The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-06
ONLY FAIR CHANCE
TO HOLD DAVIS CUP
Australasian Team Looms Up as
Probable Opponents in
Challenge Round.
AMERICANS DISAPPOINT
Difficult Problem to Find Play
ers to Cope With Men
From AntipOdps.
A MERTCANS DISAPPOINT

Nu'H tnS H1UcTfCbH international lawn
tennis team composed of Maurice r. Nc
Loughlin. r. Norris Williams. I'd. Harold
II. Hackett and Wallace II. johnson de-
feated the pick OF the worlds racquet
wielders In the early rounds OF the Davis
Cup tournament. and eventually wrested
the famous bowl from England's strong
defending team year ago. fol-
lowers OF the game the world over began
to wonder how long America would keep
the classic trophy in the land OF Its birth.
The consensus of opinion at that time
seemed TO be that America would be lucky
to hold the cup for over year. and even
the most rabid Yankee rootcrs felt doubt
full of Americas chances In the event Of
strong team coming up to the challenge
round.
That this should have been the feeling
last year. when things looked pretty rosy
for the Americans. makes the outlook
even bluer at the present time. In the
first place, when the challenging team
captured tho cup Mclaughlin played re-
markable tennis and gave promise Of be-
ing much better in subsequent matches.
Then too, Williams. who was making his
titlon. acquitted himself wonderfully well.
and there were but few who did not pre-
dict that the Philadelphia would play
game in another year that would be equal
IL not superior to that played by Nc
Loughlin.
II was foregone conclusion that
Hackett's playing star was on the wane,
and that his doubles match. in which he
and Mclaughlin defeated the British
champions, Roper Barrett and Dixon.
probably would be his last appearance in
International tennis There Is no doubt
that Hackctt deserves worlds OF credit
for tho tennis that he played in that
memorable match. lie OF course acted
rs n feeder to Mclaughlin. hut It Is doubt
full II at that time there was another man
in America who could have done the
same thing half so well
But with the exit OF Hackett there were
no immediate fears as To the possibilities
OF building up first class doubles team.
for every one realized that there were at
| least a dozen players in America who
could be developed into worthy partners
| for McLoughlin That no player who
| could be thought of could play the style
of game which Hackett played so well did
not seem a hndrance at the time, for 1t
was realized that any Of the possibilities
would make up by individual strength
| and ability what he might lack In play
| Ing for teamwork.
SO with the certainty of Mclaughlin
| and Williams improving a great deal. and
| with n dozen other young players and
| veterans showing form that would mark
! them as Davis Cup timber. things did
not look so bad. but many close students
OF the game had feeling within them
that something would go awry. Then. too.
Inf huf TINA there W definite knOwl-
edge that four OF the worlds foremost
players would band together on one team,
| in an effort to carry off the cup.
The four players, Anthony +. Wilding,
Norman f. Brookes, Alfred w. Dunlop and
| Stanley y. Doust, have Joined forces as
| an Australasian team, however, and give
promise OF being the men who will face
! the Americans in the challenge round at
| the West Side TeNis Club at Forest
! Hills, l.. l., on August IS. IA and 15.
And. too. although Mclaughlin Is now
playing in his usual meteoric style. II is
doubtful If he has improved any. for
his business has kept him away from
! the courts great deal since last year,
and he has not had as much practice as
he should have had.
| Moreover, Williams has shown signs OF
slumping and instead OF his game advanc-
ing to a marked degree. II Is said by
those who have seen his play this sea
son to have refrigerated considerably
Both wilding and BrooSes have beaten
| Mclaughlin. and as these men have beer
playing all season in England. while Nc
Loughlin has been without practice, ;hs
young Californian should have a hare
time beating either of them in the singles
The form shown by Williams has mad,
It necessary for the Davis Cup commit
toe to go out in the highways and by
| ways In search of some one who will b,
able to make n creditabIe showing. should
| Williams fail to come up to the required
standard.
All of the doubles possibilities tina
looked so feasible last year have melted
Off into thin vapor. and now 1t looks n.
II McLoughlin and Thomas G. Bundy, tn,
holders of the national title, will be th'
only pair that can stand against III
great Brookes-Dunlop combination. Their
has been much talk OF developing a new
team for the doubles In order that Nc
Loughlin may be left TO husband his re
sources for the singles.
lnlvlew of the fact that tho defending
team must be named by the officials o
tho nation holding the cup twenty-on
days before the challenge round IL played
the Davis cup committee must make IT
selection not later than July 49, Thu
committee now has only eighteen days Il
which TO do tho wedding out process ant
since the field OF possibilities IL mucl
bigger this year than last. the committe
, has Il big job on hand
In order to facilitate matters the com
mttee has fixed upon tho tournaments a
the westchester Country Club, starting
to-day. and that Mt the Seabright Law
Tennis and Cricket Club, starting mex
Monday,'as the official trials for the can
didates. These tournaments have bee
picked because the matches are played OF
grass courts and are convenient for tn
| players This will take away a lot o