Evening star., 1953-12-01
Americans 0usfed
In Aussie Tourney as
Hartwig Beats Traberf
BY the Assoeioied Press

MELBOURNE, Dec. Amer
ica's hopes of regaining the Davis
Cup, fairly high on the arrival
of the United States team sew
eral weeks ago. hit new low
today with the stunning defeat
of Tony Trabert, United States
champion, by Rex Hartwig. an
Australian second-Stringer.
HartWig playing at the peak
of his game. eliminated Trabert
in the quater- finals of the Vic
torian tennis championships with
the loss of only one set, Ga,
As, 6-3, 6-2. It was the great
est victory Of his career for Hart
wig, who caused a furore here
when he was left off last years
Davis Cup team. This year he
is member.
But he's not in the class of
Ken RoSewall and Lewis Hoad,
the Aussie stars. and that's
what's worrying the American
team. George Worthington also
isn't in the class of his country
men Rosewall and Hoad, yet he
was able to defeat Vic Seixas
yesterday.
Fans HeckIe Americans.
The Americans gloomy out
look was furthered by the easy
manner in which RoSewall and
Hoad routued Trabert and Seixas
in the New South Wales tourney
two weeks ago in Sydney. Too,
anti-American demonstrations
by the gallery in the past "a
hours haven't helped their peace
of mind any.
Trabert was in the match
against Hartwig only in the Sec
ond set. The 25-year-old AusSie
farm boy started out against
the Cincinnati collegian with
rush, cracking Trabert's service
in the first and seventh games
of the first set.
But Tony came back strongly
in the second set, hitting the
ball hard as he broke through
Hartwig'S service at love in the
sixth and 10th games. For a
time he showed the form he dis
played in winning the United
States title last September.
Then the trouble started in
the first game of the third set.
Tony paused to ask linesman
who had called a footfault on
him just what it was he was
doing wrong. Fans in the nor
mally staid, quiet crowd yelled
loudly, Tets get on with the
game" and the umpire had to
ask for quiet.
Seixas Ragged by Crowd.
Earlier spectator yelled, "go
back to the Navy, Tony" at the
former sailor. Yesterday the
crowd ragged Seixas about his
damaged knee. The fans also
had cheered when Seixas got
SOAAAS NoNl VI CdhS.
Despite the yelling, Tony held
his service in the first game. But
he lost it in the seventh and
again in the ninth and there
was no stopping Hartwig in the
fourth set.
He made his best shots of the
day in breaking Trabert's serve
in the second and eighth games,
even though Tony fought off two
match points in the final game
before bowing out on a clean
passing shot past his backhand.
That provided a fitting ending
to the upset. for Trabert's nor
mally effective backhand was.
the weakest part of his game.
Instead of placements, he got
only errors on backhand strokes.
Trabert Seemed Insure.
Hartwig, anticipating the play
perfectly, took charge of the
match all the way except for the
second set. Trabert. on the
other hand, was unsure of him
self. He volleyed timidly and
made few passing shots.
Rosewall, too, had his troubles,
but managed to outlast his coun-
tryman Give Wilderspin, GO,
3-6, As. 6-3.
Then Worthington came
through with another upset by
whipping Mervyn Rose, Ga,
81. 6-1. 6-3.
Hoad made it an all-Austral-
ian semif1nal when he ousted
Bill Talbert of New York, nom
playing captain of the United
States Davis Cup team. 6-3,
81, 46. Ga.