LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 156, 3 June 1937, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS NOTES

Australia had had luck in the match against America, for there can be little doubt that if Quist and McGrath had not been ill they would have been the two selected to play in the singles. But even if they had been available there is no good reason tor supposing that Australia would have won. With Perry out of the way, Budge is on all known form the best amateur of tho day and would be expected to win both his doubles. Last year he beat Quist G—2, G —2, o—40 —4 in the Davis Cup match and G —2, 6 —4, 6—4 at Wimbledoir, while he accounted for Crawford m the Cup match 6—2, 6—3, 4—6, I—6,1 —6, 13 —11, this being Crawford’s best performance of the yeaj-, but since then the latter seems to have deteriorated and his form at Wimbledon did not compare with Budge’s. In the doubles, too, America seemed to have the advantage, for Budge and Mako are probably the best panin the world at present, unless the Germans, von Cramm and Henkel, are better. Stanley Doust the well-known critic, lias repeatedly stated that Britain will retain the Davis Cup for the fifth year. He reckons that Austin will win both liis singles and that Britain will manage to wTn one of the other three rubbers. ’But the results of tho French championships make Britain’s chances look very small. Henkel not only beat Austin 6—l, 6—p4, 6—3 in the final, but in earlier rounds beat Hughes, who is ranked next to Austin, 6 — : 3, G —4, 6 —2, ana Destremeau 6—l, 6—-4, 6 —3, the latter having beaten Hare, who is ranked next to Hughes, in five sets. To complete the German ascendancy von Cramm and Henkel beat the British pair, Hughes and Tuckey, who won last year at Wimbledon, though w fell very little to spare. It may be remembered that on that occasion von Cramm and Henkel retired to Allison and Van Ryn when leading 5—4, 40love in the fifth set, because the German Association had ordered them to do so in order to save von Cramm for the singles, on which his countrymen had set their hearts. This year Henkel has beaten von Cramm on several occasions and there was an opinion that the latter had deteriorated. But probably he has merely been a bit stnle, and that was the reason why he did not defend his French championship title. But Henkel proved equal to the occasion and is a not unworthy successor to .Perry, von Cramm, Crawford, Cocliet, liorotra, and Lacoste, who between them have won every year since 1924.

Whether von Cramm has deteriorated remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that Henkel has improved and will put up a good show against any player now. Although Austin lias failed. year after year in the French championship and at "Wimbledon, it is remarkable how he has succeeded in the Davis Cup matches. Last year he beat Crawford. In 1935 he beat Budge and Allison. In 1934 he beat both the Wimbledon finalists, Shields and Wood. In 1934 he had a (great haul, his victims including Merlin, Vines, Allison, McGrath, Hecht, Mcnzei, Stefani, Morpurgo and Maier. In 1931, he had a good list including Wood, Shields, Satoh, Kirby and Farquharson. Perhaps he may rise to the occasion again and help to retain the Cup in Britain.

The majority of tennis players would be pleased at the news that Perry has beaten Vines for the Coronation Cup at Wembley, the most important event over stage in professional lawn tennis. Nusslein, who last year won the professional championship from Tilden, Cochet, and other leading players, was apparently third best. But though Perry beat Vines it does not follow that he is any the better of the two, for, however equal any two players may be, one of the two must win in any match, and in this case Perry happened to lie on top on the important occasion. Possibly Perry’s best is the best that tho game has ever seen, but on the average Vines seems slightly the better. 5 When they first met Perry won the first three matches, but Vines equalised and then took the lead. In all their matches both play in deadly earnest. They were all square at fifteen all. and then Vines gained a lead of two, and, though Perry twice came within one of getting level, shortly before they left for England Vines was leading 24 to 22, so that probably he is still one ahead. Perry is said to have made considerable improvement since he turned professional. In his amateur days his backhand was by no means equal to the rest of his game, but he has adopted a new method and it is now said that his backhand compares with that of Reggie Doherty, whose backhand drive is generally quoted as the best ever seen in the game. But oi course Perry still relies mainly on liis forehand drive taken very early. Another point in which lie is said to have improved is that he is now much less apt to be upset by adverse decisions by linesmen, or the behaviour of the spectators, which he now accepts with sufficient equanimity. But Tilden still remains the best ever. Up to April 20 he and Perry had met seven times and Perry had only won four to three. Their respective ages are 44 and 28.