The Washington herald., 1920-12-28
TENNIS MATCHES I
FOR WORLD TITLE
TOSTART TODAY.
American Team, in New
Zealand, Confident of
Lifting Davis Cup.

NEW YORK, Dec. .7.-The tennis
team representing America and the
Australian racqueters today begin
play in the annual Davis cup
matches which this year are being
staged in New Zealand. The winner
Of the matches will receive the
Davis cup. which is emblematie OF
the tennis championship of the
world.
Australia now holds the cup. but
the American team In confident OF
bringing IL back TO this country. In
the preliminary rounds the Amer
lean team defeated all others for
meeting the cup-holding team, and
this week the two will meet
The matches will consist of four
singles contests and one doubles
match. The four Americans compos-
ing the team are william T. Tflden.
OF Philadelphia: William NJ. John
ston. of San Francisco; Watson N.
washburn. OF New York. and Sam
ueI Hardy. OF Chicago.
Depend on Tilden-
The defending quartet, SO far as
is known in this country, will prob
ably be composed of Gerald Pstter-
son. Norman Brookes, r. v. Thomas
and II. O'Hara Wood. The actual
alignment of players will not be an
nounced until shortly before the
matches. II is expected that Tilden
and Johnston will bear the brunt OF
the American attack. while Patter-
son and Brookes will be the Aus
traiian aces"
Close followers of tennis are In
clined to be optimistic regarding the
outcome of the matches. believing
that in Tilden. world singles cham
pion. and Johnston. former Amer
lean champion. who is rated just a
stroke or two below Tilden at the
present time, the United States has
an inincible pair. Watson is for
midable relief player in case either
Of the stars become inoisposed.
while Hardy, who in reality is cap
tain and manager OF the team, can
play a superlative game IL occasion
demands.
Patterson is the power in the
Australian team, playing a game
somewhat similar to that OF Maurice
Mclaughlin. when the latter was at
the top Of his form. Brookes, un-
doubtedly one of the greatest play
ers OF all time, is well advanced IN
years from a playing standpoint and
can not be expected TO carry the
burden Of two singles matches ana
one doubles match in three days.
II he pairs with Patterson in dou-
bles he will not appear in the SIN
II 10 kaNH
Brookes and Patterson will devote
their efforts to the singles and leave
the doubles contest TO Thomas and
Wood. who make a most formidable
team.
Brookes Leads All.
A study Of the vast amount ot
data which has accumulated In con-
/ nection with fourteen years Of play
for the Davis Cup shows that. not
including the preliminary rounds ~
the 1920 matches. sixty-eight play
ers. representing nine nations. have
participated in the play for the in
ternational trophy. or this number
the British Isles have used eighteen
and the United States seventeen.
Australia is third with ten. and
France. Belgium and South Africa
! follow with five each. All told, these
players took part in 2Ss matches
which went TO a decision and one
match resulted in a tie.
The Veteran Brookes holds the In
dividual honors. having been
member Of the Australian team In
eight different years. During this
period he played forty-four matches,
Of which he won thirty-siN. The
I late Anthony wilding. a compecr
of Brookes. who was killed during
/ the world war, held second hon
ors. for during his seven years OF
competition he played thirty-seven
matches. Of which he won twentys
eight. J. c. Parke. the English vet
eran ranks third with twenty-three
matches and twelve victories.
W. A. Larned and VI. E. McLough-
/ lin. two outstanding stars Of Amer
! lean tennis. are tied with twenty
matches each. Larned has a slight.
/ ly better winning average with
thirteen victories 70 McLouEhlin's
twelve. The latter's defeat OF both
wilding and Brookes in 1910 when
/ the Australians were at the height
/ OF their court career. however, was
undoubtedly the greatest individual