DAVIS CUP CONTEST. THE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2902, 27 October 1909, Page 64

DAVIS CUP CONTEST. THE AMERICAN REPRESENTATIVES.

The anxiously awaited information as to what players would represent the Lvnited States in the challenge tie of the Davis Cup against the holders, Australia with New Zealand, is now to hand, and the team consists of MAcncE M'Latjghmx. Melville H. Losg. If these names are not so familiar to Australians as those of Lamer. Beals Wright, Clothier, and others (says the Sydney Mprning Herald), il is for the reason that both are from the Western State of California, and, though their ability was well-known in that State, it was only recently that they were enabled, by visiting j New York for the National Championships, j to demonstrate their powers by meeting the great players of the Eastern States. j Both are young players, about 19 years j old, yet one or other has held every im- j portent ohampionship on the ' Pacific Slope for the past two years. In 1906 r x)ng caused a sensation by win- ' ning the Pacific States ohampion&hip, de- j feating Janes in tho final round; and he , followed this up by beating the 6aine op- ; ponent in the semi-final for ihe California ■ State championship in the following year. He passed James at tho net with great , case, and was himself almost invincible in that position. In the final he defeated his j elder brother. H. Long, without difficulty, i In the fol'owing month he- came through | th« final of the Southern California cham- ' pionship without losing a set, and then defeated Braly, the holder, in a fivo-ect match A big touri amont at Santa Bar- i bara followed, and here Long was again ! successful. j M'Laughlin also had a very successful . season in 1907, and began the following year with a w in in the Golden Gate tournament. A writer, deeeiibing- his match againet Janes in this event, says :— I " M'Laughlin ser\ad clean aces for nearly ( every point of his service games, and | fairly ate up Janes's serve. Every stroke | was a kill stroke. Many feared for Janes's j safety, but he escaped with his life." In ] June the young champions met in the chal- j lenge round of the San Fransisco City Championship, and M'Laughlin won, 4—6,4 — 6, 4—6,4 — 6, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—l.6 — 1. 6—3.6 — 3. They met again in the Californian State Championship in 1908, ! and once more M'Laughlin was successful, | winning this time in straight sets. \ M'Laughlin" also won the Bay Counties ; Championship in that year, while Long ■was successful for the Pacific Coast title ' In this event he, for the first time, met players from the Eastern States, Wallace Johnson and Niles being competitors, but ■both lost to Long, as did M'Laughlin. Last August the two great California^ players set out for New York to compete in the national championships, and on the t way took part in the Western Championship meeting at Chicago. In this Long caused a sensation by going through the event, in which he played seven rounds without losing a set, the holder (Nat Emerson) being defeated. 9—7, 7—5, 6—o.6 — 0. M'Laughlin reached the fourth round when he was defeated by another Cali'fornian. S. C. Bundy. At Illinois. M'Laughlin and Janes, the Pacific Coast champions, won the preliminary contest for *ho National Doubles Championship, iwhich is played for by the holders of Pacifio Coast Eastern, Western, and Southern championships. They beat /Dabmev and Niles, the Eaat«rn champions, ,J7— s. 6—4, 6—3, aad Grant and Pell, the •jSoubhe.rn representatives, 5—7.5 — 7. 6—2,6 — 2, 6—3,6 — 3, ~6 — 3, in the final. American Lawn Tennis says: " JfLaiighlin, tho Pacific Coast /wizard, fifave tlie> crowd a real glimpse of Ms form, amd all experts agreed that his jplay was little short of phenomenal. His services were shot into the Easterners' eclurfc "with, the spee-dl of a cannon ball, and Dabney and Nilea w€<re powerless to (handle them. Overhead M'Laughlin -was irpbea-fcabie, amd after one lontg rally. wiricti was won- single-handed against ibofeh of the Easterners, the gallery could xt 6 longier content iteelf with applause, and thjs exclusive, conservative Omventsia got up and cheered bhe work of %he brilliant Californian." On arrival in {Net* Yjorls hong gfinjgeifid in + -ii§ Xew

York State championship, in which he beafc Karl Bahr setless, but lost to Raymond D. Little in the sixth round. Then came the National Championship, in which M'Laug-hlin, after defeating six opponents, mcludfing R. H. Palmer, Touchard, and Long (after five sets), sucouinbed to that great player, Clothier, who, however, only won by 6—3,6 — 3, 6—3,6 — 3, 6—B, 7—5.7 — 5. Our coming visitors play a dashing, attractive gam-e, M'Laughlin in particular being a terrific hitter. He has the true American break service, volleys v.ell from all parts of the court, and places his ground strokes, well!. He ie 6ft lin in height, and makes every use of his inches. Long has no weak points. He can. play from the back of the oouat or at the net, and uses good judgment in adapting his methodfe to the style of his op-poiiiients. These young players a;re clearly destined to take a foremost place in future American contests, and Aiistralia, with. New Zealand, will require to be represented' by players in perfect form and condition to retain the Davis Cup.