The New York herald., 1922-02-22
TWO MORE TENNIS
CHALLENGES HERE
France and Czecho-SlOvakia
Announce Their Entry i'm
Davis Cup Event.
BY SAMUEL J. BRookMAv.

France and Czecho-Slovakia entered
the field of the Davis cup tennis chal-
iengers yesterday, the United States
Lawn Tennis Association receiving Of
fetal notice OF their entry in the same
mail. They are. in the order named, the
second and third nations that have chal-
lenged, England, first on the list. having
preceded them by a matter of fort
night.
Fully three weeks remain before the
closing of entries on March Is, and by
that time American tennis officials feel
certain the list of challengers will equal
IL not exceed that of last year, when
twelve nations entered the competition.
Australia and Japan already have an
nounced their entry unofficially, and
Canada. Belgium, Denmark, Spain.
India and Argentina are practically GER
tain to renew last years challenge. In
addition, 1t is not at all unlikely that
South Africa, former Davis cup par
ticipant. and Italy. a newcomer to the
tournament. will join the group.
The challenge from CZecho-Slovakia
came from Prague, under the sigma
lures of Dr. Jaroslav Just and Karl
Itobertin, respectively president and sec
retary of the association, who wrote in
BART as follows:
Unfortunately our small nation, and
consequently it's lawn tennis associa-
ton. has not yet recovered from the eff
fects of the world war and had hardly
a greater chance than to compete with
honor in the first tie. but this incident
itself Will help us regain and further
develop the Standard of our game"
Czecho-Slovakia played Belgium at
Prague last year and lost by three
matches to two. but the records show
that in all of their losing matches the
Czechos extended their opponents to the
limit of five sets.
France has been a challenger since
1904 and as rule has made good show
ing In the international event. Last sea-
son. however, the Frenchmen were
startled by a defeat at the hands of the
first Davis cup team India ever had.
It was the greatest upset of the inter-
national event. for France, with Andre
II. Colbert. Walter Laurentz and J.
Brugnon, looked strong enough to get
into the semi-final round. Within a
year many changes have taken place In
the rating of the French players. and
1t is quite possible that OF the trio
mentioned only one, Walter LAURENT.
Will find place on the challenging
French team. Veterans have been Civ
ing way to newcomers, among whom
Jean Borotra, NJ. Cochet and Jean
loom the strongest. Sama-
zeuilh is the player who defeated Go
bert in the final of the championship
OF France last summer.
California has requested that this
years East-West matches be held on
the Pacific coast as early as May, and
the chances are that the request will be
granted by the officials of the United
States Lawn Tennis Association. 1t ia
SIX years since the Eastern team trav-
eled to the coast for the intersectional
event, most of the matches in the in
terim having been held in Philadelphia
and New York. Last year the event was
held late in September in Chicago, and
it will be remembered that on that
occasion two Australians, James 0. An
derson and John b. Hawkes.. played with
the Western team.
Says John B. Hawkes. of Australia. I'm
commenting on the Improvement in the
game of his Davis cup teammate.
James o. Anderson: His forehand
drive In my opinion is the best in the
world I always upheld Billy Johnston's.
hut must change my opinion now An
derson might make more mistakes with
his forehand, but it Is so per cent.
harder to take and more deceptive than
} Johnston's." The majority OF American
critics will be slow to agree with
Hawkes. on that point