The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-19
DAVIS CUP TO AUSTRALASIA?
ANTIPODBANS FEARED IN THE
COMING INYERNATTONALS. Fl.
EngiSnd's Team With Dohertys Missing
Does Not Appear 20 BE Formidable
Americans Must he at Their Best 90
Win Preliminary Tie With COlOnialS.

Is the Davis international lawn tennis
trophy likely TO leave England after the
challenge matches the latter part OF July?
That Is a question that the English experts
are considering very seriously now and
they believe that the chances OF the de-
Tenders are slim. Whether il will be Aus
t~ralasia or the United States which will
be the winner IL not sure In the minds OF
the British players and followers Of the
game. The trend OF their thought ia, how
ever, TINT II the Dohertys are not going to
~play-which seems now TO be the case
one or the other OF the visiting teams is
going 70 hnve the fortunate combination.
Americans generally believe that II our
team passes the Australians in the pre-
liminary tie to he played on July IS, Is and
Ia they will defeat the English in the
challenge matches set for July 20. % and
%. The English seem to believe that the
Colonials are the players to be feared, so
the matter reduces itself TO this, that the
play OF the Australians is the cruz. In that
view the Americans coincide, 30 that from
either angle the Australians rave TO be
watched. ,
The three countries represented TINS
year are those named above. The Eng
inAi % IA bV NiASbNl " ~ . th.a'Nl
+. l.. Riseley, NJ. j. G. Richie, n. Roper
Barrett, r. +, and II. L. Doherty. THE
Au~stralAsian nomination includes the names
OF Norman Brookes, their captain; A. F..
| Wilding, l.. o. S. Poidevin and O.. G. Sharp.
Beals c. Wright and Karl II. Behr are the
only c%ertainties for the American team
at the present writing, The American
international committee may add some
.NIar 49, rE la,yar M nNtNnTfnniiu
offers. 1t does not appear likely at this
time that X. ID. Little will be able TO go
abroad this year. However, the Ameri-
ans have plenty of time to name other
| players, as the time for announcing teams
is still some weeks distant.
OF the retirement Of the Dohertys and
the resultant condition OF the English
prospects, a writer in the Sportsman Of
London under the head of English STU
premacy; Ia 1t in Jeopardy says: The
pity OF it is tha out Of the myriads Of lawn
tennis players in England and the hum
dred or 30 who will enter the lists at VIM
bledon there is no legitimate successor TO
the great Laurie Doherty. As l have
stated, nothing is certain yet, but from
what / can gather the probability is that
II. L. will this year give the championships
a rest, but be persuaded on patriotic grounds
to play in the ~internationals."
This does not appear TO he surely the case.
however. and so he continues TO sum up
the chances by talking OF the other players
nominated: ITO add to the uncertainty
Of England's prospects against 30 formi-
dable a pair as Brookes and Wilding-thAt IL,
assuming the latter beat the Americans In
the preliminary round-it may he said that
both Smith and Riseley have shown a dis
position to esohew serious match play this
season. The chief reason is the claims OF
business, but Riseley still Is troubled with
his arm, and that in itself might he a handi-
cap. l happen to know, however. that tho
members OF the l.. T. A. have made a
unanimous appeal to Smith and Riseley
to reconsider matters on purely patriotic
grounds and that Riseley at least has prom
ised to do 20.
Assuming that r. +. Doherty does not
play and that II. l.. does play the team
F. L. 1tiscley and Roper Barrett. How
good q player the last named is may not
be common knowledge, although it ought
to he. 1t may be remembered that he con-
stituted n OF tho England team that
played in the first match for tho Dwight
Davis cup. That was In 1900. at Longwood.
where his colleagues we're A. w. Gore and
+. d. Black. Amer e. who proved VIC
%torious, was then rsI,: esented by M: d.
Whitman. ID. f. Davis and H. Ward. 1
uOuDt uOL tHht INOptT bdITcLJI III lie WSfO
asked 10 be In readiness for the inter
nationals, would be able to devote more
time to the game and come to he seriously
reckoned with. l am inclined to think
that II. l.. Doherty and F. l.. Riseley would
with sufficient practice together make an
ideal pair in the doubles.
STRONG as he is with Smith. Riseley
would be better still with q superb tao
tician such as Doherty. for to say the least
Smith, despite his success with Riseley
.-kAa NLA nAhnNfxT hr1NhaHa AnNA-
at Wimbledon. is alarmingly unorthodox
and uncertain. 1t would be a great thing
to see H. l.. Doherty and Riseley paired,
but there are people who say that such a
thing will never be-
Then Of the Australians he ends by say
ing: assuming that H. L.. Doherty does
not defend the championship Norman
BrookeS would only have to repeat his
form Of 1906 TO attain the honor he then 30
nearly won, he was invinGible in the
recently paid a flying visit home TO collect
scalps In the New Zealand championships,
says that Brookes Is playing better than
ever. That Is saying a great deal. As
ship and then had to meet H. L. Doherty
In the international, what an attraction
1t would he"
Naturally enough l.. o, s. Poidevin,
one OF those nominated for the Australasian
team, might be expected TO view the chances
Of the Kntipodeans with favor, Writing
to the London Express he goes over the
situation generally. He eeems to believe
that the results OF the preliminary tie de-
pend upon Besls Wright. That is con-
sidered true here. too, n d much also is
considered TO der end upon the form shown
by Karl Behr. Mr.. Poidevin says in part.
sThe avowed retirement Of the Doberty
brothers has awakened the possibility
and even the probability Of a change Of
holders, and the consensus seems to favor
the idea that England is going 70 lose the
trophy this year. The probability is that
America and Australia will, as last year,
dispute the right to challenge England.
The composition OF both teams lie already
known, and as II may safely be assumed
that all the players will be at their bort,
speculation as to the result is even at this
stage possible
Mr.. Poidevin then proceeds to speculate
on the basis OF certain players whom he
names as the American team. It In not
certain right now that these will be the
American players.
sThe American team he continues.
comprises Beals Wright, Raymond Little
and Karl Behr, while the Australasia
nominations include Norman Brookes, A.
+. Hjlding. @. @. Sharp and l.. O. s Poidevin.
hustf alaslS will Of COURSE rely upon STookes
and wilding in both singles and doubles,
one or other Of the remaining nominees
playing only In case OF emergency. Great