The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-07-08
MATCH
LOlOl|SFOR
AMERICA
BY Davis J. walsh

y
NEW YORK, July Sit
was the hand of fate that
traced a message of doom to
Nebuchadnezzar when the feast
was at its height.
Today it raised an admonitory
forefinger as a warning TO France,
gorged with most of the honors
within the gift Of international
lawn tennis. that the inevitable
famine Is in the offing. The warn
ing was issued not on. the soil Of
France, to be divorced from fine
Davis Cup at comparatively early
date, or on that of America. the
land to which the trophy must
ultimately return.
II was issued on the neutral
site Of Wimbledon where on
Saturday Wilmer Allison, tho
Texan, and Johnny Van Ryn,
Of New York. gained Americas
first major victory Of recent
years in international doubles.
Probably 1t would be asking the
unreasonable to expect the Ameri-
can team Of 1929 to lift the famous
grail from what many Americans
regard as the unhallowed ground It
now occupies. Tilden was the only
American to reach the Wimbledon
semifinals in the singles and he
was beaten by Henri Cocllet in
straight sets.
France, therefore, remains lin.
challenged in singles play the world
over and probably can and will win
in this department the three matches
necessary to the retention OF the
cup IN the challenge round late
this month.
But the wedge that will loosen itG
mornings this year and cause the
cup to rock and totter and ultimately
fall in the year or two. immediately
following was the victory of Allison
and Van Ryn, young. highly mex
perfenced Americans, in the Wimble.
don all-comers' finals. It meant that
American perseverance finally had
beaten Europe-and France in par
ticular-at its own game.
1t meant that an American doubles
team had attained world dominion
for the first time since Tilden and
Johnston occupied their throne On
the sheer brilliance of their indi-
yidualism. It meant ultimate vic
to years Of failure.
The doubles constitute the
"Odd' match Of the Davis Cup
series; therefore. IL the opposing
singles players are q stand off,
the doubles constitute the great
cOnvincer. And for two or more
years Frances combination OF
COcIIet and BurgnOn has had the
doubles conceded to It before Il
started. But no more.
Its domination ended Saturday or,
| to be more precise. at least 48 hours
earlier, at which time no less than
three American teams, namely. Van
Ryn and Allison, Tilden and Hunter
and Lott and Hennessey, qualified
for the semffinals.
Meantime. the French entries,
Cochet and Brugnon and Landry
and Boussus, had been run right out
! of the tournament. America, in con-
sequence, will enter the challenge
round this year with the fighting
GAdASG IndC AluSI DC COuCSueu I'D
| any team that has the ''droz'' on at
least one match before a racquet is
| flashed.
don't presume to know the mind
| OF the Davis Cup committee. but
frankly. It apparently can do no less
than name Van Ryn ana Allison for
the challenge round doubles. They
are q kid team but youth is an added
| recommendation when it happens 70
have also the will to win and the
ability to do SO.
Neither Of its principals pre-
viOusIy had given evidence Of in
ternatiOnaI tendencies; Van RyD,
| indeed, was making his first
gesture Of consequence In
major tournament.
But no matter. They furnished
all the evidence necessary when
they defeated Tilden and Hunter IN
the semifina1s and then on Satur-
day won . heart-breaking five set
match from Collins ana Gregory.
the Englishmen, who had climbed
over Cochet and Brugnon and Lott
and Hennessey ON their way to the
finals. In fact. that isn't evidence
that's proof.
Boat Exposition
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