LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 19

LAWN TENNIS

[BY "HUKA"]

DAVIS CUP CONTESTS

BRITAIN OR FRANCE?

MLLE. LENGLEN ENTERS FOR

WIMBLEDON.

Mile. Suzanne Lenglen some little while ago said bluntly that she would not bo a competitor at Wimbledon to defend her title of champion, but" according to the "Evening Standard" ske may possibly compete after all. Norman Brookes, the Victorian player, in an interview by a representative of the above paper, made it pretty plain that the French lady player was very upset at the way the general public treat her in England. Of course, she does not understand that tha English public "barrack" for the player who is being beaten. Suzanne is always accustomed to applause in her own country, and she thinks there is ill-feeling against her in England. Should she compete at Wimbledon this year, and by any chance meet Miss Wills, the American champion, she will find the spectators cheering her rival, but. should Miss Wills get the upper hand of the famous Suzanne—and it is quite possible that she may—then Suaaune will find the Britishers cheering her on to renewed effort. The reason that many crowds cheer the player who is behind is for the simple reason they are very keen to see as much match play as possible, especially if Mile. Leuglen is one of tho competitors, and some want as much pky for their money as possible. If Miss Wills took the first Bet from her French opponent, or evened by taking the second set, the Wimbledon public would go mad, arid then anything might happen. One thing is beyond doubt, the British spectator does not like to see a player laugh at her opponent a errors, and there may be more" in tha "barrack" that goes on when Mile. Lenglen plays in England than some people would have us think. Perhaps Suzanne has judged the position rightly. Since the above was written the cables announce that Mile. Lenglen has entered for singles and doubles at the championship meeting, which starts on the 23rd of this month, at Wembledon. The French lady champion has declared that she intends to give the Olympic championship preference, unless "in the best of health. Nevertheless, Miss Wills, the United States championj intends tb play at Wimbledon, and also in the Olympic* championships, so there is just a chance that these two great players may meet after all. The American champion is said to be superior to what Mrs. Bundy, nee May Sutton, 'or Mrs. Mallory everwere, and they were" wonders when at the top of their form so there is the possibility of Miss Wills \ giving Mile. Lenglen the game of her life. If they meet in Paris, the American girl will soon be quite at home on the hard courts, as she learnt her tennis on tho hard courts of the. Pacific Coast and became famous there for her splendid game, before she ever played the grass courts of the Eastern States for the National championship of America. Misa Helen Wills was in England last month, and it was planned that she would have a full month's practice on English turf .with English balls before playing in the international match;. United States v. England. Her game has improved materially since she won the title at Forest Hills by defeating Mrs. Mallorv last August. The leading male players"of ths Pacific Coast have given her tho best and most helpful/practice, with the result that, she .has been able to play against the best man with every confidence, trading shot for shot with them, neither asking nor giving quarter in the hardest rallies. This young champion is almost perfect in all departments of the game, her drives are hard and accurate, her service above the ordinary, whilst her volley and smashing is on par with many.of the best men players of the Pacific Coast.

I BRITAIN'S DAVIS CUP TEAM. The selectors of the British Davis Cup I team were not satisfied with A. R. 1' j Kifigscote Js form against the Belgian [ team, and dropped him for the match I against Spain. Kingscote must be ri"ht out of his 1922 form, as he that year [ ran Gerald Patterson to a five-set match '• m the fourth round' of the championships at -Wimbledon. J. P. D. Wheatley, who has taken his place, is a much' younger player, and possibly' has improved since last year when Norton, the feouth African player, beat him, 3-6, 8-6 6-1, 6-2, in the fourth round of the championships at Wimbledon. The match against Spain was played at Ed"--baston, which is close to Birmingham, ■bpairi s'teain was weakened by Count de Goniar being unable to- play on account of^ illness, and his place was filled by EduardoFlaquer. The latter was beat- ' en at Wimbledon last year, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1 by F T. Hunter, the American, who I also beat de Gomar, 3-6, 4-6 6-1 6 3 ' 6-2, in the sixth round. Wheatley re- | presented the British Isles last year and Beat Flaquer, 0-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 11-9, but this year has improved, on that, as he beat the same player, 6-3, 1-6, 8-6 6-1 Alonzo, who did not play against the .British Isles last year, being away in America, was fully extended by J B Gilbert for • his win, 6-2, 9-7, 3.5 4.6' 6-4. The Spanish champion 'scored 28 games to Gilbert's 25. . The winner must' either be considerably below his best form or else Gilbert has come on with leaps and hounds since last year, and that would be somewhat of a surprise as he is now in his 38th year. The I doubles ran to four sets, but for all that the Britist pair, Godfree and Woosnain, won somewhat easily 6 ] 6-4, 6-8, 6-2, from M. Alonzo and E Wh gUff" I 3 exP? cted> Alonzo . beat Wheatley, but the match ran to four ' sets, tne score being 6-3, 8-7, 2-6 6-0 ; Something must have gone wrong' witli Fiaquer, as Gilbert played and beat J Alonzo, the brother of Manuel Alonzo' 6-0, 6-4, 6-0 With the contest bstS Jore the match was played,. possibly it was played as an exhibition match only The ISntish Isles at the time of writinois engaged against South Africa in the third found, the latter nation bein°- represented'by Louis Raymond, who was tne boatti Airiean champion in 1921 and • 1022 and lie has represented South Africa ; since 1919 111 Davis Cup contests Duriing the war he had a distinguished career in the South African Flyino- , Corps, and was severely wounded. P° JJ. .5. bpence, who is now residng in Scotland, although he is qualified to play for South Africa, won the championship or Scotland in 1922 and 1923. He beat W. C. Crawley, .3-6, 2-6, G-4 6-3 63----and also D. M. Gveig, 6-1, 7-5, 6-3, iii ; nst year s Scotland v. England match. The young South .African is at present studying at the Edinburgh University. Last year in the championships at Wimbledon, D. M. Grcig was beaten by de : Ciomar (Spain) in the fifth round, 4-6, j 0-0, 6-1. 6--t. The winner went out to Hunter (America.) in five sets, after winning the first, and second sets, 6-3, 6-4. Hmiter was batten by the.great W. M. Johnston in the final, 6-0, d-3, 6-1. jiuluuwu 1«4 fee&ten Spencß in tbs

