Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-12-29
Hopman Criticized
After Trabef, Seixas
Win in Straight Sets
BY the Associated Press

MEA10OOELINE,, O6C. zSs-ATlt-
icism Of the Australian strategy
began pouring in today immedi-
ately after Tony Trabert and Vic
Seixas crushed Lewis Hoad and
Rex Hartwig. 90. Ga. Ga,
to give the United States 81
lead over Australia in the Davis
Cup challenge round.
Several Australian observers
described Capt. Harry Hopman's
decision to break up the Hoad-
Ken Rosewall doubles team.
which had won the Wimbledon,
French and Australian cham
pionshipS, as a "crazy gamble.
And one newspaper writer COM
mented: That's handing the
cup to America on a silver
platter"
However, Sir Norman Brookes,
head of the Australian Lawn
Tennis Association, defended the
selectors' position in an unprece-
denied press conference.
This doubles event was of
paramount Importance to both
countries, and strangely, before
the match, the Americans had
virtually conceded it to the
Aussies. Now the United States
has a decided advantage in that
it must win only one of the two
remaining singles scheduled for
tomorrow. They will pit Trabert
against Hoad and Seixas against
RoSewall.
AusSies Lost Gamble.
Hopman and the Australian
selection committee gambled and
lost by sending Hartwig into the
battle instead of Rosewall, the
youngster who dropped the Sec
ond singles match to Trabert
yesterday.
They must have regretted
their decision almost at the
start of the first set. From the
beginning, it was apparent that
Hoad and Hartwig were not
teaming well.
Hartwig, completely mex
perienced in Davis Cup COMPETE
ton, had a bad case Of nerves.
In addition, he never had teamed
with Hoad in a major tourna-
ment before and could not an
ticipate his partners moves. The
pair had practiced together the
past week in the event of an
emergency. But that is not
competition.
Hopman, however, was fearful
of RosewallS admittedly weak
service, so he took the gamble
Actually, the f1ve-man selection
committee made the choice, but
down here no one questions Hop
man. If he says Hartwig, it is
Hartwig. Harry will have to take
the blame if the AussieS lose the
cup for the first time in the last
four years.
Adrian QuiSt Bitter.
Adrian Quist, former Aussie
Davis Cup star who now doubles
as writer, was bitterest in the
criticism.
Here we have two doubles
combinations which hold every
major title in the world" he said
And what do we do? We pick
two men who never played to-
gether before in their lives"
Sir Brookes told the reporters:
THE selectors over the last
fortnight have given the ques-
ton of doubles pairings their
most serious consideration. They
decided to select Hoad and Hart
wig as the pair who in their
opinion was the most likely to
win the doubles. We fully real
ize the doubles was vital match
Apart from RosewalPs form
yesterday we've been trying out
various pairs with a view to saw
ing Rosewall for the singles
There is no doubt his form yes
terday affected our decision.
1--WE had in mind if he played
in the doubles and was beaten
the psychological effect for him
in the final singles would be dis
aStrous. All 1 can say is we are
reasonably satisfied in the de-
cision we made. Capt. Hopman
gave us his views and we gave
them every consideration. In my
opinion Seixas played one of the
best doubles matches I've ever
seen.
1--WE didn't expect him to play
to that high standard"
Sir Norman said it would be
unfair to the other selectors tC