LAWN TENNIS

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 30

LAWN TENNIS

THE DAVIS CUP.

AUSTRALIA’S CHANCES NEGLIGIBLE. „ _ , AUCKLAND, March 13. 1 don t think Australia has got a hope of winning the Davis Cup back this year, and what it more, they might not e r' e if beat Italy.” That is the opinion M’Kay, manager of the last ?i ew - S° u th Wales team which toured New Zealand, who arrived by the Maunganui to-day from Sydney on a combined business and holiday trip to the Dominion. Mr M’Kay may be in New Zealand for a couple of months, and a good deal of his time will be spent in Auckland.

Mr M’Kay thinks that supposing the Australians reached the challenge round, they would crumple under the severe French fussilade. The Australians have got one outstanding player, and he is a real *ace’’—-young Crawford. He beat Borotra, the third man of all France, twice in Melbourne and he played amazing tennis. Even the Frenchman seemed to be bewildered. Crawford has few poor strokes. His forehand clips the side; lines with deadly accuracy, and so does his backhand. Both are hard hitting shots, and his volleying is accurate and carries a lot of pace. His overhead work is sound and when he tries he can smash with almost as much force as Patterson. Crawford is about 6ft in height, and is something after the style of J. O Anderson in build.

There are a few first-class players coming on in Australia. To my mind they have chosen the wrong men for the Davis Cup team. Hopman is a good doubles player, but only * fair B in g ] ea course, Crawford, the wonder lad, is the hope of the side. To my mind there is no doubt about it. Crawford is the coming champion of champions,” said Mr M’Kay.

AMERICAN DAVIS CUP TEAM. PHILADELPHIA, March 12. tt •/ ," has been named captam of the Umted States Davis Cup lawn tennis team by Mr Joseph Wear, chairman of the Davis Cup Committee. Tilden succeeds Williams, who led the team for s ix years. it -5 x Collom, president of the United States Dawn Tennis Association, has notified Tilden, Hunter Lott Hennessey Vanryn, Allison, and Jones to reP ol ’t at Augusta, Georgia, on March 19 tor trials for the American team. Those selected will meet Mexico in the first Amencan-zone matches.

„ 7 .„. SAN FRANCISCO, March 13. William Johnston announces that he will be unable to participate in the Davis Cup tennis, for business reasons. This is the first time he will be out of play since Johnston and Tilden brought the trophy from Australia in 1920. Tilden has accepted the captaincy of the team.

NEW YORK, March 10. Much surprise has been caused by the announcement of the Davis Cup Committee that it will not adopt the suggestion the United States Lawn Tennis Association, but instead has unanimously adopted a resolution that —“ In view of th strength of the nations challenging in the American zone, it is resolved ’hat the association will not d ; vide its strength by sending a team to Europe in advance of the American zone play, but will select our strongest team to nlay in the Ameri can zone in an effort to qualify tor the interzone final.”

This is considered a direct blow against Tilden.

A message received on February 13 statd that the United States La wik Tennis Association’s annual meeting at Chicago decided to present to the Davis Cup Committee Tilden’s suggestion to designate two Davis Cup teams—-one to ~play on American soil and the o’her to ge' at least six weeks’ practice under European conditions before attempting to enter the challenge round. Thus they woul dnot jeopardise their chances owing to lack of acclimatisation. AMERICAN ZONE FIXTURES. NEW YORK, March 17. The finals in the American zone for the Davis Cup will be played in Chicago on June 1,2, and 3. The United States will play Mexico City on May 18, and the winner will meet Canada in the semi-final. In the other half Japan will meet Cuba, and the winner will play China, Cana la and China drawing byes in the first round. THE FRENCH PLAYERS. A WIN FOR AUSTRALIA. PERTH, March 10. Borotra beat Patterson 6—4, 6—3: Hopman and Crawford beat Brugnon and Bousses 6—3, 6—2, 3—6, 2—6, 6—l. Australia won 2 rubbers, 5 sets, 12 games, France 1 rubber, 4 sets, 36 games. FINAL MATCH IN AUSTRALIA. PERTH, March 12 In the concluding stage of th e final match, Australia versus France, Brugnon beat Patterson, 6—4, 6—2; Crawford beat Boussus, 6—l, I—6, 6—l; Borotra and Brugnon beat Patterson and Hopman, 7—5, 6—4. The final scores are: France, 5 rubbers, 13 sets Australia, 4 rubbers, 11 sets. INTERPROVINCIAL MATCHES. NORTH OTAGO DEFEATS SOUTHLAND. At the Anderson’s Bay courts on Saturday afternoon North Otago defeated Southland in the annual interprovincial lawn tennis tournament. The weather was excellent, but the attendance of the