fourth round, 6-0, 6-1, 6-4. Therefore, it is not at all surprising to hear that in the British Isles v. South Africa match, Wheatley beat Spence, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Gilbert and Raymond had a much closer match, which ran to five sets. Raymond made it two, sets all by winning the fourth set, but Gilbert proved the victor by securing the fifth set, 8-6, a very close call. AVith two matches in the British Isles are sure to defeat South Africa, even if the latter's players win the doubles, as Gilbert is certain to beat Spence. Raymon appears to be capable of beating Wheatley, and should lie and his partner win the doubles, then the South Africans will more than ever regret the loss of that fifth set against Gilbert. The British Isles will meet I'ranee for certain in the final of the top half of the draw.

FRENCH CHAN.CES.

France, with Coutieas and Lacoste as the singles players, was expected to J, aTe «n easy task against Ireland, but the first-named player, after taking the first set 6-3 from Dr. M'Crea, was fully extended to win the second set at 8-fa. ihen tne Irishman's turn came, for lie evened the sets by taking the third and fourth at 6-3, 6-4,, and then came the fight for the fifth set. Five-all was called, and the Frenchman clinched a closo match at 7-5. The youthful Lacoste had \ , f le c fc™uble with Dillon, beating him 6-4, 6-2, 6-2. France settled the contest by winning the doubles—Lacoste and Goutieas disposing of Dillon and Meldon 8-6, 6-1, 6-2. In the other two singles jb ranee was on top, Lacoste running all over-M'Crea, 6-1, 6-3, 6-3: but Coutieas was fully extended in defeating Dillon, 4-6, 1-6, 6-2, 11-9, 6-2. Coutieas will have to be replaced, unless he shows better form, if Franco is to have any chance, in the final. Possibly Cochet will bo included in the team. He was good enough to beat Coutieas, 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-0, in the covered court championship qf France in March, and ho also beat Lacoste in the semi-final, 2-6, 6-3, 6-1, 2-6, 6-2. In the final Borotra beat Cochet, 6-2, 9-7, 5-7, 6-4. The latter player had just recovered from a serious illness, and was'not quite at .his best. He. may have been spelled against Ireland, but, anyhow, France has in Borotra and Brugnon two players almost the equal of Henri Cochet. France now meets India in the third round, and should reach the final by defeating that nation. The British Isles and France are almost certain to meet in the final. Tho former has beaten Spain, and should be able to account for South Africa in the third round. Much depends upon where the Englishmen and Frenchmen play their match. If it is played in France, that nation's players should -be too good- for Gilbert and Co., but if tho match is played on grass courts in England, then the Frenchmen may lose, as it is .on the hard, fast courts of their native country that they arise "to their greatest heights in match play. Whoever wins in this final of- the top half will be for certain the nation that has to play off with the Winner of the American zone contest, as tho winner of the lower half of the European zone—either Italy or Czecho'-Slovakia—will not be strong enough to extend the players of France or the British Isles. Last year the British Isles would not make tho trip to America to play Spain, but that is not likely to occur this year if the nyitch is won from France, as the contest in Ariierica will be the final of tho challenging nations, and will be played oh 4th, sth, and 6th September at the. Longwood Cricket Club's ground, Boston. Naturally, there will be a largo . attendance of spectators, and the share of the "gate" should more than pay the expenses of any visiting team. The challenge round between the surviving nation as challenger and the United States as defender lias been definitely scheduled for 11th, 12th, and 13th September at the Gei'manton Cricket Club's ground at Philadelphia. Switzerland was expected to be'Ut Austria by winning two singles and the doubles. The expected win came off; Lut it was through a fine save after.being two matches down to one. C. F. Aeschlimah won his singles, but Count Saim evened matters for Austria by beating C. Martin, 8-6, 6-4, 6-2. The Count and his brother won the doubles "from Aeschliman arid G. Sautter, and it appeared certain on paper that Salm would defeat Aeschlimah. But the latter has been showing great form at the Riviera tournaments this year, and be brought Switzerland level again by downing the Coitnt. Martin also accounted for his man, so Switzerland reached the third round- by wiririiriothree singles. Aeschlimah beat F. Gor° don Lowe, 5-7, 6-1, 6-3, in the fourth round of the Nice championships, that in itself was a good perfoririance, nnd he afterwards teat Lacoste, the famous young French champion, 6-2, 6-4, in the fifth round of the Cannes championship. The Swiss won this championship, beatiris; Brame Hillyard, the English player, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2. His continued play in the South of France tuned him up for the Davis Cup contest against Austria, and the match play against other champions there improved. his play to such an extent that he was good enough t<i beat Count Salm, and save the match for Switzerland.

On top of that victory comes the newa that the Czecho-Slovakians beat the Swiss players in the third round of the Davis Cup contest by four matches to one. Aeschliman must have at anyrate lost one of his singles. The CzechoSlovakians are much better players, seemingly, than they have been given credit for by some people. Their win from the New Zealand team was by a very narrow margin,' and now they are in the final of the lower half of the European zone contest. New Zealand with a shade of luck in their match would have won, and would have stood an excellent chance of reaching the final. Their victors have a very good chance of defeating Italy in the lower half final, but whoever wins can hardly hope to beat the winners of the top half.