1937-03-02 — Page 20

W. T. TILDEN ON U.S. DAVIS CUP TEAM

S. B. WOOD SHOULD BE INCLUDED

RIGHT 3 MUST BE PICKED

Daytona Beach, February 19. The United States could re- gain the Davis Cup this year if the officials of the Lawn Tennis Association would name the three men team of Donald Budge, Sidney Wood, and Gene Mako for the job.

That is the opinion of William T. Tilden, who won and defended the international trophy for this, country for nearly ten years. But he does not think such a team will be named because, to borrow his own words, "Amer- ican Tennis officials have not that sort of mentality."

"They'll probably ignore Wood," Tilden said, "because he has been out of tennis for a year, and sur- round Budge with a group of young men, whose chief virtue is earnest- ness and chief fault an inability to play international tennis.

"Bryan Grant, and Bossy Riggs, and Charley Harris and Frank Parker are good tennis players, yes, but they are not the kind of

THE CHINA MAIL, MARCH 2, 1937.

A new picture of the United States' probable Davis Cup quartette. Left to right are Wilmer Al lison, Gene Mako, Donald Badge and Byran "Bitsy" Grant.

players who, with the cup at stake, GERMANY'S VERY GOOD LUCK

could

beat such men as Gottfried Von Cramm, Bunny Austin, Jack Craw- ford and Adrian Quist. They sim- ply cannot play tennis that well.”

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED "We know Sidney Wood beat those men when the stands are packed and the stakes are high," Tilden said; "because he has." The only really great tennis match I' have seen in recent years was in 1934 at Wimbledon when Wood defeated Crawford in the inter-zone

I cup final don't say that Sidney would win all his Davis Cup matches this year, because the result is nearly always a toss-up when great players meet. "But my point is this he would have a chance, and it is certain the likes of Riggs, Grant, Parker, and

Harris or Parker or Grant is nam➡

IN DAVIS CUP DRAW

Great Britain's

A

Selectors In

Quandary

THE draw for the Davis Cup, made for the first time at Admiralty House, London, yesterday, was presided over by Sir Samuel Hoare, First Lord of the Admiralty and president of the Lawn Tennis Association.

The draw is rather uneven in that in the bottom half. such strong countries as South Africa, New Zealand, Jugoslavia, Czechoslovakia and France are all close together. Germany have the top half at their mercy, with only Italy likely to offer them any opposition, and they are probable candidates for a place in the semi-final.

There is little doubt that the final in the American zone will

Harris would not. If Riggs or be between the U.S.A. and Aus- ed to assist Budge in the singles Itralia, the latter of whom won would not bet ten dollars against last year by the odd match, but

a thousand that they would win Japan, who play the U.S.A.,

.dd.

a

Because they simply have not chance. Wood, on the other hand,

must not be treated lightly. SELECTOR'S HARD TASK Great Britain, the holders, ex- is one of the world's finest players cused the exhausting ordeal of His game is sound, he has a brain playing through, will have plenty and on his "right" days, a more of time to reconstruct their team. daring, brilliant player never lived.for now that Perry has joined the He is working at his game in ranks of the professionals, Austin California right now. Working will assume his mantle as our No. hard. If the tennis fathers" had 1 singles player. Who the second any sense at all they would give singles player will be is the ques- him the encouragement of telling tion which the selection committee; him they were counting on him, who were at the ceremony, will and expected him to work with have to decide. Budge and regain the trophy”

H. G. N. Lee, one of the best match players we have, told me at Torquay last November that, if

WORLD'S BEST PAIR Tilden rates Budge and Mako as the finest doubles, team in the called upon to play, he would not{

world, and sees von Cramin and

be availabl

owing to

INCONSISTENT

business

Heiner Hankel as their only rivals: claims. And the only reason he recognises them is that "Von Gramm is 80 We have G. P. Hughes, who is superb that he could play a ventri-much better as a singles-player loquist's dummy as a partner and than is generally supposed. F. H still be formidable”-- United Press.†D. Wilde and the left-handed C. E. Hare to be considered. The two MISS HARTIGAN RANKED NO. 1 last named belong to the younger Sydney, February 4.-Miss Joan school, and both are, unfortunately, Hartigan and Miss Thelma Coyne, somewhat inconsistent. Wilde--can who are equal first in the Austra-be devastating, and it will be re- lian National rankings, are placed membered that he played a really first and second in the New South magnificent game against K Schro Wales rankings. Miss

third and Miss fourth

Selwin is der, the Swede, in the Covered. Iattersley Court Championships at Queer's

Club last anturan.

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TOP-FLITE

RACKET

with the OPEN THROAT

Mokes every shot a split-second FASTER

ON SALE AT

MAMAK & CO.

"KOWLOON.