager Of Davis Cup Team

(Neto Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, February 12. One of New Zealand’s best known lawn tennis players, Mr A. S. Burns, was today appointed manager of the Davis Cup team which is to play the Philippines in Manila in April. The appointment was considered in committee by the management committee of the New Zealand Lamm Tennis Association on Monday night and confirmed today. Mr Burns, who is 42, has been an active competitor in lawn tennis in this country, barring war service, for more than 25 years. He won the national junior championship by beating R. S. McKenzie, 6-0, 6-0, in 1988. After World War n he represented New Zealand against a visiting Australian team led by O. W. Sidwell in 1947, and five years ago was a member of a New Zealand team which toured in Australia. •

He has also taken a leading part in administration in Auckland and has held office in the Auckland association for some years. Mr Burns, who is managing director of a family hardware business, said today that he had allowed his name to go forward on the strict understanding that he would not contribute to his costs for the tour. “I understood that other candidates had undertaken

to pay all or part of the costs of their tour because of the low state of the New Zealand association finances,” Mr Burns said. “I did not consider that this should be a factor in the appointment and I therefore made it plain that I would not contribute.

“Since the appointment was made on that understanding, I now intend to tell the association that I am prepared to contribute to my own costs.”

Mr Burns said that he had, as yet, received no instructions from the association as to preliminary training, dates of departure and tournament play abroad. As it seemed probable, that departure would be in mid-March, he now proposed to ask the members of the team, L. A. Gerrard, J. E. Robson and I. S. Crookenden, to settle as soon as possible into a strict training routine.

“K. Fletcher, the leading Australian, will be in Auckland for about a week,” Mr Bums said, "and I am sure that he will be only too happy to help our chaps. “The question of a doubles combination needs to be worked on and, of course, I am as anxious as everybody else that we should make a good showing against the Filipinos. “In my view, this is a very good New Zealand team. It could do very well.”