Atlanta Georgian., 1914-03-01
F FAMOUS DAVIS
CUP 'TERRORS'
To INVADE j. s.
AustraIasian Lawn Tennis Experts
Preparing to Regain LaureIs
They Once Held.
Bv James s. Mitchell.

Worlds Champion Weight hroWer')
"IE Australasian lawn tennis play
ers, Norman f. Brookes and
Anthony r. Wilding. have for
years been known as the Davis cup
terrors, and as they, with A. w. Dun
lop an ally in the doubles, are to be
here for the international cup match
next summer, their movements from
now on will interest the American
lovers of the sport,
1t was through the efforts of
Brookes and Wilding that the Davis
Cup was taken in 1907 from Eng
land to Australasia, where il remained
five years
on the way here the Australasians
may meet the European teams in the
preliminary rounds but on form 1t
is a pretty safe proposition that the
Brookes- Wilding Dunlop combination
viii wade through the opposition and
land in America for the challenge
round
Stanley y. Doust. who was here
with the Australasians last year, has
been named as one of the team, but
he is more or less in the light of a
substitute. or as one of the doubles
should there be a vacancy
Because he has won more Davis
Cup matches than any other player
Norman +. Brookes is worthy of the
foremost niche i'm the tennis gallery
Of fame lie has engaged in "a bat
ties and only in 7 was he forced 10
lower his c0lors Three Of these de
fcats were administered by Beals G.
Wright. of Boston one by w. \.
Larned; another by James Cecil
Parks, the Irishman who was mainly
responsible for bringing tho cup back
to England before it came here
Brookos' two remaining defeats were
in doubles.
Broo<es is a remarkable player in
many respects. He is probably the
most brilliant left handler that ever
swung racket. All the science he
possesses was acquired and expert
mented upon on a private tennis
court at Melbourne
fEaves Taught 5rookes.
Brookes owes most Of his tennis
craft to the evolution OF the game
in America. DR. w Y. Eaves. who
was the first Australasian to shine in
lawn tennis, visited this country and
England in the late nineties. For
three years-1S95, 1896 and 1S97--he
was the runner-up in the all-comers
at Wimbledon, and in 1897 he won
| the all-comers at Newport, r. l., and
| incidentally in both countries made
"A system of the styles Of all the lead
ing players.
VII HIS return 10 y HSlIdlid III.
Eaves impaired his repertoire of
curves. breaks. the reserve service
the lob. and the overland smash to
BrOOkeS, so that soon afterward
Brookes was the best ail-round
player in Australia He came with
Or. Eaves to England in 1905 and
went through to the final in the all
ComerS. at Wimbledon, but had to
suoCump to II. l.. Doherty in the
challenge round
Two years later Brookes returned
with Wilding and plowed through
the championship round. The chal
lenge round went to Brookes by de
fault S II. L. Doherty did not defend
the title Then Brookes and Wilding
swept the courts and beat both Eng
land and America for the Davis Cup.
Brookes chief advantage in being
a left handler is that he can play his
driving forehand to the backhand of
an opponent. and where he meets
rival who might happen to be weak
on the back arm stroke. the Austria
liam is deadly
Brookes Fierce Driver.
In the last visit of the American
! team to ChristChurch, New Zealand,
| the match between Mclaughlin and
| Brookes was the most spectacular
tussle ever seen across the net in the
! Antipodes. The Californian was lead
! ing > sets to l, but had TO give way
/ at the critical moment To the fierce
| drives of tn, Australian. BroOkes
| was born in Melbourne in 1871.
| Wilding is native of Christchurch.
! New Zealand, and is now 81 years of
age. He is the present English cham
| piOn which carries with il the worlds
| title This honor he has held for the
! past four wears He represented
| Cambridge University against oxford
| in the annual contests Of 1904 and
1905
Wuding learned something about
| the game from his father, who was
| doubles champion Of New Zealand for
! seven years. but when he landed at
Cambridge Anthony found that he
| knew little or nothing about the
| methods of modern lawn tennis. His
| best shot was forehand lifting
| drive common in Australia, and he
| turned his elbow upward when he hit
! the backhand These and other faults
| he Immediately started to remedy
! and spent days and weeks on the
| courts practiclng the best strokes Of
| the Dohertys and other eXpOnents of
| the scientific game.
Wilding has been such a success as
| a student Of all the finer points OF
: tennis that to-day, in the matter of
1 strokes and general tactics. he is one
Of the best equipped players in the
| world
firm believer that condition and
stamina are the handspring of sue
cess on the courts the New Zealander
goes into a match ready to go the full
| five sets, and at top speed right
through to the last shot. 1t was
| Wildlng's superior condition more
than anything else that carried him
| to the victory I'm the challenge round
! = -E.H H|,e TO- H. L. T..