THE DAVIS CUP

Evening Star, Issue 17542, 23 December 1920, Page 4

THE DAVIS CUP

CONTEST BEGINS TUESDAY NEXT. AMERICA v. AUSTRALASIA. The donor of the Davis Cup, the interuatioua.l event in iherlavrn tennis world, 'is-Dr Dwight F. Davis, a New York milBonaire, and himself a representative of Ids country in the contests. It was in ISOO that the first match for the Davis Cup was fought, the British Isles meeting America at Longwood, near Boston,' and suffering defeat by three matches to love. The British Isles in this initial event were represented by A. W. Gore, H. Roper Barrett, and E. D. Black, and America by Dwight Davis, M. D. Whitman, and Holcombe Ward. Two years later the British Isles, with the Doherty Brothers, made another unsuccessful visit, but in 1903 their mission was successful, and for the first Time the Cup left American shores. In 1905 Australia and New Zealand entered the list, their representatives being Norman E. Brookes, Anthony F. Wilding, and A. W. Dunlop. Australasia got its coup do grace at the hands of America, who, in the challenge round succumbed to the British Isles. The following year the British Isles scored a win over America, who again defeated Australasia (Wilding and Dr Poidevin). Australasia’s triumph came in 1807. Brookes and Wilding, after a close match with America in the preliminary tie, had a still closer game with the British Isles in the final. Both contests were in doubt until the third day, and in each case it was Brookes who made victory secure. Beals Wright and Karl Belli- won the doubles for America, as did A. W. Gore and H. Roper Barrett for the British Isles, both matches ending in dramatic fifth sets. ■Wilding lost one single in each round, his victors being Wright and Gore. Brookes proved irresistible, and in his four singles matches tost only one set, and that to Behr.. So the Davis Cup came to Australasia.

The Americans, after defeating England in the preliminary tie in 1908, sent their best team, consisting of Beals Wright and E. B. Alexander, to try to recover the cup. The ’match was played in Melbourne, and resulted in a memorable struggle. On the first day Brookes won against Alexander after five long sets, and Wilding, after taking’ the first set, lost to Wright. The doubles were won by Brookes and Wilding, 6-4, 6-2, 5-7, 1-6, 6-4. On the .third day Wright, after facing apparently hopeless defeat, and winning only three games in the first two sets, gradually wore down Brookes, and won in a desperate fifth set at 12-10. In the deciding match Wilding disposed of Alexander in three straight sets, and the cup remained in Australasia. The next year America again defeated England, and sent two promising colts —M. E. MM-oughlin and M. H. Long—to Sydney. Brookes and Wilding beat them with the loss of a solitary set. There was no match in 1910. The first Davis Cup match in New Zealand was played in Christchurch in 1911. The preliminary tie was won by America, and W. A. Lamed, Beals Wright, and M. E. M'Loughlin comprised her team for the challenge round. In the absence of Wilding, Brookes had associated with him A. W. Dunlop and R. W. Heath. The defenders won every match. On the concluding day Wright defaulted to Heath, and the only match played was that between MTiOughlin and Brookes, the latter winning in a five-sets “ go.” After holding the cup for five years Australasia somewhat unexpectedly lost it to the British Isles in 1912. J. C. Parke was the main factor in the Mother Country’s triumph, and it is recorded that C. P. Dixon, the British captain, leapt the barrier and embraced his colleague after bis sensational victory over Brookes. The transfer of the scene of action to Great/ Britain resulted in a, host of entries in 1913. Australasia, America, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, France, and Germany all played for the honor of meeting the holders. America emerged as victors, beating a weak Australasian team, from which Brookes and Wilding were both absent, and in a closely-fought challenge round defeated the British Isles. The records show that since America lost the cup this is the sole occasion on which it regained possession, and then only for the brief space of one year. The 1914 match produced a happy .augury of the sterner struggle to come, Australasia beating Germany by five matches to love, losing only one set. This match was only concluded on August 1, and the unfortunate German players, Froitzheim and Kreuzer, were captured on their way back to Germany, and wereinterned at Gibraltar. In the challenge round Australasia beat America by three matches to two, a remarkable feature being a 17-15 set, in which M’Loughlin beat Brookes. There were no contests during the war years, and when it was decided to resume in 1919 the United States paid a graceful tribute to the war losses of the British Empire, and did not make an entry. The challenge match was placed in Sydney last January, A B. F. Kingscote, A. H. Lowe, and A. E. Beamish representing the British Isles, and N. E. Brookes, G. L. Patterson, and J. 0. Anderson the holders. On the first day Patterson defeated Lowe and Anderson lost to Kingscote. The doubles were won by Brookes and Patterson against Kingscote and Beamish, aftd the Enalishmen had to win both singles on the third day if they were to take away the cup. This they failed to do, losingboth matches. America and Australasia are the contestants in this year’s challenge round, which begins at Auckland on Tuesday next. DAVIS CUP AND ITS PLAYERS. The result of the 1920 Davis Cup contest will be keenly watched for all over the world (writes “ Huka ” in the Wellington ‘ Evening Post ’). In every country of the world the game is played, nod in' the near future many other nations will be entering teams. Already India and Japan have given notice that 'they will be challengers. Japan now-has some very fine players, and one in particular—lchiya Kuinagae—gave Americans a shock in 1916 when he beat W. M. Johnston, the then champitvn, in a five-set go at the invitation meeting at Newport. The score speaks for itself—the Japanese won 6-1, 9-7, 5-7, 2-6, 9-7. In China there are some good players also- The game is played by all nations under the same rules as govern lawn tennis in the British Isles and America. It is truly an international game, and one can never tell when some nation which has never entered before may spring a surprise and win the Davis Cup with a dark-horse team. TILDEN. W. T. Tilden, the tall Philadelphian, was a consistent winner of championship events in 1915. The Schuyekill Valleysingles championship, which was decided upon a ground just outside Philadelphia, saw him unbeatable ; but his achievement in the doubles was more notable. Partnered with Roy Coffin, one of his schoolboy proteges (New Zealand tennis players should note this), he won the title, eliminating en route J. Armstrong, and Wallace Johnston (both of whom were in Class 1., ranking 11th and 15th, whereas Tilden was 70th). The Delaware State champion, Tilden was brilliant, and his boy partner played gamely and well. But it was at the annual fall championship at Point Pleasant, held in 1916, that Tilden first attracted, great attention. He was the sensation of the meeting, going through without the loss of a set. Yet how manythought that he would be champion of the world in 1920? He was spoken of as an erratic player, and owing to his constant use of the cut stPoke as not likely to have any tennis future of note. Five years ago he was a player of local fame in liis.own club or town, and was classified as 70th in his country, Johnston being Ist and Washburn Bth on the list. A year later R. N. Williams was ranked Ist, Johnston 2nd, Washburn 7th, and Tilden 18th. He had started to creep up. In 1919 Tilden was next to Johnston, the latter beinostill on top; but this year Tilden without doubt has earned first place. He has been described by experts of his own country as a great genius of the game, a player whose mastery of nearly every stroke was greater than that of any of his predecessorsj* one whose gameness'was not to 'be denied, whose: ability to rise to greater and yet greater heights when the need same was little short of pheagaieual. -The

