New Britain herald., 1926-07-15
TENNIS STARS ID
 DEFEND DAVIS CUP
Uncertainty Of Chances to Re.
 tain Honors Is Very Strong
By the Associated Press.

New York, July Is Pl-Triumph- ant America turns from the brilliant Inks conquests of Bobby Jones and Jess Sweetser this week to prepare her Davis cup defense in an atmos- phere of uncertainty that is the greatest since William T. Tilden and w. NJ. Johnston brought back the in-
 ternational tennis trophy in 1920.
 Five competitions in the next five weeks, designated by officials as testing tournaments for d cup team nucleus of nine players, will decide whether the burden of defense is to rest for the sixth consecutive year upon members of the "big four" - Tilden, Johnston, Vincent Richards and R. Norris Williams.
 They will reveal further whether lure of the stage for Tilden, accom- panied by five tennis defeats during the indoor and southern seasons, has been entertained at the expense of championship form at the net. They will indicate whether Richards ser ies of unexpected defeats in Europe, some of them at the hands of sup posedly inferior players, may be &C., cepted as marking a sharp decline in his play this year. Finally they will tell whether Johnston and Will liams after more than 10 years of campaigning, can return once more to the corded barrier with enough dash to retain places on the interna- tional firing line.
 The threat of France has become more menacing than it was a year ago at Philadelphia, where LaCoste and Borotra made a gallant fight for the cup. Since then both players have taken the measure of Tilden indoors, while LaCoste added the scalp of Richards. Climaxing these achievements have been triumphs over Richards in Europe by Paul Feret and Henri Cochet, who will be members of the challenging French team this year.
 Failure of Richards to measure up to expectations during his over seas tour after two hard-fought vic- tories against Tilden in the south | develops speculation as to his ability 1 to regain the leading position in ten his he occupied year ago. In ad- dition to defeats at the hands of the Frenchmen, he more recently has been routed by Dr. Heinz Land mann, German racqueteer, who also | nF t1,n (-a1tfnrninn Howard Kinscy.
 Tilden, Williams and Johnston have not been tested thoroughly as yet but recollections of the national champions remarkable recoveries from spring reyerses in other years supports a conviction that Big Bill" and the Mighty Atom" from the far | west will come back once more to | lead in defense of the trophy.
 The season thus far has yielded l few younger players whose perform ances have merited official consider | ation. Exceptions have been Edward | G. Chandler, twice intercollegiate l champion, and Alfred w. Chapin, Jr., of Springfield, Mass.
 Both have scored early season vic- tories over member of the "big four -Chapin over Tilden and Chandler over Johnston. Chandler, who with drew from competition a year ago after winning the college crown, has decided to play through important fixtures of the campaign, and his play at Philadelphia two weeks ago has given indication to i many observers that his powerful racquet will carry him far toward the top.
 The atmosphere of tennis uncer- tainty extends to the forthcoming ti- tie struggle among the women. With the Wightman cup restored to United States supremacy faces a new challenge in the antici- pated invasion of Mrs Kathleen Me Kane Godfree, who recently annexed the Wimbledon championship.
 Speculation as to the possibility of Helen Wills recovering her cham pionship form after an operation a month ago in France adds interest to this renewal of international com- petition The champion herself ap- pears confident. but a division of opinion among critics will leave the answer to her attempted comeback next month at Seabright. N. J.