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Chronicle (Levin), 10 December 1946, Page 6

rW ( . i SYDNEY, Dec. 9. -i The Lawn Tennis Association of. Australia will *• not take, aetion to: compel the Australian champion John Bromwich to change his court style unless the American Davia Cup team manager (Mr. W. Pate) asks it. to ^d.o so. This was announced by tke .p^esident of the association (Sir, N.orman , Brookes). , . , Earlier Sir Norman Brookes .. had hinted that aetion wouid be takeii to prevent Bromwich droppi'ng the ball on or near the court in tlie Davis * Cup challenge rOund. . Bromwich during his Victofiaii champipnship singles 'final ' against Schroeder quietly drQppeil' tlie spare ball after his service. Hd discarded it so well behind the baseline that it was hardly noticeable. Tennis oflieials in Melbourne said that even if Mr. Pate did protest the Australian Lawn Tennis Council would oppose any* aetion against Bromwich who has always dropped the ball if his first service is right. This is to allow him to change to: his two-handed grip. Prominent Australian players have defended Bromwich against the criticism of the American players, and the Daily Telegraph in a sports editorial says the prptest of the American players must not be upheld. "The American protest cannot be justified in any way. Bromwich played in America.on two Davis . Cup tours without his niethod of dropping the ball raising a query. Other . two-handers, McGrath aud G. Brpwn who lise the sarne method of disposing of the second service ball, have been accepted overseas without question. To ask Bromwich to change au integral part of his style on the eve of the Davis Cup challenge round would be ijhposing an unwarranted and grossly unfai'r handicap on our greatest player."