LAWN TENNIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 43, 11 July 1914, Page 9

LAWN TENNIS.

XOIt.YIAX BUUOr£Es>. NEW CHAMPION'S I'EANS. Interviewers were, busy with Norman Jirookes when lie arrived in England, and at the lioehampton tournament Jio .was prevailed upon to express himself more freely than, he usually does, hi tiie course of the interview lie made it quite elear that his visit to England was entirely for the purpose of striving to regain tile Davis ("up. and that lie is confident of his physical iitness and ability to recover his very best form. Jto said:—< "1 came over here to try and win Kick the Davis Cup for Australasia, and all the events and championships for which. I enter this' time are used wnrply to get myself lit for the Davis Cup. My first question was whether I was myself in good health and able to stand the necessary severe strain of Davis Cup tennis. 1 was examined in Melbourne fully by Rontgen rays, and otherwise by two doctors, who told me J was all right, if they had not told me that, I could not have cou.sented to leal the team. I thto gbt on the Riviera as* soon as possible, and there played all the big matches 1 could get. Of course, Wilding beat me, hut 1 played much better I anticipated, and on 'hard courts, and was pleased to heat all others. I had quite seen the possibility of going down to some of them before I struck form. "I was a bit ■affected before my (second match against Wilding with influenza. The cold wind sweeps down from the hills on the. Riviera a't dusk, Mini it caught me unawares. llSin-oe then, I am. getting into form nicely, ■hut, of course, this Uorkun.ptmi touirnameid. is just a diversion—not taken ,very seriously by any of us." ! "Wilding, 1 think.'' he continued 1 , "ha* improved distinctly on hi.> backhand, and his volleying as stronger. Of covuv,e his backhand was his weak spot, and one could keep at it, and ■ the removal of this defect had evened up the game; but he is not stronger, therefore, in attack—only in defence. All his other good points—his forehand dipping drive acros* court and command of length—he had before in 11)07. Even tic ugh he beat me quite handsomely at Cannesv he did not pass me clean very often. 1 was slipping on the loose sand, but still generally the ball was in me reach, and I therefore should have played' it. "f don't think my game has gone off at all sinw li)« 7.' My service.' is not r-o fast, but 1 prefer the change of pace to merely fast driving. My back hand has certainlv improved. 1 can now on that side hit harder, and control the direction better, and deceive my opponent more c'tmpletcly as to my intentions. Hut -this is only my opinion. Tlhc nucstion shall be decided in the matches 1 shall p'.ay."