Evening star., 1952-12-23
Americans Confident
As Practice Starts
Al Site Of Matches
By GoyIe ToIbot
Assoeioted Press Sports Writer

ADELAIDE, Dec. 23.-America' s
tennis hopefuls finally have
reached the end of their long
trip into nowhere in quest of the
Davis Cup and have settled dowr
for their last hard practices be-
fore facing the Australians in the
challenge round next Monday.
This is about as far as they
could get from their home base
without falling off the edge o1
the world.
Adelaide is hot, arid little
city where the temperatures al
ready have climbed over 100 de-
grees and might exceed that figure
several notches by the time the
matches begin. However, Tony
Trabert and Vic Seixas, who will
play both singles and doubles for
the Americans, say they've felt
hotter weather and that it won't
bother them.
They got their first view of
the Australian team in practice
yesterday. Though they saw
Frank Sedgman playing at the
top of his brilliant form, they
refused to back down in their
joint opinion that they are at
least an even bet to take the
cup home.
BOOkies Call 1t Even.
Aussie bookmakers consider It
ia toss up. too. and are offering
mo odds either way.
Spectators among the big
crowds watching the teams prac-
tlce are hawking single seats for
the three-day series at S45, or
exactly twice their face value. All
reserved seats were sold long ago.
Members of both squads skipped
morning practice today to attend
dn official reception in their honor
at the City Hall. It's little
formality which must be gone
through in this tennis m d
country.
Adelaide. which has fought long
and stubbornly to win the chal-
ilenge round away from the two
major tennis citadels of Sydney
and Melbourne, isn't passing up
any of the trappings. BY way of
celebrating their victory over the
."old crowd" Adelaide citizens have
whipped themselves up an official
program which is SO different
from old hallowed Davis Cup pre-
cepts that it's practically a
scandal.
They've gone and produced a
rafiish front cover which shows
two cartoon figures with pop eyes
playing tennis right in the middle
of the famous bowl.
Second Program Planned.
Advance copies of this little gem
hit old-line officials of the Lawn
Tennis Association in Sydney and
Melbourne a few days ago with
terrific impact. From the presi-
dent. Sir Norman Brookes, on
down. they joined in crying foul.
Davis Cup programs, they point
ed out, traditionally show only
picture of the cleaning trophy.
The last we heard over the week
end, the two groups were about to
roach q c0roproY,,ico
Adelaide's high-spirited citizens
intend to go right on and sell the
offending program to any one who
wants to buy one during the
matches. They could in time be-
come almost priceless Davis Cup
keepsakes.
At the same time, local officials
were reported to have agreed to
have several hundred programs
struck off bearing the old familiar
cover. These will be distributed
to the more staid officials of the
Australian association and mailed
throughout the world to members
of other associations.
Thus tradition will be served
and nobody will be seriously dam
aged unless he wants to be.
We're afraid. though, that it
will be some time before Adelaide
gets another challenge round.