NEXT DAVIS CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21698, 13 January 1934, Page 9

NEXT DAVIS CUP

TASK FACING AUSTRALIA! BRITISH CAPTAIN CONFIDENT IMPROVEMENT OF McGRATH [from; our own correspondent] SYDNEY, Jan. 4 Pat Hughes, captain of the British tennis team, is very confident his country will retain the Davis Cup in 1934. He sees nothing in tho wonderful improvement of McGrath and Quist, the Australian juniors, to lead him to think his country will lose the trophy won in 1933. "When Great Britain sets out to defend tho Davis Cup this year," lia said, "nothing will be left to chance. The best men will !be trained for that challenge round, and will be allowed to play only against the best professionals and best men available. It will be a campaign planned for tho retention of the trophy. "The Australian team will , have to carry their racquets successfully to the leading centres of Europe, and play on all types of courts. Provided they survive tho qualifying pounds, and the inter-zone final, they will at best have only a short concentrated preparation in England for that vital challenge round.

"I should be sorry to think we British players were anything near our; top at present. We are suffering a reaction from our exertions last year. I would point out that in the off season last, year wo lost all three tests played in South Africa, but we returned to Europe and won the Davis Cup. "Quist and McGrath have made such rapid progress since they have come back to Australia that it is amazing 1 to think they are the same players we saw in Europe. Particularly has the development of McGrath surprised us.. Whether it is the conditions of his home land, or the courts here, or the. natiiral reaction of a young boy being among his own people and his owtf crowd, I cannot say, but there is no doubt McGrath is a happier player here, more venturesome, and with a great deal more initiative. He is playing wonderful tennis.

"I would not say Perry was at his top when McGrath beat him—l have seen him play better—but the magnificent victory of young McGrath will surprise critics abroad . as it no doubt > surprised his own Australia.

"A Davis Cup is very hard to win, and while I admit you Australians have very good cause to be optimistic,I still think Britain hplds the trumps,"-