TENNIS PROSPECTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume CVIII, Issue 16822, 30 May 1919, Page 5

TENNIS PROSPECTS.

FIGHT FOR THE DAVIS CUP. SOME FAMOUS CONTESTANTS. This year, while ending the military struggles, between nations, will see the renewal of international contests for the lame] crown of the world's tennis supremacy, the symbol of which, is the Dwight Davis Cup, commonly known as the Davis Cup. \ This beautiful trophy was given to the tennis world by Mr Dwiglit Davis, of St>. Louis, U.S.A. The donor was a great player, having a whirlwind American service and a hurricane smash. He did not deliver his service with the tworcat power so frequently seen in Sydney, hut hit the frail with terrific fore© at the full height of his reach. ' '

Yet it was not as a. player, although ho' rose to international rank, that Dwicht Davis was to loom large for all'time. Generations of tennis enthusiasts yet unborn will look back to the year 1900.. the town of St. Louis and the name of Dwight Davis emblazoned forever on the sprol] of lawn tennis fame as the originator of the international' competition. It is reported that in his amazed appreciation of the world-wid" significance- ,n-tnr-herl to his gift he exclaimed-, ■■'■'Well,-if I had thought this bauble was■■jjoinp; to raise such an interest I'd havn mado it worth pounds instead of dollnrs "'

The iiminsic value of a trophy, how°rer, is a mere bagatelle in amateur circles, and we have in-' Australia reason to be proud of f:yt that professionals are rare. B>d the American donor • aiven a solid jrold onn it could pot have, increased the «ffnvt«s of the nations to secure possession of it. ATTAINING' FAME. Evervone knows of the Oxonian's pride in his "pewter pot." A V.C is treasured for its significance, not its commercial value; and, of course, Dwight Davis's remark meant nothing so much as to express his delight, on finding that he had made his ;namo famous, by promulgating a scheme for testing the international tennis worth of the world. v

At the same time, the Davis Cup is not insignificant. On the contrary, it is a massive, embossed'silver bowl; and if it be not sacrilege to say so, cost 1000 dollars.

What Homeric contests it has provided! What nohle gladiators have entered the arena to nrove their prowess before applauding multitudes' Some of these heroeis, alas' will he s=en no move. , Poor R. F. Dohertv (Reggie)—' The Bis Do." as ho was fa miliar! v named by the crowds at rlnssic Wimbledon to distinguish him from his eoual'v famou.* vounger brother. H. L. (Laurie)—"The T.ittle. Da"—has passed awav.- His 'brilliant career closed too soon, cut off by a long illness. • A GREAT PLAYER. The world of tennis*stands with bowed bared head at the broken pedestal commemorating Anthony F. Wilding's young life given in his country's cause. He .died as he would have'wished to die—fighting an uphill battle, as he was always .fame to do on the courts: 'helping to' arrest the rush of the European mad- hog. His name is imeprishabje. What physical- perfeeiion was.his, and what a giant in the game! • * ";_,.. - 'Who -will ever forget his defeat of F. B. Alexander in the last match of the 1908 contest? Alexander had pressed "the mighty Brookes" to a fivesrt struggle oji the fjivrc dav, birc was swept aside by the Herculean young gal'nnfc of Christ church—set-less. Again, when the fiery dash of yoTing Maurice E. ,Ml.oughlin, California's champion, was devastating all opposition, at Wimbledon poor "Tony" stepped into the central, court to defend his title of world's singles champion against Ids more brilliant and you-m----ful opponent. Press critics in Engla.nd heralded the New Zealander's downfall. It was snid only one man at Wimbledon felt certain - that Wilding would win: he was Wilding. Ho won thr<?o sets straight. Sucli was the; man. His name will ba for ever known and reverenced.

The gallant - Ken Powell gave his life that we may he free. Many of the great" flayers who have from time to time have "done their hit" have retired from the strenuous life of a champion. Same have lost their form* Age Has retired others. In America crowds of brilliant young players are crushing forward. "The Cup" has to he lifted, and it is a man's job. What will Australia produce to stem the attack? One of America's greatest flayers, and a prince of good fellows. Mr Beah 0 Wright, of Boston, was once asSed, "When do you expect to lift the-cnn?" B?als replied laconical'v. "When Nc.r-ir-.ie Brookes quits!" This trite answer sums up the situation exactly.

' LIFTING THE TROPHY. Mr Norman E Brookes—"the mighty Brookes"—with the late Captain Anthony F: Wilding, iron the Cup in 1907 at Wimbledon. Th° rtob pa.ir ■«iiccedSfully defended it in Melbourne, 1908, when Beals C. Wright an-1 F. BAlexander nut up 'a sensational s-trngrfe, 'Wright defeating Brookes and Wilding in'the'"smgles. arians won the doubles, and both beat Alexand9r._ Again in Sydnev in j.909 the brilliant young Californians, Maurice E. M'Loughlin and Melville W. Long, were unable to win a match against the wonderful pW of our champions Brookes ana Wilding. 1 It was considered that wh<m the "triumvir ate, " William A. Lamed C. Wright, cbnquerer of both Brookes and Wilding in 1908, fx-r-haniDion U.S.A.. and Maurice F. M'Lougidin. runner-up to the great Larned, visited New Zealand in 1911-12, they •'lift the cup," especially as Brookes was unable to have Wilding's support: the latter being in England" and unable to visit his 'home

Brookes plaved magnificently, and defeated his old opponent Wright, and also young M'Loughlin, an°l with Alf. W. Dnnlop. a,'native of Christ-church, won the doubles;' wh.il© Rodney W. defeated Lamed, who then withdrew, and substituted M'Longhlin to oppose Brookes. This was diplomatic on Larnptl'tf part, as it is not over"stimatiDC Brookfls's superiority on <hat occasion to say that. Larned would not have vnn- a *»t and indeed would b.nve had little chance of winning a same.

The surprise came when the British Tsles team, consisting of JVfcssrp C. P. Dixon, ,T. C. Parke A. A. Ti. Beamish, F. G. Lowe, came to Melbourne in 1.512, and won the contest hy three niatcb.es to two., Now came America's chance, and the Ouip -was taken from thg British Isles in 1913. It had only a brief resting place, although it is still there. In 1914 our great pair. Brookes and Wilding, defeated the . Americans in New York hv three matches to two. The Gup, however, was left there for safetv, -as the war-broke out on the eonchi'ic.n of the' final tie. and the German players then in- America wers interned. • ..

No alien teams will ho permitted to r.lay this year, but the British I='es, France Belgium, and South Africa will _ compete; and the Australasian pu'hlio n.vp • Veen'v int°Tcstorl i n ■s,,. gplecti"n of wr 'Tviv-fl=eTltatives.—Syd-ney "Daily Telegraph."'