STARS IN PARIS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 93, 10 December 1931, Page 2

STARS IN PARIS

HISTORY OF DAYIS CUP IS THE HISTORY OF TWO PRAYERS. FRANCE'S DAY OVER. The history of the Davis Cup ia alvvays the history of two players (writes W, T. Tilden in the New York Times). By this I mean that every champion nation held its position by virtue of possessing two players or more of equal ability. No one player single-handed has proved equal to the task of carrying his country to victory by winning three points. The first -great outstanding pair were the -Dohertys, Big and Little Do, of En;g- \ land. These two great stars carried England to world supremacy by virtue of their outstanding skill. Then carne along the next pair of tennis giants, Norman Brookes and Anthony Wilding. • Almost equal in ability, yet widely different in method, these two great masters held complete , command of the tennis world, with only Mourice McLoughlin, of the United States. to threaten their supremacy, for many years prior to the war. Then came the World War, with its break in tennis competition and with its close another combination of Big and Little brought the world championship to the United States. This time it was Big and Little Bill, Johnson and I, who swept the courts. We were fortunate to have with us two other great stars of equal class, R. N. Williams, junr., and Vincent Richards, to place the United States far ahead of the rest of the war-tdrn world for several years. France's Turn. Once more a great pair of cnampions came into their brilliant best together, this time in France. They were Rene Lacoste and Henri Cochet. They, too, had brilliant support in Jean Borotra and Jacques Brugnon, to make up the famous Four Musketeers of France, who took in 1927 and have held to date the Davis Cup. However, the French are showing signs of passing, and new pairs of great stars are definitely appearing on the horizon. J[t is again the United States which boasts of these players. Back in 1920 to 1925 Australia, with Gerald Paterson and J. O. Anderson, had a pair of men who bid fair to become the world's champion team, but they faltered just short of their goal. Now, in 1931, the United States has Sidney B. Wood, junr., Wimbledon champion, and Frank X. Shields, the runner-up, apparently headed for certain glory in Davis Cup history. Will they succeed or will they falter as did Paterson and An-. derson, just short of their goal, unable to break the defence of the old guard ? England, too, has a pair of youngSters who are almost as dangerous a combination as Wood and Shields. These two are H. W, Austin and Fred Perry. There is little to choose between the positions of England and the United States. Bunny Austin held two match points against Shields at Wimbledon, and was unlucky to lose. Wood scored, more decisively over Perry, yet it was a close battle. The United States has a stronger supporting group in its other players than has England. In George Lott and John Yan Ryn the United States has the world's champion doubles team; also Wilmer Allison, Clifford Sutter, Gregory Mangin, Ellsworth Vines, Junior Coen, and Keith Gledhill to back up our singles stars. England has a fine prospect in Pat Hughes in singles, with J. C. Gregory and Ian Collins dangerous in doubles, yet somehow I cannot quite see England b eating the United States as the champion nation to follow France. „ Stefani Too Late. If Georgio de Stefani, of Italy, had reached his present form almost two years ago while Baron H. L. de Morpurgo was at his best, Italy would have had a great pair. As it was, Stefani arrived just too late, and Baron de Morpurgo must go down ip tennis history as one of the great players v/lio almost single-handed carried his country to victory, but eould no't quite win the ultimate prize. The same was true in Czecho-Slo-vakia. Jan Kozeluh, brother of the great professional, Karel Kozeluh, went off his game just as Roderick Manzel reached his peak. Jean Washer, of Belgium, some years ago, was a great star with no support. G, L. Rogers,. of Ireland, is playing almost alone to-day. Diemer Kool, of Holland, faded before Heintz Timmer reached his best form, so Holland never quite had a first-class team, although both men were great players at separate times. The history of the Davis Cup is indeed the history of two players of j equal ability. The road is strewn with the gallant but futile efforts of the mighty stars who fought alone. It is the simultaneous appearance and maturing of Wood and Shields that leads one to say that the United States will be the next champion na- ■ tion. Next year? Well, wait and I see!