Evening star., 1938-09-03
CRITICS FEEL j. S.
WILL PREVAIL, Al
Cha||engers See Break in
Draw With Riggs Facing
Quist in Opener.
By GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer,

ASoOCldtcu EEcSo opOIlS WIltcT.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 3.-Young
Robert Riggs Of California. wiry as a
cowpony and tough man on a tennis
court, leads off in Americas defense of
the Davis Cup when he faces Adrian
Quist. bounding Australian veteran,
in the opening singles. match of the
challenge round at pm. (E. S. T.)
today on the front lawn Of the Ger
mantown Cricket Club
As soon as Riggs has disposed Of
Quist in five sets, or fewer. or even
vice versa, Americas great Donald
Bulge, the worlds No. /, will pile into
Australian Jack Bromwich, who wields
racket with both paws for certain
shots and drops extra balls all over
the court, to the danger of his own
life and limb.
That Is the program for the first
day of the first challenge round seen
in this country since 1927, when the
-Four Musketeers" of France surprised
Uncle Sam out Of a years growth by
snatching the cup which had come
to be regarded as an American fixture.
like the Monroe Doctrine and the
Liberty Bell.
Tomorrow the embattled teams will
scrap 1t out in doubles. with Bulge
and Gene Mako, our national cham
pions, trying like everything to repeat
the 54-minute hiding they gave Quist
and Bromwich in the recent final of
the championships at Brookline, Mass.
On Monday there will be the con-
cluding singles, with Bulge facing
Quist and Riggs tackling Bromwich.
Lopsided U. S. Victory Seen.
The American boys are favored,
perhaps optimistically, to win four
out OF the five matches. That is one
more than they require to retain the
cup. The experts, after careful con-
sideration, figure that Quist, a truly
fine player and Davis Cup stalwart
since 1884, has a good chance of trim
ming Riggs IN today's opener. The
other four bouts they concede to the
holders.
The Australians, of course, are do
ing no such conceding. Having rout-
ed Mexico. Japan and Germany in
rapid and conclusive succession, the
Aussies believe they have good
chance of lifting the cup. They think
they got break in the draw, which
pitted the comparatively inexperienced
Riggs against Quist in the first round,
but Walter Pate, the American team
captain, said he couldn't see where
the order of play amounted to any
thing
If We lose, it won't be on account
OF the draw" he said, succintly. Fur
ther," he went on, there has been
some criticism because the American
team hasn't had a coach the last few
days. What good could a coach do
fellows like Bulge and Riggs and Mako
in five days? I'll take the rap for
that, too. Whatever coaching is nee
essary, I've done it."
The big question today was whether
the tension of his first Davis Cup tilt
will bother Riggs. 1t sounds silly, yet
OF painful memory is the way such an
old-timer as Bryan (Bitsy) Grant went
to pieces against Germany in the
interzone final at Wimbledon a year
ago. 1t was necessary to replace him
with frankie Parker in the victorious
challenge round against England the
following week.
Play on Poor Courts.
mo matter how many individual
championships you've played in. the
Davis Cup is different" admitted Fred
Perry recently. Something about
playing for your country gets YOU
Riggs was sure it wouldn't bother
him today IF I can beat guy,
can beat him in the Davis Cup" he
reasoned yesterday. Riggs, who's
most valuable asset is almost inhuman
stamina, relies on back court game,
while Quist, his opponent of today, is
one of the worlds greatest volleyers.
QuiSt haunts the net at all times and
the efforts Of Riggs to pass him and
drive him back should be a treat to
watch
AS for today's other match, Bulge
has such a terrific all-around game
that Bromwich might as we'll have
stayed in bed. The redhead won't
meet his match until he turns pro-
fessional this winter.
Close to 5000 spectators, squirming
on temporary bleachers, will ring to-
days spectacle. There is a country
fair atmosphere to the place. The
courts have been pitched on plot of
mixed clover and grass not used for
tennis in the last two years and by
Wimbledon and Forest Hills standards
they are pretty terrible courts How
ever, they will be as terrible for one
side as for the other.