public was limited to friends of the players. North Otago’s win was a decisive one, Southland winning only six matches throughout. . It was to be expected that the outstanding match of the day would be between G. Sumpter (Oam-aru) and H. Sumpter (Invercargill). These brothers were closely matched, and were unable on Saturday to produce a definite result within a reasonable time. After several sets had be?n played the match was discontinued and declared unfinished. Neither player exerted himself to the tullest, and with the exception of a few good rallies, the play was dull. Aliss Rem was the only Southland lady whose play was equal to that of the lady visitors from Oamaru. v T K e results of the play are as follow, first - -— Otago players bein g mentioned MEN’S SINGLES. G. Sumpter v H. Sumpter, unfinished. 6 Familton beat B. W. Hewat, 6—4, 6 Mollison beat Lindsay, B—lo, 6—2, 6 K. Familton beat L. Lopdell, 7—9, 6 2, 3 _N. Manchester lost to M’Kay. 9—ll, Barr beat Strettell, 6—2, 6—3. LADIES’ SINGLES. Miss Romans beat Miss Melvin, 9—3. Mies M. Nichols lost to Miss Rein, 2—9 Miss King beat Mrs Latta, 9—6. Q a | lss V. Nichols beat Mrs Chartres, D. Manchester beat Miss Mahoney, Miss Pragnell beat Miss Russell, 9—2. MEN’S DOUBLES. Mollison and G. Sumpter lost to H Sumpter and Lindsay, 6—3, 3—6 3—6 J. Familton and Manchester beat Hewat and Lopdell, 2—6, B—6, 6 1. 5\S milt 2 n » and Barr bea t Strettell and M’Kay, 5—7, 6 —4, 6—2. LADIES’ DOUBLES. Misses Romans and Al. Nichols lost to Mrs Chartres and Miss Rein, 6—l 4 7 o—7. ’ Misses King and Manchester beat Miss Russell and Mrs Latta, 6—l, 6—2. Misses V. Nichols and Pragnell lost to Misses Mahoney and Melvin, 5—6, 6—5, y—ll. MIXED DOUBLES. G. Sumpter and Miss Al. Nichols beat ±l. and Miss Rein, 6—2, 1 6,

A Io »l ISon Ti Jvliss Romans beat Hewat and Miss Melvin, 6—3, 6—4 J. .Familton and'Miss V.’ Nichols lost to Lindsay and Airs Chartres, 3 —6 5 —6 Manchester and Miss King beat Lopdeli and Airs Latta, 6—2, 6—2. K. Familton and Aliss Pragnell beat Hewat and Aliss Alahoney, 6 —5, 6—5 Barr and Miss Alanehester beat Strettell and Miss Russell, 6—4, 6 —5. TOTALS. nt klatches. Sets. . Games. North Otago.. 17- 32 283 Southland .. 6 16 217 SATURDAY’S MATCHES. A GRADE. OTAGO v. UNIVERSITY. (Otago names first.) Aien’s Singles.— Bray 9, Fulton 2; J Rawlinson 9, Watson 6, Field 9, Earle 7; Hislop 7, Stallsworthy 9. Men s Doubles.—Bray and Rawlinson 9, button and Watson 8; Field and Hislop 5, Earle and Stallsworthy 9. Ladies’ Sing les.—Aliss Cook 4, Miss Valentine 6, Aliss Finch 5. Miss Scott 6; Hart 4, Miss Napier 6; Miss Ramsaj 6, Miss Godfrey 1. Ladies’ Doubles. —Misses Cook and Ramsay 4, Misses Valentine and Scott 6; Misses Finch and Hart 6, Aliases Napier and Godfrey 2. Mixed Doubles.—Bray and Miss Ramsay 8, Fulton and Miss Valentine 9; Rawlinson and Aliss Hart 8, Watson and Aliss Godfrey 9; Field and Miss Cook 8, Earle and Miss Scott 9; Hislop and Miss Finch 6, Stallsworthy and Miss Napier 9. Totals: University, 10 sets; Otago, 6 sets.