THE DAVIS CUP

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 73, 20 December 1920, Page 6

THE DAVIS CUP

HISTORY OF THE TROPHY SOME EXCITING STRUGGLES AUSTRALASIA'S FINE RECORD Symbolising, as it does, world supremacy m lawn tennis, the Davie Cup provides a meoting-ground for countries which include this game among (heir pastimes. It has attained a place in international sport far beyond even the wildest dreams of its donor. Dr. Dwight P. Davis, a New York millionaire, and himself a representative of liis country in tho contests. The records, says the Auckland "Herald," show that since the United States lost the cup it has regained possession but! once, in 1913, and then only for tho brief space of one year. Three times have American teams visited Australasia and failed to recover the trophy. Now a fourth team is here. What will be its fortune? It is now lhventy yea re slnco the first matcli for the Davis Cup was fought. In 1900, the British Isles played America at Longwood, near Boston, and suffered defeat by three matches to love. In that initial game the British Isles wore represented by A. W. Gore, whose remarkable record covers 80 years of firstclnss tennis, H. Roper Barrett, and E. D. Black. Tho American team consisted, appropriately enough, of Dwight Davis "himself, M. D. Whitman, and Holoombo Ward. These three players took the visitors by 6urpriso'with the famous "American service," and it i? recorded that tho first ball of the match, served by Davis, broko fully a yard, and Black, whoso lot it was to veccive it, was left standing, much to' iJio amusement of the spectators. There was no match in 1901, but a year later the British Isles made another unsuccessful visit, and ilhis, even although tho redoubtable Doherty brothers competed, winning the doubles after a close match with another paid of brothers, the Wrenns. The Dohertys made another trip to tiho United States in 1903. and this time they were successful. Por the first time the cup lef: American shores. The year 1904' was_ memorable in ilhe history of the contests, inasmuch as it marked the entry of two Continental teams. In tho preliminary round- Bel? gium beat France, but suffered 1 overwhelming defeati by the British Isles in tho challenge, round. The Doh'ertys, with P. L. Bisley, proved their superiority by!winning the match with the loss of only one set. Australasia's Debut. Enter Australia and New Zealand! In 1905, Norman E. Brookes, Artihony F. Wilding, and A. W. Dunlop gavo a sound beating to the Austrian representatives, who wero also making their first appearance in . Davis Cup matches. Brookes had a triumphant passage in the singles, tenting R. Kinzl 6—o, 6—l, 6—2. and ,C. von Wesseloy 6—o, 6—2, 6—2. In combination- with Dunlop he also won f/he doubles "three straight." Wilding won both his matches with tho loss of a set in each. Unfortunately, America, gave the Australians a taste of their own medicine in the finals, winning bv five matches to love, altboimh Brookes put up a great fight before striking his oolours to Beals Wright. The match went to four sets, the scoros being 12—10, 5—7, 12—10, P—i. Curiously enough tho challenge round saw a third "s—o" matfch, tho British Jsles inflicting a crashing defeat upon the Americans, who were regarded as hot favourites. The doubles match, in which the Doherty defeated Holcombe Ward and Beals Wright B—lo, 6—2, 6—2, 4—6, B—6, was described es "one of the most impressive ever seen at Wimbledon." _ The British Isles scored another decisive victory ovor ilhe United States m 1906. 1!. F. and H. L. Doherty and S. H. 'Smith, winning every match against H. Ward and E. D. Little. The American champion, Beals Wright, was unable to play owing to his meeting with a serious acident. Australasia was representedl by "Wilding and ilhe ex-interna-tional cricketer, Dr. L. O. S. Poidovln, and made a good fight against America in the preliminary tie.. Wilding won both his singles, but I'oidevin, who was short of practice, lost his and the odd match, the doubles went to tho Americans. Cup Comes to Australia, Australasia's year of triumph was 1907. Brookes and Wilding, after a close matcli with America in tho preliminary tie, had a still closer game with tho British Isles in the final. Both contests wero in doubt -until the third day, and- in each caso it was Brookes who made victory secure. Beals Wright and Ifarl Behr won the doubles for America, ana so did A. W. Goro and H. Roper Barrett for tho British Isles, botli matches endin gin dramatic fifth sets. Wilding lo9t ono single in each round, his victors being Wright, and Gore. Brook® proved irresistible, and in his four singles matches lost only one set, and that to Behr. So the Davis Cup camo lo Auscralasia. The Americans came after it hot-foot. In 1908, after defeating England in the preliminary tie, they sent their best team, consisting of Beals Wright and F. B. Alexander, t to try to recover the .cup. The match was played in Melbourne, and resulted in a memorable struggle. On the first day Brookes won against Alexander nfter five long sets, and Wilding, taking tjie first sot, lost to Wright. The doubles were won by Brookes and Wilding, 6—4, 6—2, 5—7, I—6, 6—i. On the third day Wright, after facing apparently hopeless defeat, and winning only' three games in the first two sets, gradually wore down Brookes, and won in a desperate fifttli set at J2—lo. In the deciding match Wilding disposed of Alexander m three straight sets, and the cup remained in Australasia. Tho next year America again defeated England, nnd sent two promising coltfe, _Jl/-E. M'Loughlin and M. H. Long, to Sydney. Brookes nnd Wilding beat them with the loss of a .solitary set. There was no match in 1910. First Match In New Zealand. The first Davis Cup match in New Zealand wan played in Christchurch in 1911. The preliminary tie was won by Amorica, and W. A. Larned, Beals Wright, and M. E. M'Loughlin comprised her team for the challenge round. In tho absence of Wilding, Brookes had associated with him A. W. Dunlop and ]!. W. Heath. Tlio defenders won every match. On the concluding day Wright defaulted to Heath, and the only match played was that between M'LoughlinVml Brookes, tho latter winning in a fivesets' "go." After holding tho cup for five yoars Australasia somewhat unexpectedly 1 lost il lo the British Isles in 1912. J, C. Parke wns the main factor in the Mother Country's triumph, and it is recorded that C, P. Dixon, the British captain, leapt tho barrier and embraced his colloague after his sensational victory over Brookes. The transfer of the s<ene of action to Great Britain resulted in a host -of ontries in 1913. Australnsia, America, Canada, South Africa, Belgium, France', and Germany all played for the honour of meeting the holders. America emerged as victors, beating a weak Australasian team from which Brookes and I Wilding wero both absent, and in a closely-fought challenge round .defeated the British Isles. The 1914 match produced a happy augury of tho sterner struggle to come, Australasia beating Germany by five matchea to love, los" ing only ono set. This match was only concluded on August 1 and the unforhinnte German players. Froitzheim and Kreuzer, wero captured on their way back to Germany a.nd woro interned at Gibraltar. In the challenge round Ausrrahfia beat America by tlueo matches ft> two. a remarkable feature being a 17—15 set in which M'Loughlin beat Brookes. There were 110 contests during the war years, and when it was decided to resume in 1919 the United States paid a graceful tribute to tho var losses of the British Empire nnd did not niake an cntrv. The challenge match was played in Sydney last January, A. I,(] p. Kingscote. A. TT. Lowo and A. K Beamish representing the. British Isles, and N. Pi. Brookes, G. L. Pntterson and ,T. O. Anderson the holders. On tho first dny Patterson defeated Lowe and Anderson lost to ICingscote. Tho doubles wero won by Brookes and Patterson ogr-inst Kingscote and Beamish, and the Englishi men had to win both singles on the |

third day if they wero to iako nwny the cup. This they failed to do, losing both matches.