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AUSTRALIA'S
CHANCE IN THE DAVIS CUP
MUCH DEPENDS ON CRAWFORD
AT PHILADELPHIA
Vital Match Withlhe United States
Bj H. A. de LACY
| A USTRALIA will meet the United States
I
| ** in the final of the North American Zone
f
|
of the Davis Cup on Friday. Philadelphia is
|
|
the venue.
j
The question exercising the mind of the |
Australian
tennis
world
is:
How
will 1
Crawford shape? for it appears that our |
hopes of winning this important cup tie are |
|
utterly dependent on the brilliant New South |
; Wales ace.
|
JT would seem that-Crawford must win both his
singles to give Australia a fighting chance. Of
Crawford's ability to win there is no doubt, but even
as his brilliance has delighted us, so his many lapses
have perplexed. If Satoh, the Japanese player, was
his top in Australia we can say that our tennis,
with Crawford as the spearpoint, is equal to the world's
best. Satoh had a remarkably successful season in
England and on the Continent, yet in Australia Crawford
seemed to be his master, and Hopman, too, defeated
him.
By comparison with the Japanese players, Crawford
must be ranked high, but when wc discuss
Crawford we feel that some qualification to his prowess,
some "if," is necessary.
Ellsworth Vines has been announced as America's
No. 1. Vines has been seen in action by the Australians,
who, by their cabled remarks, suggest that
he will rely on a rushing volleying game. Should *
Vines endeavor to hit Crawford off the court he is
in for trouble, for the Australian's delight is a player
who flashes the ball about at great speed, perhaps
deserting court position to get to the net. Crawford
has shown a genius for leaving such players flatfooted
before clever placements.
Previously we have been led to believe that Vines
based his game on the success of good length drives,
volleying well from the half court, but losing his certainty
when closer in. If the Australians' description
of his play is correctly reported, it would seem that
Vines is playing with greater abandon, and this possibly
explains his two defeats this season, and the fact
that in Davis Cup tics with Canada and Mexico he
has twice been taken to five sets.
At this distance it would seem that
Crawford has the right defence and
Attack to cope with Vines, but what
of Allison?
Danger from
Alliton
Wilmer Allison must
Tiave
improved
on last season's
form,
for
then many of the world's authorities
failed to place him in ranking lists.
Allison's play in some regards resembles
that of Lacoste, the Frenchman.
His accuracy is his forte, and
his tactics are faultless. Allison will
not fall easily into the error of making
a game to suit Crawford, and
the Australian might be troubled to
v/in.
F. X. Shield, whose form has not
been the best, is an emergency
singles player. Thus America is well
equipped for the singles. Shield at
his top is capable of defeating the
world's best, as he proved at Wimbledon
last year.
Great little fighter as Harry Hopman
is, we do not rank him with
Crawford. He has many things that
Crawford lacks, but is not nearly so
well equipped for a Davis Cup contest.
Hopman is seen at his best in a
volleying game. He has the one set
style, and does not adapt himself so
readily as does the Australian champion.
This was strikingly illustrated
when Hopman met Satoh at
Kooyong. He tried to upset the
Japanese by slowing up the play.
To a degree he succeeded, but there
was much in his game that is best
described as "rubbish." He played
too short, and was often left flatfooted
by the placements of the
Japanese. Satoh, while safe overhead,
was not brilliant. How Hopman
in such mood would fare against
the brilliance of the Americans overhead
is left to conjecture.
Hopman's
Chance
The question concerning our
second singles string is: Can he
stand toe to toe with the Americans
in a hard-driving, volleying game?
We know Hopman sufficiently well
lo realise that he will be trying all
the time, and any. lapse on the part
of his opponents might easily throw
a rubber our way. So Hopman has
just a fighting cnance.
The doubles will be played by
Hopman and Crawford against Allison
and Van Ryn. The Australians
dropped a set against Cuba. That
might Tie explained by the strange
conditions of court and temperature,
or that the Australians suffered a
lapse, as we have often seen them do
on this side. Van Ryn and Allison
are a well seasoned combination
who will be carrying the attack all
the time. It must also be remembered
that while both the Australians
will have taken part in gruelling
contests on the previous day,
Van Ryn, at least, will be fresh.
Crawford has shown that he does
not like hard games on consecutive
days, and might be feeling the strain
during the doubles, especially as he
>s reported to be suffering from a
cold and asthma—his old enemy.
Allison would seem to have had just
sufficient tennis to turn him out
'rained to the minute. Here again
the issue Feems to favor the Americans.
Much will therefore
depend
on
Crawford's
ability
to
win
both
-ingles.
This being
accomplished,
we will have more than a
fighting
chance of eliminating
the
United
Slates.
none Help
Principals in Australia's big tennis test at the week-end.—(1) E. Vines (America), (2) J. Crawford (Australia), (3) J. Van Ryn (America), (4) W. Allison (America), (5) C. Sproule (Australia), (6) F. Shield (America) and (7) H. Hopman (Australia). Our men will play U.S.A. at Philadelphia. Help
Principals in Australia's big tennis test at the week-end.—(1) E. Vines (America), (2) J. Crawford (Australia), (3) J. Van
Ryn (America), (4) W. Allison (America), (5) C. Sproule (Australia), (6) F. Shield (America) and (7) H. Hopman
(Australia). Our men will play U.S.A. at Philadelphia.
$