DAVIS CUP TEAM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 17

DAVIS CUP TEAM

AUSTRALIANS RETURN TOUR IN AMERICA CHALLENGE PLAY INCIDENT FOOT-FAULTING OF QUIST Members of the Australian Davis Cup' team, and also members ol' the Australian ladies' lawn tennis team which has toured the Continent, England and America, arrived in Auckland yesterday morning on the Monterey on their way back to Australia. The former team comprised A. K. Quist, J. Bromwich, L. Schwartz and H. Hoj)man, manager, while in tho ladies' team were Misses N. Wynne, T. Coyne, D. Stevenson and Mrs. Hopman, with Mr. W. H. Walker as manager.

Speaking of the visit to America of the men's team, Mr. Hopman said ho regarded the tour as not satisfactory, yet not exactly disappointing. "We realised that, with Budge in the United States team, it would be very difficult to beat. Wo knew that before leaving Australia. We now have the satisfaction of knowing that, since Budge seems certain to turn professional, Australia has the best team in the Davis Cup competition. "Apart from the fact that the tour had established Australia as the leading contender for the next contest, it had shown Bromwich to be the successor to Budge, should the latter adhere to his decision to turn professional. It also showed that Quist has fully recovered from the illness he contracted in America in 1936. His play against Japan, particularly in the doubles, was perhaps better than anything he had previously shown.

Peak Form too Soon "Quist was a little unfortunate in reacting his peak form about a fortnight or three weeks too soon. Had he played in the challenge round as he did against Japan, I feel sure he would have beaten Riggs. However, that is one of the problems with a touring team —the endeavour to maintain top form. I think we may have been able to do that had it not been for the .courts, which were placed at our disS)sal for practice a week before the avis Cup final." Mr. Hopman described these courts as being very bumpy, and having very little grass upon them. He had gone in search of others in Philadelphia, but had been unable to find anything better. When players were keyed up in an endeavour to win the Davis Cup it was exasperating to be hit on the nose by a kicking ball when in position for making a forehand drive. Under these circumstances the players were rushed off their game to a great extent. Actually, the courts at the Germantown Cricket Club, where the challenge round was decided, came in for a lot of criticism, and the remarks passed about them by all the members of the American Lawn Tennis Association were most derogatory. In consequence, it was doubtful at the moment if next year's matches would be played at the same centre.

Contentious Incident "The foot-faulting of Quist was the most contentious incident of the tour," continued Mr. Hopman. "It came at a time when Quist was fighting very hard against Budge and playing particularly well in an effort to save the Davis Cup tie, and also to rehabilitate himself after his defeat by Jliggs on the first day. It came at a most unfortunate moment, but, as Quist was undoubtedly foot-faulting, there was little the player or the team could do but take it smilingly. "On the first day against Riggs, Quist was foot-faulted for swinging over the line, but in the doubles ho was not once called. He avoided this by standing back from oin. to 9in. It therefore came as a complete surprise and shock to him when he was deeply concentrating upon his fight for the first set against B\idge to hear the line-umpire call a foot-fault. He was twice called on second service, and on both occasions he had game point, against the champion. It threw the Australian's game completely off balance, as he lost the confidence of going for his delivery. "It transpired that the judge was calling against Quist for jumping at the moment of impact. He had been doing this earlier in the match, however, and had not been checked. I gathered the impression that the judge had passed the breach over earlier on because he considered Quist was gaining no advantage from it. Perfectly Legal Gall

"It was a perfectly legal call, although .all the American newspaper critics said it had come at a moment when it would have been much better to have been passed over. None of the Australian players made any comment upon the incident, but American officials and the public were very wroth to gee ruined what promised to be a thrilling contest." Speaking of the play in the American national championships, Mr. Hopman said that Quist and Bromwich were beaten for the first time in their four matches by Budge and Mako. A lot of people had then offered the suggestion that the Australian pair were "playing possum" in view of the Davis Cup event to follow. Such an assertion was, of course, ridiculous. The Australians, however, had their revenge in the Davis Cup doubles. Regarding the singles, Quist was suffering a lapse after the challenge round and did not get back on his game for some time, being eliminated by Grant. Bromwich made a wonderful fighting recovery against Shields, who led him two sets to love and most of the time in the third set. It appeared certain that Bromwich would meet Budge in the final, but an interval of six days on account of rain saw the young Australian out of touch. In addition tho badly rain-worn court made Mako's unorthodox shots adapt themselves easily.

Schwartz's First Tour Schwartz made his first tour abroad and he showed particularly pleasing form in both singles and doubles, more especially in the latter in partnership with his manager. Features of his play .were volleying and return of service. He received praise from several sources and showed himself to be an excellent team man, willing to play in m&tches or practise at any tirao and ever ready to give his best. Asked for his opinion upon the proposed alteration to the serving rule Mr. Hopman said he did not think anything would be done for a year or so. There had been a lot of discussion in America following the foot-faulting of. Quist, and the president of the American Lawn Tennis Umpires' Association was in" communication with the Victorian body suggesting that the question should be taken up in Australia. Meanwhile Quist would spend much time practising his service with a view to eliminating any sign of a breach that would be noticeable in a challenge round tie.