THE DAVIS CUP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17216, 6 December 1923, Page 8

THE DAVIS CUP.

TILDEN THREATENS TO CEASE PLAY.

By Telegraph—Preea Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Associativa. NK\\ YORK, December 4. As the result of an open breach be tween W. T. Tilden and Harold Hac kett, a member of the American Davis Chip committee, in which Tilden al leges that, the American Davis Cup team received inadequate notice of their selection, and thus were working under a serious handicap, and in which Hackett declares that Tilden is an inferior doubles player who will not obey instructions. Tilden has announced that lie will refuse to participate in Davis Cup doubles hereafter unless the state of affairs is remedied. Tilden complains bitterly of the committee, while Hackett declares that if the committee ha 1 not seriously reprimanded Tilden. after the third set in the Davis Cup doubles match. 1923, the Americans would have been beaten. Hackett states that Tilden blindly declined the committee's request to make his game one of position play. Tilden replies that the committee had no plan of strategic play for the doubles team. He and Williams jointly devised one, and be was unwilling to abandon it in favour of. the committee’s impracticable eleventh-hour plan. Tennis circles are greatly -alarmed over the dissension.