DAVIS CUP.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 March 1920, Page 3

DAVIS CUP.

I —* ! A LESSON. (<l3y an Australian Player.) After Beals Wright and F. B. Ale: ander, two of the host American law " tennis players of their t : me, failed i i their endeavour to win hack the Davi ! Cup from Australia they returned horn ' and told the U.S. Selection Commit ’ tee that it was no use sending thei ' /veterans across; the (Pacific to win lawn tennis matches. The result wa that Maurice McLoughlin and AI. II Long, two little-known players of 2! and 20 years of age respectively, wen selected to play in these classic matche Did the United States Lawn Tenni Association think for a moment thai it was possible for these youngsters t< win? Certainly not on that occasion They were looking into the future anc studying out the best way to cultivate “world beaters”. Tlie wisdom of tlie selection was amply illustrated in after years when AI. . B. McLoughlin, benefiting by his exI perience in the highest class of lawn ! tennis became one of the world’s great- | est players. Had McLoughlin been a ; ‘British player lie would never probably have had the opportunity of reaching, the high standard of play which he afterwards achieved. As was the caisie with ,tlte, young American the British Isles team had no passible chance of heating Australia. The most optimistic forecast was 2 wins to 3 lost. But the British lawn tennis team are good sportsmen, and they said, “.We’ll do our best,” and “You never know.” The obvious thing to do, however, was to give the “colts” who played in previous Davis Cup matches against the less strong nations tlie experience •of matches in better company. It ,was an [invaluable opportunity lost. No one will doubt that the way to improve young players on the fringe of “first class,” who fre capable of learning and only need tlie finishing torch of experience is to give them the gruelling of the highest grade matches. Go!. Kingsepte lias probably learned for, etliing by his trip to Australia, especially in the doubles department of the game, but no one will agree for a moment that all the available experience in the world would benefit Major A. H. Lowe, or A. E. Beamish. They have passed the learning stage,in lawn tennis.

Australia’s foresight in the selection of the Australian team itself is anotner lesson. Norman Brookes as captain and sole selector played J. Anderson in the singles instead of himself, '-t would have been regarded as safer not to have done iso. But Norman Bro kes has probably done another great service to Australian lawn tennis, by selecting “Young Jim” Anderson, and by bis unselfishness helped io make another great player of the highest grade. Norman Brookes probably relied on G. L. Patterson winning both Ins singles matches, and Australia being on tap in the doubles, hut at the same time lie selected a youngster of pre cis’ instead of a veteran, and the lesson to the British Isles selectors is t' <ro right enough,

By F.leetrie Tele graph—Convight.

DAVIS CUP, (Received this dav at 10.10 a.m.) (SYDNEY, 111 is Day.

The Tennis Association has received a cablegram from tlie Canadian Association, withdrawing tbe challenge for Davis Cup; also receiving a message from tlie English Association stating if' the other challengers agree to the British Islep request to redraw, to include Canada and France. Unless this Is agreed to, the competition is to proceed in accordance with the draw on the 2’Y March,