United States of America has had many great world-famous tennis players, and Tilden must indeed be a giant of the game if a greater master of nearly every stroke than such men as' Lamed, Beals Wright, M'Loughlin, or Alexander. One will not be surprised if before he leaves New Zealand his name is associated with our famous Maori war cry— “ Ake, ake, ake, kia ! Raha!” for such is his gameness. j JOHNSTON. j William M. Johnston is 26 years of ago, 1 and hails from the Pacfic Coast area of the United States. In 1915, at the age of 20, he won the American championship, oeating M'Loughlin in the final, 1-6, 5-0 7-5, 10-8. He was the holder last year’ : Johnston is shorter of stature (about s?t; but slight of build, like Tilden. These two players met in the final of the I United States championship, and the i watch went to the full five sets. The con- ' test was a sensational one, and the 12,000 i spectators were kept in a continual fever! of excitement from start to finish. Tilden 1 won, 6-1, 1-6, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3. Tilden won ! the first set in ten minutes, and never be- j fore had spectators been treated to such an exhibition of pace. The holder, however, ■vvas not, dismaved, and lie gave an almost similar exhibition in the second set. The third set ran to 5 all, but Tilden, with wonderful drives, passed Johnston as he came to the net in the following games and won 7-5. It looked all over, as Tilden was serving and driving in irresistible fashion, but Johnston, with splendid on and off the ground shots, led 3-1 and 4-2. Tilden crowded on more pace, and ran to S-4. In the tenth game Tilden wanted a stroke for match on three different occasions, but Johnston forced him back, saved the point, and with considerable gameness attacked in turn, and made it 5 all. Rain stopped play at 30 all in the next game, and when it was resumed a few minutes later it could be seen that the spell had benefited Johnston, and he made the score two sets all by taking the fourth set at 7-5. The fifth set saw Johnson tiring, but game as ever, and it was an even struggle to 3 all. Then Tilden quickened up. His shots went across with hurricane speed, which took him to the lead 5-3. ' Tire ninth game was a long one. Johnston making his last effort to stave off defeat; and’it appeared for a time ns though he would get the upper hand. But Tilden fought him back, won the game, set, match, and the championship. It was a battle of giants. Johnston’s game is very machine-like in Us method, but there is plenty of thinking ability there, and he can spring surprises with the best.’ His forehand is nis strength, but his backhand is also good, and although ho undercuts it a bit he follows well through. WASHBURN. Watson W. Washburn is an Eastern player, and is a first-class base-liner; in fact, he is just the sort of player who illustrates the theory advanced by many that the perfect base-liner can beat the perfect volleyer. Without doubt he will rub shoulders with Heath, as he fs a perpractice player for Johnston and Tilden' Washburn makes the passing shot an art and a science. Ho can volley, ana volley well, when lie cares to go to the net. He is included in the first ten players of his nation.