The New York herald., 1922-03-18
Leading Challengers, Japan
and Australasia, Find Places
in Opposite Halves.
by SAMUEL J. BRooKMAN.

Cable messages travelling direct and
by relays to every continent OF the
universe conveyed the information yes
terday to the worlds tennis playing
nations that the draw FOR the DAVIS
cup tournament had been made, that
of the fourteen challenging nations the
British Isles and Denmark had drawn
byes in the first round and that the
pairing of the rest was Canada versus
France, Belgium versus Australasia
Hawaii versus CZecho- Slovakia. Spain
versus the Philippines. Rumania versus
India and Italy versus Japan.
Thus too was the news sent broad
cast that this was to be the greatest
year In the history of international
tennis. for never before had so many
countries announced their intention or
bidding for the famous twenty-five
year-old trophy now as originally IN
possession of the United States II
was a message to the world incident
ally that tennis internationally led
every other sport known to mankind.
The draw was made promptly at noon
Yesterday in the office of the United
States Lawn Tennis Associations ana
the organizations headquarters was
scarcely large enough to hold COM
fortably all those who came to see
how 1t was done. Julian ;. Myrick,
president of the association, was there
as director OF the ceremonies ana
others were Charles Garland of Pitts
burgh. secretary, and Abner Y. Leech
of Washington, treasurer; Beals y.
Wright the veteran American inter-
nationalist; r. Clifford Black, chair
man of the Tennis Umpires Associa-
ton; Charles s. Landers, president Of
the Metropolitan Lawn Tennis Asso-
citation: Paul B. Williams, field secre-
tary: Vice-Consul +. e. Evans Of Great
Britain, players. scribes, stenographers
photogra pliers and some ordinary cit
liens.
First and Last Are Byes.
The names of the fourteen challeng-
ing nations were written on cards, the
cards were shuffled. placed face down
on q table and then the drawing began.
Mr. iMyrick called on Vice-Consui
Evans to draw the first name. and tho
card he pulled out of the group was
that of Denmark. Thirteen others
present drew card in rotation, the
last being that OF Great Britain. In
order to get eight surviving nations
in the second round 1t was necessary
to place twelve in the first and give
the other two bycs. Under the rules
the first and last drawn. Denmark and
Great Britain, won the privilege or
remaining out of the first round, the
rest being bracketed in the order drawn.
The draw over a quick glance showed
that 1t was a very fortunate one, indeed,
that the strength appeared to be very
we'll balanced. with the two leading con-
tenders of last year, and probably this
year-Australasia and Japan--fn oppo-
site halves, and with the nations OF
second rating, France. Great Britain and
India, in different quarters. Another
point over which American tennis Off
cials expressed great satisfaction was
the fact that the way most of the nations
were paired in the first round the United
States seemed to be the logical meeting
place for most of the ties. Thus the
United States is, roughly speaking. half
way between Belgium and Australasia,
which are coupled for one of the first
round matches: half way between
Hawaii and Czecho-Slovakia, midway
between Spain and the Philippines and
between Italy and Japan.
Thus. too, France is likely to send Its
team to America to meet the Canadians
in their first round matches somewhere
UP in Canada. This tie should arouse
more than ordinary interest In the
Dominion. because large percentage OF
the residents of Canada are Of French
descent.
There Is every indication, therefore.
that the great majority of the chal-
lengers will be seen on American courts.
Rumania and India. of course being in
closer proximity than the rest of the
nations paired, are likely to play their
tie in Europe, but the winner of. that