DAVIS CUP GOAL

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 113, 9 November 1933, Page 11

DAVIS CUP GOAL

NEW ZEALAND TENNIS

OVERSEAS EXPERIENCE NEEDED

EXPERT ADVICE

(By Fred Perry, British Davis Cup Player and American National Singles Champion.)

During the past two or three weeks enthusiasts in New Zealand have had a feast of tennis. Representatives of three nations have- played a scries of matches and exhibitions throughout the whole of the country from Auckland to Dunedin, with tho idea of popularising the game and of lending a helping and perhaps educative hand to tho tennis players of the two islands. The whole tour has been extensively advertised, and volumes have been written on all the visitors. Their personalities, peculiarities, styles of game, and records have been widely circulated, so that every follower of the game is familiar with them. All this advertisement has helped considerably towards the success of the venture/ and judging from the interest taken in the matches there can be no doubt that it has been very successful indeed. But has this visit attained its ultimate object—the improvement of your onvn leading players? Up to a point, I think that the hopes of the New Zealand Lawn Tennis Association have been realised, as tho players who have played against us have benefited greatly from the experience. But our tour alone does not make champions, and tho association cannot hope to produce more Anthony Wildings by merely receiving visits from occasional touring teams. New Zealand tennis owes more to that great champion Anthony "Wilding than most peoplo realise—but it was not until ho went to Europe that he reached this peak. If the association is hoping to find a worthy successor, then it must start in the light way and give tho likely people a chance to follow in his footsteps. This can only be accomplished by dint of overseas tours. HOW CHAMPIONS ARE MADE. No real champions have been produced without visits to foreign countries, and a glance at the records will soon show that all the greatest players of the past—and present also—have spent long periods abroad. Brookes, Wilding, the Dohertys, MeLoughlin, Tilden, Cochet, Lacoste, Borotra, Vines —all of these men were great players in their own countries, but it was not until they started to tour foreign countries that they became such worldbeaters and champions. Even Crawford, the best player in the world today, had to visit Europe about four times before he eventually reached the top of the tree.' It can bo seen, therefore, how necessary it is that your own players should be sent' abroad. They need not make a European trip at first. The Australians have just completed a, short toar in Now Zealand—why not send your best players over to Australia and return the compliment? The constant practice against new players under varying conditions would prove invaluable to them, so that later on a team could make a trip to Europe for the Davis Cup, French championships, and Wimbledon, returning either via America for the championships, or India. It has been suggested that the expense would be too groat and also that the players are not here. The first trip could possibly be done—at least, a good try might be well worth while. As regards the necessary players, I say quite frankly that you have at least eight at your disposal right now—Andrews, Malfroy, Stedman, France, Angas, Sturt, Bartleet, and Wilson. It is true that they would not win the Davis Cup at the first attempt—after all, it took the French five yeaTs to win it from the Americans, and our own side three years to take it from France. At least, however, make an effort to give th<;m a chance to prove themselves, as I am convinced that a side from these players could defeat at Ifeast 50 per cent, of the nations at present competing. ■ The whole idea of the tour would be to improve those players sent, so that they could return and help the more unfortunate ones who were left behind. SUCCESSOB TO WILDING. All the players who were. likely to win their places in the side would havo a great incentive to make themselves secure, and so practice hard to defeat all other likely. aspirants. And so the general game would, improve just a little bit for a start. The fortunate ones would, have, say, six months' solid practice against some of the world's leading players, and should learn a great deal from both playing and watching. On.returning to New Zealand, they should be able to impart some of that knowledge to tho less fortunate people who wcro left behind. Thus both parties would again improve their general game a little more. There would always be the incentive of another tour in prospect, and this alono would create intense keenness and competition b6th during tournaments and practice. Once the ball has been started in this way there is no telling just where it would stop. One thing is absolutely certain, the tours alone can create an incentive to make your already good players into much better ones, as at present there is one definite idea fixed in their minds,'and that idea is to be able to represent their country and make a trip to Europe to improve their games. You ?nust send these representatives abroad so that your junior players also will < have something to work for —Davis Cup colours for New Zealand—and- it is among these juniors that you will probably discover your successor to the great Anthony Wilding. Already three of your players have toured England, and their immense progress will bear witness to the fact that foreign practice improves one's game. Andrews has played abroad for about six years and has already toured the world in his long travels. His game has increased in severity since he left New Zealand, and tho valuable match practice ho received has pulled him through many anxious matches —sometimes against better players. MALFROY'S IMPROVEMENT. Another New Zcalander to really inako his mark in Cambridge University lawn tennis—not forgetting Andrews and Eussell Young, who both gained a "Blue" there—is Cam. Malfroy, against whom we have played a great deal since we arrived. Before he left New Zoaland some five years ago ho was purely a base-line player, with a reasonably good "kick" service. He soon saw that he could exploit his serve in order to gain the net position, so he set himself to master the volley. Now he must be reckoned as one of the finest volleyers in the game today. His ground shots are not all they might be—especially his backhand —but as ho hinlself admits, there is no reason for him to use them except in matches, and I firmly believe that he doesn't get enough important match practice. He improved beyond all measure during his three years at Cambridge, so why not give him. tho chance to soe if he can get a little further up in the ladder towards the championship class?

Alan Stedman loft Auckland early this year with Andrews, and has already made quite a mark in the Eng-

lish tournaments. These results alone should induce the New Zealand authorities to make an effort to givo that sarno chance to players like France (who haa already had many marvellous victories over players of the calibre of Higgs, Gledhill, and Quist) — Angas, Sturt, Bartleet, and Wilson. You have tho courts and facilities, as well as the players, to make the nucleus of a Davis Cup team thut could mako its presence felt in the comeptitiou. Match practice—and lots of it—is all that they need, and it is up to the tennis enthusiasts of New Zealand to see that they have chances to get it.