THE DAVIS CUP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14868, 20 December 1911, Page 6

THE DAVIS CUP.

INTERNATIONAL LAWN TENNIS. ' J HISTORY OF THE ,o,v , ' , V HOW AUSTRALASIA WON ft The Davis Cup, the most n( , ~'■''' I of international lawn tennis v ,'! >:? * first appearance in New Zeala ~l"l alle >** ! I the end of the year, when it iriini'!?*«««•■ ' I to Christchurch, wCt£ £&??«" ' tennis players of America ntiVl a \ '.**» will battle for possession of it Austra^ 1 The cup, which is a silver » . . fl puuehbog, JJ as n ori S iual] y Pantedlb ffl was in 1). front rank of A^riSY* was ,n the front rank of America?, .*«? tonus player:,) for competition ">" America and Great Britain. cup was demised to claim greater attllV 1 and (he mild encounters . between ! K ' and Great Britain soon dove & keen warfare in which sevcrab £l?"* aspired to obtain possession cl wW™2* became a famous trophv. A few JL. a the donor of the cup 1 remarked that ««Y had anticipated there was going to be ti* a fuss about his trophy he i&« it made of solid gold." 6 c *'* The rule of play governing theW. Cup matches is {he" same Tow as *§*$> first contests were held, viz., four > I and one- doubles match, th o day & > gained by the nation scoring a . win : ™{»« majority of the contests. The double! 3 need not -be made up of the » ,£ part in the singles, but another pair 3 ' be nominated to play in their stead? * The First Contests. . . The inauguration of the contests bct« Great Britain and America took «i» •* 1900, the venuo of the initial rontm tZ* logwood, U.S.A. 'iho BriiFSfe prised A. W. Gore, E. D. Black, and 5" M. D. Whitman, D. 1, Davis (the donor «f the cup), and H. Ward. America Ton bv three matches to love (play was interrupted by ram on the first day and was not . sumed). In 1901 there was no ££«* owing to the difficulty experienced by}&£: Britain ■ m selecting a combination that would have a prospect of avenginc t£ ■ rout of the preceding year. In 1902 Grwt Britain again challenged the representatives of the Stars and Stripes, and dispatehod across the Atlantic a formidable trio con sistmcr of It F. .Dohorty, H. L.DoWj, • and D. h. J. Pirn. The American team was the same as in 1901, except that it wm strengthened by W. A. Lamed. The match evoked a great deal of interest, and the contests were witnessed by v thousands- of spectators. The doubles match was contested between Ward and Davis (America! and the Doherty brothers (Great Britain) and resulted in a brilliant exhibition the English cracks eventually .winning, &-6 10— 6—3, 6—4., However, in the 'singles America won three out of the four matches and so -retained possession of tho cup. * Cup Gees to England.

