Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-21
Steps to Institute
New Competition
Taken in Tennis

NEW YORK, Jan. 3o.-Eyen before the
result of the matches for the Davis cup,
held at Christ Church, New Zealand, was
known, steps TO institute an entirely new
competition for the lawn tennis cham
pionship Of the world had been taken.
A formal invitation has been sent to the
various lawn tennis governing bodies by
the president OF the Union des Societies
Franchises de Sports Athletiques, which
rules lawn tennis In France, asking them
to send representatives TO a conference
which is TO be held in Paris In July. The
purpose OF this conference is TO decide
whether IL Is desirable TO institute a
lawn tennis championship Of the world,
and IL the answer is in the affirmative,
to formulate rules TO govern the eompetl-
ton and to select a time and place for
holding the first meeting, II is almost
certainty that Great Britain. Germany,
Austria and Belgium will send delegates
to the conference, while France will, Of
course. have It's representatives there.
For a number OF years there has been
talk Of a worlds championship lawn ten
mis- meeting. II Is felt that the Davis cup
competition, while in a measure serving
the purpose, has never done so fully
owing to its being a contest between
nations instead Of one between individ-
us.s This feeling has gained In
strength with each year the Davis cup
has been held In Australasia. II Is
pointed out that since 1901 there has been
no real competition among the ''cham-
/ pIon nations" TO employ the phraseology
.nt.
as America Is the only country that has
sent team to the antipodes. owing to
l the great distance and the amount Of
/ time required TO make the trip. II is re-
called that so long as the cup was held
/ In England all the other nations sent
! teams to battle for II. -...
The same conditions OF affairs would
J prevail II America were the holding
country. II Is said that the European
nations were only waiting for the cup TO
be brought back TO America to challenge
! for 1t almost IN a body. Had the New
Zealand contest resulted differently the
greatest lawn tennis competition In the
worlds history would have been held
here this year. Great Britain. France
and Germany were ready to send teams.
and Australasia would almost certainly
have challenged. with Breokes to cap
tain its team, in the endeavor TO regain
what II has come TO look upon as It's
own.
! There never has been a worlds lawn
tennis championship instituted. and many
people are disposed to conclude that II is
not feasible to hold one. The principal
tennis playing nations are located so
near each other-with the exception Of
Australasla-that no insuperable difficult
ties exist. however. II European play
ers were ready 10 cross the ocean in pur-
suit OF the Davis cup they would be even
more ready to do so II the prize were a
real worlds championship. II Euro
pean capital should be selected as the
locale Of the matches, however. there
would be even less trouble experienced
IN getting entries In the European cen
tiers. AS for American players. there are
probably half dozen who would view
with favor the plan Of making a bid for
tItuIar honors. Many Americans have
contested for English championship hon.
ors at Wimbledon IN the past. and sew
eral OF the topnotchers OF today have
been quietly turning over the project OF
having a try next year for the English
title.