New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-05-04
AUSTRALIANS TO OPEN
LAWN TENNIS SEASON
Davis Cup Ties Furnish Unusual
Feature to Annual Campaign
on the Courts.
INVADERS HERE THIS WEEK
Round Robin" at Tuxedo Will
Have Much to Do in Select
ing Members of the
American Team.

American Team.
With the arrival Of the Australian lawn
tennis team in this city during the COM
ing week the season on the American
courts will he ushered in Al an earlier
date than usual. The first fanfare of the
trumpets Is louder blast than that which
Is customary a. this time of the year.
when the modest little tournaments
usually have to hunt and drum for an
entry list worthy Of the name. II IS
world famous Davis Cup tie that sets the
ban rolling this season. and so the arrival
OF A. y. Jones and Horace Rice. along
with r. w. Hicks. the manager Of the
team. from the Pacific Coast brings the
international matches right to the fore
front
Then STANLEY n Doust. who IS to act
officially as the captain. gets IN from
London aboard tho Majestic on Wednes-
day. II is probable that the others will
not arrive here on Thursday rs was the
original intention. for thcy have Planned
deal Of sightseeing. and If the programme
is carried out are not likely 10 arrive until
tho following Monday. But the Austria
lians are very much in earnest. and ar
rancements have been made for them 10
get right down To practice III tho turf
one of the most important things that
the American international committee d'd
during the last week was formally ana
officially to invite President Woodrow
Wilson and the ambassadors OF England.
France. Germany and Belgium AL TIE
nations represented i'm the Davis cup
matches TO attend the matches on the
West Side courts in June.
The official letter to the President was
as follows.
His EXcellency Woodrow Wilson.
White House. Washington.
My Dear Mr. President: | beg 10 ex-
tend TO you on behalf Of the United
States National Lawn Tennis Association
a cordial invitation TO be present at the
international lawn tennis matches to he
held at the West Side club. New York
City. on June 6, and Q. between teams
representing the United States and Aus
traasa. This is one Of the preliminary
contests for the international lawn tennis
championship. the subsequent matches to
be played IN England during the summer.
Trusting that we may he honored by your
presence. remain. yours respectfully.
ROBERT ID. WRENN.
President L. S. y. /. T. A.
Further interest in the approaching
contest has been indicated by the demand
for seats before the public announcement
as to the sale conditions. This has caused
The committee headed by Julian s. My
rick. 10 arrange at once for the limit Of
the stands as planned Professionally at
first to accommodate 600 spectators. \
tier Of special boxes along the west stand
is to be reserved for the President and
the foreign ambassadors II is under
stood that President Wilson has signifed
his intention 20 witness the matches. He
is a lawn tennis enthusiast and has had
the White House court overhauled after
it had lain dormant following the sctivi-
tics of the Roosevelt Cabinet
From the more recent news as to the
abilities of the Australians there has been
"A diminishing of the confidence with
which the Americans first welcomed the
news that the Australians were TO play
in this country AS the team stands this
nation has small hope Of winning the
doubles against such a pair as DOust and
Jones, who are rated as formidable as
any pair on the down underside of the
world. In fact. the doubles is causing
Bob Wrenn a lot Of uneasiness. As for
the singles, Maurice f. Mclaughlin is
really the only dependable man, and the
manner in which both Williams and
Wallace johnson played him last season
has shaken confidence "A trife in that
direction.
Bob Wrenn, however, decided that this
nation must be prepared for victory and
TO 20 abroad In company with Ray
mond d. Little he made reservations in
advance. because Of the rush of European
travel for the Imperator Of the Ham,
burg American Line. sailing Saturday,
June IS. One of the reasons for the
selection Of this ship was that there is
a full-sized court or deck. astern behind
the main cabin structure This will
allow Of some practice by the players on
the voyage across and will serve TO keep
them active OF course. as Bob Wrenn
explained. II the Americans are beaten
the reservations can be cancelled.
In the event or SUCCESSFUL odttIe
against the Australians on the West Side
courts the Americans meet the victors OF
the ties between the Germans and the
French The Germans are generally re-
earded as the stronger by those best in
formed. In any event the opinion pre-
wallis that if the players OF this nation
can gain a victory in the German or
French tie that must be played in Eng
land on or before July Is, then the
chances OF bringing home the cup are In
deed bright. The nominations for the
challenging teams OF the various nations
must be made TO England by Friday, May
16 After that important decision has
been made Bob Wrenn plans to have
Haggett, the professional. take the men
in hand and tune up their strokes TO the
moment of the matches.