VISIT BY TILDEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20841, 7 April 1931, Page 10

VISIT BY TILDEN.

AUSTRALIA AND DOMINION. NEGOTIATIONS IN PROGRESS. There is a distinct probability of W. T. Tilden and a team of professional tennis players visiting Australia and New Zealand shortly, according to Mr. G. L. Patterson, the Australian player, who is a through passenger on the Aorangi, which arrived at Auckland yesterday. Mr. Patterson, who is now connected with A. G. Spalding Bros., is on a business trip to the United States and England.

Mr. Patterson said he had been instructed by the Australian Lawn Tennis Association to approach Tilden and further the negotiations now on foot for the professionals' visit. If Tilden decided to make an Australian trip New Zealand would also be visited. It was possible Mr. Patterson would act for the New Zealand association as well. He had received a message from Tilden, who had shown interest in the project. Referring to the standard of play in Australia Mr. Patterson said that Crawford and Hopman were still the leaders in the game, it was unfortunate that these two players were not ablo to reproduce overseas the form they showed in Australia. The most promising rising player was Quist, a South Australian, 18 years of age. On present indications it appeared that Australia would bo some years in producing a Davis Cup finalist team. There was good material in Australia, but a lack of concentration,.seemed evident in players.