LAWN TENNIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17854, 24 May 1926, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS.

DAVIS CUP CONTESTS. PROSPECTS FOR THIS YEAR. GREAT STRENGTH OF HOLDERS. Twenty-four nations challenged America, the champion nation, for the Davis Cup this year, the total being one less than in 1925. This is the twenty-seventh year uf the Davis t up. and. now practically every nation ot prominence in the world has entered a challenge, thus proving beyond all argument that tennis is the most universal of all games. The draw tor the first round of this year's competition was made at the Pan-American Building. Washington. How important an institution these contests for possession of the cup have become is shown by the fact that in 2924 the President of America drew the first name. This year the Secretary of State, Mr F. B. Kellogg presided over a company which included the Ambassadors, Ministers or Envoys of the twenty-four -competing nations. In accordance with custom, the actual draw was made from the trophy itself, each representative drawing a card, from the cup. Up to the present there have been twenty-one contests for the Davis Cup, the competition having been suspended during the war period, from 1915 to 1918 inclusive. America has wbn on ten occasions and has held the trophy for the last six 3-ears. Australia and Hew Zealand combined have had seven •wins. Great Britain has won five times. This year France appears to be the logical challenger. Japan appears to be stronger this year than last, and in Australia’s absence should win the. American Zone. France should win the European Zone without great difficulty and should go on to win ftgainst Japan in the inter-zone final. PERSONNEL OF THE AMERICAN TEAM. In referring to the American team. Lawn Tennis ” states that there is every reason to suppose that it will be the same as in 1925—Tilden, Johnston, Williams and Richards. All except Richards arc men in their early thirties, and therefore considerably’ older than their probable French opponents. They are due, many think, for their period of decline and' fall. On. all sides have been heard queries as to whether this one or the other is ~ slipping.” It is the answer to these questions that most of us are interested in, and if we can get the right line on the matter we shall have an indication of the outcome of the present year’s contest for the most famous trophy in the lawn tennis world.

One has merely to survey Johnston's Davis Cup record to realise what a great, tower of - strength he is in the United States’ defence of the cup. lie has won all except one of his singles matches and has won then by* margins - large and absolutely convincing. Last year he'beat Lacoste in four sets and Borotra in three. His game presents far greater difficulties to players of other countries than that of Tilden. His play against them bristles with confidence and he hits hard with absolute certainty. There is no reason whatever to assume that Johnston this year will not play the same superb game in the 1920 challenge tie as in the previous ones. The “ slipping of Tilden has often been predicted during the past six years. Some day he will cither stop or begin to decline. There is no indication that that day has come. The supreme expression of the genius of the champion is his ability’ to reach the highest altitudes in his game when the need is greatest. That ability still •xists. No one who saw him beat Borotra last month in a whirlwind finish is likely to lose sleep over his decadence.

TWO FORMIDABLE DOUBLES TEAMS. The doubles match in the cup contest retains its outstanding importance. With two such teams as Williams and - Richards and Tilden and Johnston to. call upon the United States are not likely to worry overmuch about that point. They have in Richards a reserve player who has beaten both Lacoste and Borotra within a year. He has youth and a genius for the game, and it has been shown that he is strengthening the . departments that need it. There is no need to call attention to the great strength potentially and otherwise of France. Lacoste ar.d Borotra are undeniably in the front rank, ahd arc quite capable of breaking even with the United States in the singles. Lacoste appears to be the more dependable, while Borotra has greater and more inspired moments. Tennis is a game in which the unexpected always looms large, ard the United States and France arc so closely tnatenea tnat the issue might well hinge on the doubles rubber, as it has so manv times in the history of the cup. There the advantage -is with the States. VIRTUES OF LACOSTE AND BOROTRA. It has remained for a woman writer. Wile Raoul Duval, to present one of Itie best analyses of the comparative virtues oi Lacoste and Borotra. The following extract is taken from some notes on the French covered court championship meeting which appeared in “American Lawn Tennis": - “ Borotra is dazzling, fantastic, almost incredible. Tie relies almost, entirely on his eves and his legs and on a day when lie is both mentally and physically fit <which is rather rare', he is almost unbeatable by- anybody. “ However. Lacoste is six years younger and getting stronger physically every da; In two or three years he will be at the height of his form, whereas Borotra, unless he radically changes his mode of life, which is more than uolikely’, wall be beginning to feel the strain of his terrific activity and his tennis bound to suffer, as no constitution, not even the strongest, can last for ever with such consistent de•aands on its resistance.”

There has been so much talk' of strange happenings m connection with the Mile Ler.glen-Mi'ss Wills match at < annes last month that the French Tennis Federation has ordered an investigation, and M Paul Champ has been sent to the Riviera to conduct it “ Tennis and Golf ” has some appreciative remarks about Miss Wills in its last issue. According to -'ts editor, the American player is the h ect in the world after Mile. Lenglen. Her foot-work is much inferior to that of Mile. Lenglen, yet, in spite of this handicap, she has a stroke repertoire that is complete and resolute. The writer aso pays a tribute to the French Tampion, especially in regard to her 1 -co very when the Carlton match deemed at Ore time to be concluded as resumed, ine point score for this remarkable match is given as Mil* Lenglen 82, and Miss Wills 64.