BACK FROM AMERICA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 11045, 31 October 1921, Page 3

BACK FROM AMERICA

AUSTRALIAN TENNIS PLATERS. DAVIS CUP RETURNS. After being away for five months the Australian team which competed in America for the Davis Cup has arrived at Auckland by the mail eteamer Makura. The members of the team are Messrs J. O. Anderson, N. Peach, J. B. Hawkes, and C. V. Todd. Seen in Auckland, they said that while they wene glad to get back they had had a eplen'did time, and they could not speak too highly of the way the American people had treated them. Wherever they went they got the same splendid welcome, - and people vied with each other i& making them feel at home. Nothing could nave been kinder. It will be remembered that Australia got as far as the final in the Cup matches, being defeated by Japan. The colonials found the Japanese a very solid team, and are also wonderfully good sportsmen. It was the first time that Asiatics have competed for the Cup, and the American people gave them an excellent reception. Speaking of tjhe play of the Japanese, the Australians say they can get the ball back as often as they like. Shimidzu is a marvel on the back line, and both Mr Peach and Mr Anderson agree that they knew of no player who could beat him at it. The meeting of Shimidzu and Tilden in the challenge matches was most exciting, and a close go resulted, the Japanese J - being within two points of beating the American three sets straight. The outstanding feature of the tour so far as the Australians were concerned, said Mr Peach, was Anderson's defeat, of Tilden, 19-17, in the fifth set in the East v. West match at Otago. Anderson was playing for the West teum, and beat the American player three sets to two. In the first couple of sets Tilden was a bit erratic, but after that the tennis was good, and Tilden was playing as well as ever he did when in Auckland.