TENNIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2366, 5 December 1908, Page 3

TENNIS.

THE DAVIS CUP.

WHY BRITAIN DID NOT-

COMPETE

Writing shortly before the contest for the Davis Cup an Australian authority remarked:— Challenges were received this year from the British Isles and America, and, although the hope was expressed that the preliminary ties between these nations would be played in Austililia, the English association belittled itself by asking for a guarantee of their team’s expenses, which was relused by the L.T.A. of Australasia, ' l ? . *he conditions -provide for the visiting teams each receiving one-third of the profits of the preliminary match, and one-half of the profits in the challenge iround. . Australasia, moreover, never even hinted at receiving any assistance towards sending a team to England, and such a proposal, coming -as it does from a country which has heCd I'omcontests for the cup and received a large profit therefrom, has considerably lowered the prestige which English lawn-tennis players and the association which controls the sport tlic world over have always enjoyed in Australia. The Americans offered a guarantee of £3OO for the match to be played in the United States, and. Mr J. G. Ritchie a-.nd J. O. Parke were selected to do battle for the - ‘British Isles against th© pick of the American prayers, B. C. Wright and W. A. Earned, F. B. Alexander and H. H. Hackett. America, of course, won the contest, and, -although it was found impossible for Lamed fend Hackett to come over, Messrs JBeaW C. Wr / and F. B. Alexander are now hero.

ALEXANDER TO TOUR NEW ZEALAND.

United Peess Association. Copxeight (Received December 5, 12.50 a.m.>

MELBOURNE, Dec. 4

Alexander, the American tennis player, has arranged for a six weeks’ tour of New Zealand at the conclusion of his Australian tour.