Evening star., 1920-02-15
AUSTRALIA IS ONLY
| REAL FOE OF j. s.
FOR TENNIS CROWN
Antiquated Methods in Other
Countries ExempIified in
Davis Cup Play.
BY W. H. HOTEL.

By their victory over the British
tennis team in the recent Davis cup
| matches, the Australian players fully
demonstrated that they are still the
best racketers in the eastern hem
isphere and likely to remain SO for
| some time to come. They appear to
be the only formidable contenders
with the Americans for world su-
premacy.
While the veteran. Norman E.
Brookes called by many the games
greatest court strategist is about
through as a singles player, he is
good enough to go along with Gerald
Patterson. Australia's tennis ace, in a
triumphant match in the doubles.
However. in j. o. Anderson, the
er of Brookes. Australia has a PLAYER
who will fit into the veterans shoes
in the singles and make the Anti
podean team a hard nut for the Amer.
leans to crack this year.
Tells About Anderson.
In writing to a friend in this coun-
try about Anderson and Australian
tennis in general. H. A. Parker, a
member of the Antipodean Davis Gun
team of 1905 and 1908, had this to say:
"1n the interstate match between
New South Wales and Victoria, An
derson beat Brookes about 3-6, 6-3,
6-3. In the Victorian championships
Patterson beat Brookes in the final
about 6-1. as, 6-2. 60. From the
above results it would appear that
Brookes cannot keep up at top speed
against our youngest and most ag-
gressive players for more than a set
or SO.
Anderson has not had the expert
ence of Patterson, but he is very good.
| and his forehand drive is extremely
powerful. of the type of S. H. Smith
OF England. who beat every American
| PLAYER he ever met.
! Il personally saw Smith hand it out
70 Hoicombe Ward, William ]. Cloth
Ter and w. A. Larned just after the
last named had beaten me in the
fourth round of the English cham
pionships at Wimbledon in 1905 by
| three sets to two.
/ with more experience against first
class volleyers, Anderson will be a
dangerous opponent for any man in
the world"
Britons Are Backward.
| The challenge round of the recent
| Davis cup play was another demon
stration of the antiquated condition
Of English and continental tennis.
Those who represent the rank in
| European tennis circles seem content
to stick to the old driving game. The
Australians. on the other hand, have
adopted the American style of play,
with impressive results
| A. r. F. Kingscote is the only MEM
| ber of the British team who has truly
a modern game. and he was RESPONSE
BILE for England's only victory, scored
over Anderson. who defeated A. III.
Lowe, who, like ]. H. Beamish, the
| third member of the challenging
combination, adheres to the antique
style of play. Yet these three Brit
| ons were the survivors in prelimi-
nary series in which France, Belgium
and South Africa were represented
and must be considered. as a team,
the best Europe produced in 1919
This dependence in veterans indicates
also that no efforts are being made
| in the old countries to encourage
youthful talent, of which Brookes,
while he was in the United States,
complained bitterly.
Americans Appear Supreme.
Judging by the record of Brookes
| and Patterson in this country last
summer, it would seem that a team
composed Of w. NJ. Johnston. national
champion. and William T. Tilden. jr
lrunner-up, would defeat any foreign
Opposition. including the Australians
Both Of these men won from Brookes