The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-03
RIGGS GETS TOP
 SPOT AS DAVIS CUP PLAY OPENS
'COCky' Californian Draws Quist--Budgs Should
 Clinch Cup
BY HENRY McLEMORE United Press Stan Correspondent

(Un1te0 Press Stam COrreBpOndent)
 Germantown, Pa. Sept. 3.-(UP) The battle for the Davis cup, which only a few months ago in- volved a score of nations and ragged owed half the face of the earth, to- day was narrowed down to two forces and a patch of velvety turf, 27 feet by 78 feet.
 It was the United States, holder of the cup that determines anna teur tennis supremacy, against Aus tralia, challenger, in a weekend oi four singles and one doubles en- agreements. The two countries have met eight times in the showdown round and each holds four victories
 Today's rubber match at the Ger lnantown Cricket club will be open ed with two singles skirmishes. Irl the first of these Bobby Riggs ot Chicago via California meets Adrian Quist, chunky, shrewd and experi- enced hnternationalist from Mel bourne. In the second Don Budge the worlds greatest amateur and No. wherever the game is played. comes to grips with Jack Bron- wich, the right-handed, left-handed enchanted, two-handed tennis ec- centricity from Sydney.
 Doubles will be played tomorrow with Budge teaming with Gene Ma ko against Quist and either Brom- wich or Harry Hopman, the Aus tralian team captain. On Monday, the final day of the best three of five match battle, the opening day singles assignments will be reversed.
 The United States is as certain as anything can be in sport to come of no better than even today. This is because everyone, including the Australians, comedies defeat of Promwich by Budge. Even when he Is in top shape-and he is said to be suffering from a slight cold Budge is too good for any other amateur in the world. Tn form, the California redhead has so many shots, and executes them so superb ly, that it is news when he drops even a set. Bromwich, only 19, is fine player as well as a confusing one, but he is not in Don's class True, he did defeat the Californian in Australia last winter, but only in exhibition matches. When a tour- nament was at stake Budge blew him of the court with the capacity of his attack.
 It was Budge's presence on the U. s. side that made 1t a 5 to ] favorite to retain the cup. He Is what the boys call a "lock" to take both his singles matches and his power has made the team of Budge and Mako the strongest doubles combination in the business.
 Chief interest today was centered in the fight between Riggs and Quist. Riggs, only 20, will be making his first cup appearance and the American tennis fathers had hoped the luck of the draw would pit him against Bromwich, also a young- ster and likely to suffer from the "jitters." Supreme in this country's tournament while Budge was abroad, Riggs figures as an even money bet against Quist. The two players have never met at anything more serious than ping pong, a game at which Quist is slightly superior.
 Riggs, a cold and cocky young man., has boasted that he will win both his cup matches. Certainly, if he loses t won't be because he didn't try. The courts have produced fewer stouter competitors than Bobby. He sinks his teeth into a match with the first service and doesn't loosen his grip until the finish. Both Riggs and Quist play the same sort of tennis. Theirs is a game based on steadiness and strategy rather than on attack and power.