New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-06
American Team Must Travel
from London to Nottingham
to Meet Germans.
SERIES BEGINS ON JULY II
Teutons Feared and British
Lawn Tennis Players Look
Askance on. Continental
Clay Courts.

!
England. This will necessItate Maurice
f.. Mclaughlin. r. Norris Williams, wal
lace F. johnson and Harold II. Hackett.
the quartet of players representing this
country taking a special Journey OF near
~ two hundred miles to the north OF
London. where the men have been COM
peting in the All-England championship
tournament at Wimbledon.
The news OF this arrangement reached
this country in special letters which came
aboard the Mauretania a week ago. The
officials had hoped that the American
players would be able 10 remain In Lon
con right up to the time of the challenge
competitions. provided they were not de-
feated before that time. II Is thought
that the changing around from place 10
place will I'm a measure handicap the men
and perhaps throw them bit of form, so
that they will not be at their best for the
great battles which are TO come.
The other semi-nnaI matches which will
bring together the Canadians and the
Belgians. the latter having drawn bye
in the first round. are likely to be decided
on the courts Of the Fokestone Club, In
order to conform with the REQUEST OF the
Belgians.
The dates for the matches between
the Germans and the Americans have
been decided upon, and the series VIII
begin on Friday. July II. and will con-
tinue on Saturday. July u. with the clos
ing matches on Monday. July H. How
ever the matches turn out. the final series,
as well as the challenge matches. in
which the British Isles team will defend
the trophy. will be played on the courts
at Wimbledon. The dates set for the
finals are July 10. 10 and 81. The chal-
lenge contests are scheduled for July %,
&c and %
In conformity with the cup regulations
the nominations Cor the Belgium team are
as follows: w. Lemaire de Warzee,
Georges Watson. r. du Vivier and Cheva-
lier Paul de Borman. the latter acting as
captain This is the last team OF the
challenging nations TO be named
IL Is no secret In England that the COM
mittee deputized TO select the defending
team faced the most difficult task In
the history OF the game. Few believe that
It will be possible 10 successfully defend
the cup against either the American or the
German team, one or the other OF which
| IS regarded as certain to stand as the
| challenger Charles p. Dixon and Arthur
w Gore two OF the strongest men on
the British list were beaten on Friday In
the All-England championship by COM
parative outsiders. Roper Barrett was
defeated on the opening day by Nc
| Loughlin, the American champion, and
! J. c. Parke also yielded 10 the American
| Again the eligibility problem has come
| up IL is a moot question whether or not
Anthony F. wilding. the famous Austria
! Ian, who holds the All-England title,
may properly take his place among the
defenders on the official statement or
| Stanley n. Doust. captain of the Austria
| liam team, on his arrival In this country.
Wilding had declared his intention 10
| play for Australia again II the team de-
feated the Americans in the ties played
on the West Side Tennis courts early this
month Wilding is badly needed on the
cup-defending side, but from recent let
| ters received from London II Is certain he
never had any intention OF playing on
the cup defending side.
Among those who have watched the
| leading Americans and Germans in action
there is a slight shade OF opinion In favor
OF the Teutons winning the right 20 chal-
lenge for the Davis cup. This possibility
draws attention to a startling omission
I'm the cup regulations. II Is not stated
anywhere that the matches must be de-
| cided on turf The Germans are essen
TALLY hard court players. Nearly all OF
| the courts of the Continent of Europe are
| OF hard clay. II will be remembered that
| the recent international ties between the
Germans and the French were played on
hard courts at Weisbaden. radical de-
parture from the time-honored turf courts
In international competitions
The possibility OF losing the cup to the
| Germans, who will surely defend II on
hard clay courts II they get It. has
brought out a storm OF criticism In Eng
land. The majority OF the Britons fail ut
! terly on hard courts. where the fast trav-
| cling ball and general rapidity OF action
al once handicaps the men who have
trained for many years on the slower turf
surfaces. Many OF the Engllshmen see
the prospect OF training an entirely new
group of players to compete for the tro-
phy. and some are in favor OF incorporat-
| ing at once a clause making play upon
turf compulsory in all future matches for
| the Davis Cup.
The outcome OF the controversy has
! been TO bring out some tart comment
| from European players. One of the
| strongest criticisms is that OF Max
Decugis. the former French champion and
one of the most popular players In
France He takes the ground that CONT
| mental players have persistently chal-
lenged and played under conditions which
severely handicapped them and that turn
about would only be fair play.
In part he says: Would England be
compelled to play the challenge round on
hard courts? Why not? To mo II seems
] that the question can only be answered
by an unhesitating affirmative. On several
occasions In 1904. 1905. 1905. 1912 and 1918.
Continental countries have sent chal-
lenges for the cup, and In all cases have
played the preliminary and challenge
rounds In England. although by playing
on unfamiliar surfaces they were GER
tainly placed at a disadvantage. And yet
IT, despite this handicap, a Continental
country succeeds In winning the cup, IL
IS objected to that England return the
compliment and so refuse to play the
| challenge round on a surface which the
holders may choose"
| The Carynan tao o.. "a An ,,,agt .