ENGLAND AND DAVIS CUP TENNIS

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6864, 21 May 1932, Page 11

ENGLAND AND DAVIS CUP TENNIS

Prospects In This Year’s Contest Are Regarded As Very Bright England’s prospects in the Davis Cup competition of 1932 arc good; more than that, they are positively exciting I We remember that last year we appeared in the challenge round arid that France only just beat us (writes E. J. Sampson in the Manchester Guardian”). Our fine showing in international tennis is due to the excellence of two men, H. W. Austin and F. J. Perry. Austin we have long known as an outstanding player whose weakness has been his lack of stamina. Endow him with the endurance of a Tilden and there would be another reason for confidence in the present premier ranker in England. Perry’s advance has been spectacular. Here is a player who has stamina in plenty, and there are still many people who are ignorant of what an important factor this is in a five-set match. The strain is enormous and calls for the soundest of constitutions and an iron will, in addition to the skill which is there for all to admire. Perry’s record last year was comforting from our point of view. In addition to his fine showing in the Davis Cup encounters, his performance in America, where he defeated seven of the first 10 ranking players, was most impressive. The player who beat him four times out of five was Ellsworth Vines, the American national champion, but the matches were usually desperately close. . In the Davis Cup competition a nation pins its faith on one or two players, and if the supply of the. proper brand, ever strictly limited* fails, tben that nation’s , prospects are extinguished. At the moment the nations who matter are America, France, and England. France, the holder, relies on Cocliet and Brugnon. Up to now Henri Coclict has not failed her, though it is generally recognised that the difficulty is to keen his interest and his keenness in the game alive. This Alexander of the court has no fresh world to conquer. He disappeared from last year’s Wimbledon in the first round, hut he it was who kept the Cup in France a few weeks later. Borolra has finished with singles and is not likely to be Cochet’s partner. J. Brugnon is playing well. .His performances on the Riviera this winter were good, but here again is a player whose stamina is not of the strongest, and who at 37 is not in his first youth. France may retain the Cup, but the betting is against her. America has a glut of young and .fine players, headed by Ellsworth Vines. How good these young. Americans are we were able to appreciate at Wimbledon, when America swept the board. We admired players who xvere great exponents of the game and whose court manners were perfect. . Perhaps one is a trifle dogmatic m ruling out the other nations, for there are Japan and Australia to reckon with, and cither of these, if. not as powerful as the three mentioned., is strong enough to bring off a surprise.