Australian Team For Davis Cup Chosen

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30316, 17 December 1963, Page 19

Australian Team For Davis Cup Chosen

(N Z. Press Association—Copyright)

MELBOURNE, Dec. 16

Australia's team to defend the Davis Cup against the United States, announced tonight. will be: R. Emerson. N. Fraser. F. Stolle and J. Newcombe.

The challenge round will Ibe played in Adelaide on December 26, 27 and 28. Newcombe. 19-year-old former Australian junior champion from New South Wales, will be the youngest player to represent Australia in a challenge round since the 1953 debut of Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall, now professionals. at the same age. Emerson. 27, a Queenslander. has an unbeaten record in challenge round play.

He won the doubles with Fraser against the United States in 1959. 1960 and 1961 and against Italy last year when he also captured both his singles. The form of both Emerson and Fraser, the 30-year-old Victorian recalled from “retirement" from international competition to strengthen an Australian team weakend after Rod Laver turned professional. has been erratic this season.

Emerson has won only the Queensland title early last month before the Americans arrived in Australia, while Fraser has won the only Australian hardcourts championship. The left-handed Fraser won Wimbledon in 1960. Stolle, 24, from New South Wales, was runner-up to Emerson in the Queensland championships and to Ralston in Victoria before winning the Western Australian title yesterday. No Americans competed in Western Australia, but Stolle beat Emerson in the semifinals before beating New-

combe in four sets in the final.

Stolle was beaten by American No 1 C McKinley in the 1963 Wimbledon final. Newcombe was chosen over Stolle's Wimbledon doubleswinning partner, temperamental R. Hewitt, after beating Hewitt in straight sets in the Western Australian semi-finals.

The captain of the Australian team is the veteran, Harry Hopman. who has led Australia to 11 challenge round victories in the last 13 years.