Evening star., 1954-01-01
Davis Cup Winners
Turn Down 'FeeIers
To pIay Pro Tennis
sy the Assee.o.ed Pres.

MELBOURNE, Jan. Aus
tralia's 19-year-old Davis Cup
stars. Lewis Hoad and Ken Rose
wall. have received feelers from
Americas Jack Kramer to turn
professional. but both answered
mot yet"
The Melbourne Herald. Which
employs Harry Hopman. the
Australian team captain. as a
writer, reports that Hoad in
sisted he Definitely would stick
to amateur tennis for few years
yet"
Rosewall was reported to be
Of the same mind.
Actually no concrete offer has
been made by Kramer, but the
professional kingpin was quoted
as saying. II will take Hoad any
time he is ready"
The Herald also stated that
Tony Trabert, the United States
champion, said he would consider
a pro offer but that he figures he
is not yet ready.
Trabert insists he must win
more championships to establish
himself before he would be in
tereSted in the play-for-pay
game.
HOad Wants More Titles.
The paper quoted Hoad as say
ing II want to win more Davis
Cups for Australia. And there
also are the Wimbledon and
United States singles titles"
Hoad won three straight Aus
tralian state titles this summer
but holds no major national
crown.
Hopman said he can under
stand why Kramer is interested
in the youngsters but added:
Presently can say Australia
is in no immediate danger of
losing either of her famous ten
mis- twins"
Kramer was quoted by the
Herald as saving he may make
an offer to Rosewall and Hoad
before the next Davis Cup.
Kramer added "Hoad will make
a great pro- He has everything
the strength. temperament and
the big game"
Meanwhile. Australia cele-
brated another Davis Cup VIC
tory over the United States in a
fashion to make BROOKLYN Dcdg-
er partisans. look like Sedate
amateurs.
That's how wild the celebra-
tiors were from one end of the
land to the other.
Hoad and Rosewall were being
acclaimed as rational heroes.
World news was showed inside in
the papers and even the story of
Queen Elizabeth knighting eight
Australians was subordinated to
the triumph.
Optimistic About Future.
Hopman. the usually dour
sports writer, was wreathed in
smiles as he accepted congratu-
lations for the team. Hopman,
who is not permitted to write. for
his paper 10 days before the
challenge round because of past
hassles with other Australian
writers who accused him of saw
ing news of the team for him.
self. had nothing but praise for
Hoad.
He has great potential"
said Hopman. He cannot miss
becoming really great. There is
not much difference between his
form against Trabert than tn
of Frank Sedgman against Vic
Seixas in 1851"
All the experts predicted the
cup would remain in Australia
for many years to come.
Ken .MIcGregor. Sedgman's
former partner. who now is
professional. said his country
should keep the cup at least five
more years.
THE last two days proved
there are no better players in
the world than oui top pair of
Hoad and Rosewall.' he wrote in
a column in the Melbourne Sun.
Even if Australia had no tennis
cubs coming on-and there are
plenty-I would still say we'll
hold the cup until 1883"
McGregor added that Trabert
would continue to improve. but
that Seixas cannot be regarded
as a Davis Cup hope for the
United States. He is on the de-
cline. I do not feel the young
Americans. Ham Richardson
and Bob Perry. are threats to
Australian tennis supremacy.