AUSTRALIA MUST PLAY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 55, 27 November 1937, Page 17

AUSTRALIA MUST PLAY

THAT DAVIS CUP CHALLENGE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW BLOOD

Australia must challenge for the Davis Cup in 1938, says H» A. De Lacy in the Sporting Globe. >Oopinions of several leading officials and players have ben voiced against the challehge, but they are opinions based on an e'ntit'ely wrong premises. The desire of CrawforQ and McGrath to remain in Australia next winter is not the main point at issue. For one thing, Crawford, on his recent form nnd on his merits, will not win a place in the Davis Cup team. New blo.od is wanted in the Australian ranks, and 1938 looks like being the year to develop it. The Davis Cup will not be won by

Vivian McGrath is far from finished with. Probably in"his own interests a rest at home would improve his physique and increase his. *est for international competltion, The two players we seem lilce having to rely on are Adrian Quist and John Bromwich. Bromwich is a fresh and improved player as a result of his 1937, his first, trlp abroad. Bromwich requires another trip abroad irqnie^ diately. Adrian Quist did not play a'xreat deal of tennis in 1937 and therefpre should be ready to undertake our responsibilities next year. He is keejD to go. You remember that after playing in the Au.tralia-Mexico Cup ti« on the eve of the match with th« United States, Adrian becfune seriously ill. . • -- This season he will be making something of a comeback after his illnesa. If Quist strikeS' his best form he," and not Crawford, must be the keystofie of our challenging forces. This fact cannot be ignored. Bromwich arid , Quist' are not a bad pair in • doubles and there are several , promising youngsters. waiting.for a chance to gain international experience. If McGrath remains of the same opiniqn we can still, send abroad a * team that will be nearly the equal of the 1937 te'dm, • ' For one thing there is no guarantee possible from McGrath's most ; ardent supporters that their faricy; will finish ahead of Bropiwich on the Australian ranking list for the 1937-38 season. . At any rate, why all this early propaganda against the- 1938 chal-

stay-at-homes. History proves that victory comes onljrto the nation that goes out ,and fights, eyen though defeat at first is her portion. Our young q layefs ' must be given international . experience— loads of it. We have a mountain of talent "in this counfry' but we- have very plain ideas of developing it to international Standard. The money is available. Let us send our team abroad ih 193S— a- decision that should.be contingent only op the form of Adrian .Quist and John Brom-; wich. _ ' . ' Crawford's Inclusion Doubtful. Jack Crawford and Vivian McGrath, on their return from the 1937 Davis Cup challenge, started the opposition to the 1938 challenge by saying that they wanted a winter at home. Mr. Norman Brookes, president of the L.T.A.A. and an Australian selector, has now spoken against issuing the challenge. With due deference to the opinion of Mr. Brookes, I suggest that he is still viewing Crawford's in- : clusion in an Australian team as vital [to its success, As a i'act, no, Australian selection committee could justify the selection of Crawford either on his form or his recent performances abroad. So the case of Crawford requiring a winter to hibernate in Australia should be easily met and should not affect or influence an Australian challenge in 1938 , 1 1

lenge? Before a decision ls ne'eMwry quite a lot of water will "flow \under Princes Bridge and," we might mention, the Sydney Harb'our Bridge. Our tennis future cannot be imet with preconceived. ideas, of which we seem to have a superabundanct st present. . s " - V ■' - : ; ; O'Hara Wood Says Oialleng^ Pat O'Hara Wood; former Davis Cup player. and who ;was appolhted coach of the Australian, junipr, squad this year, failed to see any rgason other thah the Iack of form of Quist and Bromwich for not sending ' a team away. McGrath might c|. well to rest, but 'Crawford had to win his way into the team and it was doubtful whether he could. * • I asked Mr. Wood whether any of the boys he handled recently at the ' Australian coaching school in Sydney were ready for Davis Cup experience. "Not yet," he said, "though improvement this season would bring Gilchrist (New South Wales) and Long (Victoria) into line for 'discussion. I think the best lad coming on is Pails, but he is not old enough't hor'is )te ready to send abroad. "However, apart from the coaching * school, if Quist and Bromwich are ready I would send Schwartz and Huxley, and we would have a good team, Len Schwartz has been slightly overshadowed by Quist. but he has tennis ih him and he is.not too old. Huxley looks a natural doubles player. Challenge by all means."