WORLD TENNIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 137, 26 June 1937, Page 17

WORLD TENNIS

.WIMBLEDON PROSPECTS BUDGE LOOKS PROMISING j l — — — : • WHAT OF THE DAVISCIIP? It is early to prophesy what is, likely to happen at this year's Wimbledon tennis battle, but J. D. Budge, the red-lieaded American, looks the likely singles winner. His rise to fame has been almost iheteoric. Budge was prominent last year when he won both his singles in Davis Cup contests against Australia and lost to Perry (Britain) in the semi-final at Wimbledon, after leaving a procession of defeated stars behind him. It would not take glamour from Budge's form to say that his opposition this year has been wealcer than that which he. conquered last br accounted for before that. Last year Perry equalled the great Tilden's record at Wimbledon, wihning his third victory. Without Perry it would appear that Budge will have matters very nearly his own way. It was fondly ftoped by many followers of the game In Australia and New Zealand that Adrian Quist would form a worthy opponent for the American, but the showings to date have done a lot to disturb such an opinion. In the write'r's view Quist, like Von Cramm, will be lucky to make the top of the ladder. • In the past, when Quist has been rated at tip-top form, he has been beaten by players ranked lower than himself. Von Cramm is in much the same position and has reached many finals, only to find a superior opponent awaiting him. Quist is out of the picture this season through sheer hard luck, his unfortunate illness in America badly tumbling Australia's hopes of any Davis Cup superiority. But it 1$ the past which shows Budge as the master of Quiit. On at least three occasions the American has proved too good for the Australian. Austin, Henkel, Hechf, Menzel, McGrath arid Crawford are others who have been seeded by the authorities at Wimbledon, but these players have all been beaten so often — sometimes by players of much inferior ranking — that it would need a goodly touch of luck to aid them to win this year. To be champion at Wimbledon, definitely the world's supreme tennis eentre, a payer has to be letter perfect in all phases of play. It is a testing ground for the fittest. At the moment Budge shows every promise of following in the footsteps of Brooks, Wilding, Patterson, Tilden and Perry, the greatest players the world has ,seen« • As for the Davis Cup outlook, ' the position at the moment of wrlting (June 22) is that Germany and Czechoslovakia are to meet in the European Zone final for the right to play America. It would surprise nobody if the Czechs won. In any case it wpuld appear that America's chances against the European finalists for the fight to play Britain, the holder of the Cup, are very bright. As a matter of fact America's prospect of liftiiig the Cup itself liave never been better. It looks like an American year! -Among the fair sex the rivalry at Wimbledon will be intense, and the issue just as/open as in the men's events. First must come the holder, Miss Helen Jacobs, who achieved one. of her ambitions after .many years of hard luck. Then she went back to the U.S.A., and was surprisingly : beaten by Miss Alice Marble, another Californian. Miss Marble had been laid aside through illness for two years, but bore out the promise of her early play by a splendid win from Miss Jacobs in the final.

Both these are competing, and both have splendid chances. Yet Miss Jacobs has again lost to Mlle. Jerdrejowska, of Poland, who seems to have a hoodop over .the American. This PfQlish champion has a good chance, for she has also beaten Miss Marble. A better one must be accorded to Mrs, Sperfing, German champion for seyeral years. Bhe has hardly been beaten on hard court for two years, but is not so good on turf. She relies on deadly safety and patience- Recently she did lose on a hard court to Mme. Mathieu, who beat her with her own weapon. It is said that two games took an hour. One reads and doubts, but when a rally sees the ball cross the net about a hundred times with a wcarisome safety anything may be true. Miss Marble has suffered several defeats recently in England, but she may have been practising strokes for her real purpose — tJie English title. Still, winning is the best practice. Another very strong claimant is the little lady from Chili, Senorife Lizana. She has been winning almost every title for months, and yet has had. time to become engaged to a young EngJish player. This .Chilian champion has a perfect style, and a splendid temperament. She has just beaten Mrs. Sperling. There are many others who may go far, including Mlle. Iribarne, Jean Borotra's find, Miss Stammers, Miss Round, Mrs. King and Miss Scriven. IVIaori Rugby Player In Form. W. J. Phillips, the Maori All Black wing-threequarter, who toured Australia with the last New Zealand Maori team under the leadership of G. Nepia in 1935, and who played in the' match against the Australian touring team in New Zealand last season, is again playing outstanding football. In the recent representative . match between Kawhia and Otorohanga he played brilliantly, both on attack. and on defence. In scoring his second try he took the ball from half-way in a thrilling solo effort to cross between the posts. In club matches for fhe Mako Mako team he has scored six tries and kicked .a penally goal in two appcarancos. Phillips should be a strong candidate for liigh honours this season.