The next year saw the cup change owners. The Dcherty brothers set off for America ' in' quest of the cup. and they found their opponents to bo W. A. Lamed, R. 1) Wrenn, and G. L. Wrenn. When the day fixed for the opening matches arrived, R. P. Doherty was suffering from a bad arm, and as lie was unablo to play America wag conceded a walk-over in the singles match and ' this proved to bo America's solo su<> cess. After a couple of days' delay owing to unfavourable-weather, the :Dohert won every other match, showing perfect conibi-.' 1 nation in the doubles, "ILL." brilliant illustrating his singles form. The pair thus gained the day by four rubbers to one, arid the Davis Cup belonged to the British Ides For the next four years England was the home for international lawn tennis, arid lit was on England's lawns that other nations entered into the cor test, which blossomed into an annual event of great importance in tennis circles in all parts of the world. In 1904- the contest was 'decided on tjie famous Wimbledon courts, the Competing nations being Belgium, France, Austria, ' and the, British Isles, America on '~.■<> .5. casioa not sending a team. It now became necessary to hold preliminary. lie-. to seduce the contestants to ■ two. Belgium reached tho challenge round, where its, representatives, P. do Borman and .W. fitmaim, were defeated by the Dohrsrty brothers and B. F. Ilisley, five- rubbers to "nil . " > Enter Australasia. Australasia made its initial attempt to wrest the Davis Cup in 1905. The .field -of competition ■ was wide on this occasion, u France, Austria, Belgium, and America ale* questioned Great Britain's right to hold the trophy. In the first round France, Austria, and Australasia . had byes, America ' "walked over," and Belgium retired. In tho second round 1 America (H. Ward, .T. v.. Clothier, and Beals Wright) beat France (M. Germot and M. ; Decugis) •by five rubbers to love; and,' Australasia .(A. F. Wilding, -Norman Brookes, and A. W. Dnnlop! vanquished Austria (R. i'Kmzo and C. von Wesselj']. also by five rubbers to love. Then in -. the -"final round .of :■ the •' preliminary tie America defeated Australasia, and, as it to- . make: the : coincidence more . striking, the score was . five rubbers to love. America now met Great Britain in the final, but '- .0 Doherty » brothers and S. xi. Smith succeeded in ' defeating their American opponents. In 1906 Australasia (this time represented *' by A. F. Wilding and L. 0.8. Poidevin) was once more a competitor, together with Austria, Franco,, America, and Great Britain. Austria and France, however, scratched, and Australasia and America"' were left to battle for the honour of meeting the holders of the cup. America was represented by H. Ward and R. D. Little. A keen contest ensued, but Australasia vr* eventually defeated by three rubbers to two. Great Britain again withstood America's ' ■'. attack in tho final, winning the contest by five rubbers to, love. ■ The Cup Comes South. The following year, 1307, saw Australasia's efforts to win the cup crowned with, success, J their third bid (.'or victory proving successful. Norman Brookes set out for , | England, where he was joined Iby Ant:; Wilding, -and these ■ two famous players - , stood together to fight for the colonies. America also sent a strong team (Beals, Wright and Karbßehr), and there was con- ; 1 J sternation in British tennis 'circles when ■' was ascertained that the Dohertys did no. ' intend to compete. Ultimately A. W. Wre and H. Roper Barrett, who. had taken part in the first contest for the trophy, were again deputed to act in defence of cup.. , Australasia met America in the preliminary round, and won the match by three rubbers to two, after a series of cawting ana keenly-contested games. Brookes defeated Beals Wright, 6-4, 6-4. 6-2, ai.d a?* v Behr won 4-6, 6—4, 6-1, 6-2. «>»«*; beat Behr, I—6, 6—3, 2-6, 7-5, 6-o,'bat was defeated by Wright, 8-r6, '.3-0, 5—7. In the doubles t.lie American part; defeated Brookes and Wilding, "£-6, 12-lWj 4_6, -6—2, 6—3. Australasia now plajca Great Britain for the cup. Brookes accounted for Gore, 7-5, 6-1, 7-S, a « d . easily defeated Roper Barrett, _6—2, Or* , 6—2. " Wilding prevailed over Roper mrett, 1-6, 6-4, 7-5, but lost to Gore, '6— 3—6, 5—7, 2—6, while m.tho ■ doubles the British pair were victorious | 3_6 4—6, 7—5, 6—2, 13—11. Australasia thus defeated Great Britain by three rue* iters' to two, and'became the holders ci - the Davis. Cup. Australasia on the Defensive. The story *of how the cup has been defended since is well known to ifcwn teems enthusiasts. In 1903 America and lrf*« ■ Britain were challengers, and as a, resiu» of the preliminary tio Wright and »■ Alexander went to Australia to endeavov' . to win the cup for America. Their muaon. , wis not successful, Austra asia (roprescn cd by N. Brookes and A F..Avilding) wmnihg after a series of close and verting matches , by three rubbers to two. The Jff™** yoar America sent xMcLoughlm and Lo>i o - to Australia in quest of. the cup, buttheir . visit was not attended with success, Broods Amorfca has'sent a particularly strong team to Now Zealand, where the .Daus .IW matches are to be played for the.firs tgj in the native town of Anthony WlWmj who did much to win and defend the th J . Cup. • . ; {'•"• i