TWO CRAWFORDS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 220, 31 August 1932, Page 9

TWO CRAWFORDS

AUSTRALIA’S TENNIS NEED. VIEWS OF NORMAN BROOKES. Auckland, AUg. 30. If Australia had two Jack Crawfords instead of one, the chances of regaining the Davis Cup, the famous international tennis trophy, within the next two or three years, would be considerably brighter. This is the opinion of Mr. Norman Brookes, one of the world’s greatest tennis players of all time, who is passing through Auckland on his way to Honolulu on a health trip. Ho is accompanied by his wife and three daughters. Mr. Brookes said there was little chance of an Australian men’s team touring New Zealand this season. The iact that an American team was to torn Australia would most likely prevent such an arrangement, especially in view of the fact that Crawford, Hopman, fcpruiile and ClemSUger would just have completed their tour of America, England and the Continent. It was likely that the American team would be in New Zealand for two or throe weeks, and it was up to the Now Zealand association to arrange for the Americans to ■ play in whatever championships the association thought fit. "It may be possible for us to send some players over to take part in tournaments in which the Americans may be engaged, but it is unlikely that Crawford and Hopman will be able to get away,” said Mr. Brookes. "The brightest star in the Australian tennis firmament at tae moment is young McGrath,” said Mr. Brookes. "He has already shown himself to be close up to Crawford and Hopman, and is a player with great possibilities.. There are several other youngsters coming on nicely.”

McGrath created a sensation in Sydney last season by defeating several of the Commonwealth's best players, including some who had represented A' \alia in Davis Cup matches. It ’ winged for him to tour Europe a ame time as Australia’s Davis "a went abroad a few months t ~ the negotiations were suspended at the last minute, it being felt by those concerned that McGrath’s interests would be better served by allowing him to develop before he undertook any serious international tennis. That he has retained his remarkable form he proved on Saturday by defeating Dunlop, one of Australia's leading players, in the final of the City of Sydney championships.