QUIST ON TOP

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 60, 27 March 1937, Page 14

QUIST ON TOP

AUSTRALIA'S BEST PLAYER A DISCOXJRSE ON RANKlNG CRITIC PLACES HIM WITH VON CRAMM AND BUDGE Any grading that would place Crawford ahead of either Quist or McGrath would he at the least 12 months out of date, declares an Australian tennis critic in replying to a question as to who is Australia's No. 1 Davis Cup man. 1 To-day Quist stands out as one of the three greatest singles players in the world with Donald Budge (U.S.A.) and von Cramm (Germany). In Australia he is our No. 1 player, and although his place has been questioned this year by first Bromwich and then by McGrath, he remains No. 1. He started the season with the Australian, Victorian, N.S.W. and Queensland titles. At present he retains only the Victorian. He might win the South Australian. He certainly would be favourite for it. He lost the N.S.W. title when Bromwich defeated him in a semi-final and the Australian title when Harry Hopman eliminated him in a quarter-final. Not a particularly convincing result when considered apart from other things. Bromwich came to Victoria, and those who saw Quist beat him at the Albert Ground realised that the boy wiuld have to wait a while , hefore he would repeat his N.S.W. title win. Quist swamped Bromwich. His defence was seldom broken, while he attacked Bromwich's weaknesses mercilessly. In the S.A. Centenary championships Quist and Bromwich met in the final, and again Quist proved so vastly,superior that the only wonder was that he had been beaten at Sydney. Quist dominated the Victorian title, winning almost as he liked. In the early rounds of the Australian title he was playing so well that he only had to stand up to win. On the day he met Harry Hopman, however, he slumped so badly physically and menfally that he caused the critics to gasp in amazement.

Best Man Beaten. Harry Hopman is a potenMal upset to any player in the world. He worries Quist at all times. His sliced shot under Quist's backhand, his chopping here and there are very apt to upset the fiow oi the South Australian's strokes. In Sydney that day Hopman worried Adrian into a complete collapse. After the match* Hopman told me that he felt sorry in one way that he had eliminated Quist. "He is the logical winner here," jhe said, "and on his form before this match nobody could have taken it away from him. I felt sorry for hhn

as I saw him gradually beating himself. I knew I could not go much further and it seemed something of a pity that Quist should go out after what had been one of his worst days in tennis. McGrath eliminated Hopman, Bromwich beat Crawford and finally McGrath won the title. All that is history. Behind Quist's tennis this season has been a particularly heavy business routine. Quist was subject to considerable business regotiations which did not materialise until after the Australian championships. ' This I know upset his concentration. Still, a champion must he a champion all the time. , , ■*** McGrath Sfcrong Contender. The oase of Vivian McGrath is different. He was sent abroad, I think, far too early. Confident and full c* initiative, he defeated many men ranked higher in world company. But analyse McGrath in those youthful years. He lacked a good forehand. He was deflnitely limited overhead, his service was often pushed. Generally he had one winning stroke — a good one certainly— his double-fisted backhand. Surely it was wrong to have sent him abroad to batter his way through the Davis Cup with one winning shot. He did amazingly well, but the day came when the strain of responsibility and the limitations of his game upset his nerve. He played badly and the world declared him to be° finished. That was before he had reached 19. By contrast, Donald Budge, who started at about the same time, had been carefully coached and prepared before he was allowed to enter the world lists. When he did so he imjtnediately made his mark as an aU-

round player. He came into big tennis just when McGrath was alleged to have been finished and they were about the same age. McGrath suffered a let-down in health to add to his trials. At the Australian championships at Adelaide 1 was convinced that McGrath had turned the corner. He'was hitting his service, his footwork • has improved, and his forehand was along sounder lines. Still far from well, however, he was not nearly the player then that ne promised to he. .This season he has 'not bustled from tournainent to tournament. He has bided ftis time and has won the Queensland title, which Quist forfeited, and the Australian title. In the finals of both he defeated Bromwich. The coming years will improve Mc.Grath's tennis and he will, I hope, I after this season abroad, be a chal'lenger for the highest honours.