LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22525, 16 September 1936, Page 21

LAWN TENNIS

INTERNATIONAL PLAY SUPREMACY OF F. J. PERRY ADVANCE OF YOUNG PLAYERS BY SIDELINE The conclusion of the United States national championships brings to an end the important events of the year so far as Europe and America are concerned. They have lacked neither interest nor surprise and various countries will view the results with conllicting emotions.

England has retained the Davis Cup, emblematic of international supremacy, but by a much reduced margin against a strong challenge from Quist, Crawford and McGrath. It would seem, however, that so long as Perry and Austin are at their best she can view the future with equanimity. Her team was better balanced than those of her nearest rivals aud this fact almost as much as Perry's outstanding ability was responsible for the cup remaining in England. Looking further ahead, the prospect for the holders is not so bright. Possessing an invincible Davis Cup team at present she lacks in her universities, schools, or clubs any players, who can take the places, with any hope of success, of the four defenders. Australia led by Quist, United States by Budge, or Germany by von Cramm, might provide the next winning combination. It will depend on the support found in each case for the players mentioned. International ascendancy in lawn tennis runs in cycles and just as history records the riso and fall, of various peoples so in the archives of tennis supremacy is found passing from one country to another as new players arise. F. J. Perry, who has just regained the singles title of the United States, can still claim to be champion of the world. He has come through fields in England and the United States containing the acknowledged best players in the world and has suffered only one serious reverse, when he was defeated by von Cramm in the final of the French championships. It is interesting to note that Tilden won the American championship when he was 27 years old. Perry's success came when he was 24 so that he has three years' start of his great predecessor. Only four nonAmerican players have won the United States title since its inception in 1881, namely, H. L. Doherty in 1903, R. Lacoste in 1926 and 1927, H. Cochet in 1928, and F. J. Perry in 1933, 1934 and 1936. Von Cramm has continued his advance and won the French national title at the expense of Perry. D. Budge, United States, and Adrian Quist, Australia, are the other players of the year. Von Cramm is about the same age as Perry, 27, while is 20 and Quist 23. Ail three are destined to play a big part in important fixtures of the near future. Crawford seems to have lost ground and McGrath, who may still develop into a world's champion, has been somewhat overshadowed Dy Quist.