FIRST SINCE 1906

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 17, 20 July 1931, Page 9

FIRST SINCE 1906

VICTORY OVER AMERICA

This win of Britain over the United States is the first that the Mother Country has gained in. a Davis Cup match for 25 years. The last occasion was in 1906, when the British Isles, then at the end of their four-year tenure of the ■ Cup, defeated ■ America by 5 matches to 0. Since that time Britain has been beaten by America five times, the last being in 1920, when W. T. Tildeu and W. M. Johnston defeated J. C. Parke and A. E. F. Kingscote, 5-0, in, the series of inatckes which led them to Auckland to gain possession of the trophy there. The win marked the beginning of a series of seven by the United States. One reason why Britain has not defeated, the United States during such a long period is that she has never met that country. Under the system which requires each team to play its way through to the challenge round, the United States was for seven years (from 1920 to \ 192G) ' removed from meeting Britain unless that country could qualify for the final. And since then the zone system of play has removed the United States from Britain's reach until the interzone final. Britain's post-war performances in the Davis Cup are as follow: — 1919—Lost to Australasia in challenge round, 3-2. • 1920 —Lost to America in second round, 5-0. 1921 —Lost to Australasia in second . round, 3-2. 1922 —Retired in third round. 1923—Lost to Spain in second round, 3-2. -...-■ 1924—Lost to Prance in fourth round, 4-1. ' 1925—Lost to France in third round, 4-0. 1926—Lost to Franco in zone final, 4-0. 1927 —Lost to Denmark in. second round, 3-2. ' 192S—Lost to Italy in fourth round, 4-1. • 1929 —Lost to Germany in zone final, 3-2. 1930—Lost to Aiistralia in third louad, 4-1. BRIGHT CHANCES. The chances of the British' team against France in the challenge round, which begins on Friday next, have been enhanced by the form shown by F. J. Perry, who has definitely emerged into what is called "world class." Ho has shown that he is fully equal to Austin, and' lias' gained some notable victories. "Never since the days of Parke and Kingscotc have two1 Englishmen even approached the standard these two showed," wrote one critic of their form in the international trials. It is interesting to note that Austin lias only once been a member q£ a defeated British Davis Cup team —in 1929, when Germany beat Britain. H. G. N. Leo, J. C. Gregory, O. G. IST. Turnbull, G. E. O. Crole-Eees, C. N. Kingsley, I. G. Collins, E. Higgs, and C. G, Barnes have been Britain's Davis Cup representatives during! .recent years, and the present team is a new combination. Incidentally, it may be mentioned that the last time Britain qualified for the challenge round was in' 1919, when A. H. Lowe, A. B. F. Kingscote, and A. E. Beamish were defeated by N. E. Brookes, G. L. Pattersou, and J. O. Anderson (then making his Davis Cup debut), at Sydney, by 14 matches to 1.