N.Z. not out of place in Davis Cup tennis

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31984, 10 May 1969, Page 11

N.Z. not out of place in Davis Cup tennis

’THIS week-end New Zeax land is playing in the Davis Cup competition for toe twentieth year since it separated its team from Australia's in 1923. Its success has been moderate indeed but its cup playing history is a fascinating record of earnest endeavour, usually against odds greater than just a difference in playing ability. In eight of toe 19 attempts, New Zealand teams have won one tie but none has won two, although one of them eould claim, without any great pride, to have reached the third round—the 1928 team had a bye in toe first round, won toe second and defaulted the third. New Zealand’s Davis Cup participation goes back to 1905 when Australasia—N. E. Brookes and A. W. Dunlop (Victoria), H. A. Parker and A. F. Wilding (New Zealand)—lost 0-5 to the United States. Through the brilliance of Wilding and Brookes, Australasia’s name was first engraved bn the trophy in 1907 and it stayed there in 1908 and 1909. The contest was abandoned In 1910 because of the prohibitive costs for challenging nations, but on December 29 and 30,1911, and January 1, 1912, at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, the United States was beaten, 54. This was one of two challenge rounds played in New Zealand; the second was at Auckland in 1920, after Australasia had lost and regained toe cup, and there it lost again to the formidable United States of W. Tilden and W. Johnston. New Zealand separated from Australia in 1922 and

since then, although it has been unable to make the impact on world tennis that Wilding did for a few years with Brookes, the country has been graced by a number of teams which were far from out of place in this great contest. The expeditions were at first sporadic. In 1924, F. M.

B. Fisher and J. C. Peacock lost 1-4 to Czechoslovakia. The entry had only been made because a number of prominent players happened to be in England and on the continent at the time. The 1925 entry was not so fortunate because Canada was drawn as the opponent and toe high costs forced withdrawal. New Zealand had its first success in 1928 when E. D. Andrews and R. R. T. Young beat Portugal, 4-1, in the second round after a bye, but toe third round, against Czechoslovakia, was forfeited. Czechoslovakia was becoming a regular opponent and the next team, Andrews, A. C. Stedman and C. E. Malfroy, In 1934, was beaten 4-1 by the Czechs. These , three were the players of

the 30s. They lost, 0-3, to Australia in 1935, and in 1937 beat China, 3-2, and lost, 1-4 to South Africa. Stedman, especially, played one notable match, but it was after a tie had been decided. In the third singles against Australia he met the famous J. Crawford, who, when rain stopped play,

knew he had been in a struggle; toe score was, id--12, 17-15, 4-3. An entry was made In 1938 but when it was found Stedman was not available it was withdrawn. However, the next year New Zealand was in toe encouraging position of holding a 2-1 lead over Britain when Malfroy had won a singles and a doubles with D. C. Coombe. Neither Malfroy nor A. D. Brown could win his singles on toe last day. A similar fine performance was given in the first entry after the war when J. A. Barry, J. E. Robson and R. S. McKenzie fought back from the first two singles down against Norway to win, 3-2. Only a year out of junior ranks, Barry was the hero because, with the score 2-2, he was down two sets to

one and. 2-5 in the fourth but won that set and the fifth. In the next round the strong Czech team of of J. Drobny and V. Cernik fild not allow, them a. njatch.

It was. seven, yean befbre another, entry was- made when Barry, Robson .and M. A. Otway lost to .Hungary, 24. Then Robson, C. Parker .and L A. Gerrard-beat Lebanon 54, but lost toßritain, 0-5, in 1957.

New Zealand has entered the cup competition every year from 1959 in either the European, American or Eastern zone and .only now has it found a permanent niche in toe European zone. Although there have been four first-tie wins in the 10year period, the secondround win has still proved elusive.

One player, Gerrard, has stood out in these persistent attempts. Teaming first with Otway (19594041) and then I. S. Crookenden (19636445), he played Davis Cup tennis for New Zealand in eight years altogether and emerged with a record exactly square—ll singles won from 22 played, six doubles from 12. He played in 13 ties altogether and his record after his first four years in singles was well on the credit side—nine won out of 13.

Gerrard all but took New Zealand to a third round. In 19594041 he put his team one ahead in the second round by winning the first singles against Rumania, Venezuela and Spain, and against Rumania, Gerrard and Otway also won the doubles. However, they were never able to overcome the disadvantages of strange venues, surfaces and crowds.