Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-01
MORPURGO AMONG
FIRST 10 PLAYERS
With Some One to Match the
Baron in Skill Nation
Might Climb High.
BY VINCENT RICHARDS.

F Italy had a player to equal
Baron de Morpurgo I should
hate to have to say what
Davis Cup team in the Euro
pean zone could beat her, outside
Of France.
Morpurgo for four or five years
has been one of the outstanding
tennis stars Of the continent, q
player, who, on his day, can make
1t interesting for any one.
Two years ago, in recognition Of his
playing ability and his services to the
game in Italy, Baron de Morpurgo was
made dictator of tennis by Mussolini,
another way OF saying that he was SUI
preme and power by himself. Most
OF the worlds first 10 rankings include
him, and he is likely to cut q figure in
the 1880 Davis Cup matches.
Unfortunately for Italy, however, she
Morpurgo, and that was the reason she
| fell victim to Germany last year by
| the score of 3 to 2.
Giorgio de Stefani and P. Gaslini are
the two next best Italian players. It
may be De Stefani will show enough
improvement this year to give Italy a
better balanced team. Or 1t is possible
Morpurgo will have an ace I'D his
sleeve in some rising young player he
will choose to use for the experience
and with an eye to the future. A. del
Bono, r. Bocciardo and L. Bonzi are
three other players who may receive
consideration, either for the second
| singles or for the doubles.
| Tennis has taken such a hold on the
Italian public that it would not be sur
| prising If Italy turned out some of the
best players in the world in the future.
| In 1928, when the United States played
| Italy in the interzone match, interest
was 1T fever heat, partly because of the
Tilden episode, when Big Bill was
barred from the United States team be-
cause of his newspaper writings, and
| when De Murpurgo beat Hunter in the
singles he became the hero Of the hour.
Earlier in the same year Italy had
beaten Australia, and one of the matches
was so bitterly contested that the UNI
| pire was driven from his chair because
of the unpopularity of his decisions.
/ Baron de Morpurgo beat both the
veteran Gerald Patt-4Son, formerly
ranked among the worlds first 10 play
ers, and Jack Crawford. perhaps the
best young player in the AntipodeS to-
day. He also won his doubles match.
So, virtually s1ngle-handed, he van
quished a strong Australian team.
From this it win be seen how really
good a player the Italian dictator Of
| tennis is and why Italy must b. taken
seriously by the other nations in the
European zone.
The interzone round match italy
played with the United States was the
closest she has come to getting into
the challenge round, but with the in
terest in the game what it is today b
Italy and far mere players being de-
veloped than in the past, that country
should be a formidable contender for
honors in the future.
This year it does not seem that she
has enough balanced strength to 60
through field including England. Aus
tralia, Germany and Japan, but it may
be predicted that whatever country
meets her will know that it has been
in scrap. Morpurgo alone can be ex-
pected to see to that, and If de Ste
| FAM and Gaslini have improved since
1929, the Italians may upset lot Of
expectations.
Copyright, 1880. By North American News
paper Alliance.)