WOMEN IN WORLD TENNIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 55, 20 March 1937, Page 17

WOMEN IN WORLD TENNIS

SUGGESTED "DAVIS CUfT SOME INTERNATIONAL TROPHY NO AUSTRALIAN TEAM FOR WIMBLEDON Touching on the suggested "Davis Cup" for women, a* promulgated in Australia, the New York Sun of January 9 said: "Australia has emerged with a rlval trophy to the Wightman Cup. The tennis trophy, which Mrs. Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman first offered in 1923 for the annual team matches between America and English women, has been a source of envy among other nations for several years. Australians, therefore, are now seeking sanction for an international trophy upon a world-wide scale. "The yevelation of the Australian proposal is buried in the call for the forthcoming annual meeting of the United States Lawn Tennis Association in this paragraph: "To consider a proposal by the Lawn Tennis Association of Australia for tne approval by the f ederation of an international team championship for women on the lines of the Davis Cup." "American delegates to the International Federation session in I|arch will stoutly oppose sanction for the Australian trophy, it is needless to say. "The English officially agreed to send a team of women to Australia the winter of 1937-38. That permlts ihe International Tennis Federation to accord the new trophy its place In the world game, and it will be done at the session next March. Those on the inside of the world tennis say the plan is sure to meet approval. Mlss Jacobs Favourable. *The new threat against the Wightman cup has brought forth opinions from a number of the women who have played for it. Miss Helen Jacobs has expressed herself in these words: "The Wightman Cup has become a tradition, Personally, I should hate to think of these English - American matches ever being discontinued. I look forward to them with great pleasure every year. However, I do feel that a new cup of some sort should be initlated for international eompetltion.,* yisit to England Turned Down. Turning down of the proposed vislt to England of an Australian women*s lawn teirnis team this year by the Australian Lawn Tennis Association,

practically on the question of amateurism, is quaint, in view of financlai arrai^ements for Davis Cup players, comments a writer in the Sydney Referee. The' leading Australian .women piay their games so'fascinatingly, are so gracious "sportsmen" that the four best players would have created rare interest among the galleries at Wimbledon, and, perhaps, would have won some of the higher honours. Miss Joan Hartigan and others gave them a fine advertisement In recent years. Miss Nancy Wynne, Miss jThelma Coyne, and Mrs. Wastacott would have heightened it, and, perhaps, have won in their spheres as much renown as the men. The view held in Melbourne on the matter of a tour this year is that it is best to await the matches with the British Women's team out here this year. It is held that as Misses Wynne and Coyne are so young, the experience they will gain against the English women will be of great value. Then if the team be sent to Wimbledon in 1938, they will be better equipped to meet all comers under conditions differing from those of the homeland. Of course, though it may be argued that experience this year at Wimbledon would strengthen them as opponents of the English women,.