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Davis Cup Candidates
American Players:"Big
Bill" Tilden
Bj VINCENT RICHARDS,
This fli «M of a series of stories In which Vincent Richards Is
analysing tha playing ability of the men chosen for this year's U.S.
Davis cup squad.
International Tennis Star and former Davis Cup Ace. (Copyright
19X0, bj Ibe Worth American Newspaper Alliancc).
Just what Bill Tilden meant by
"Internationa] tennis" when he
nounoed his CarsweU to It I am not
rare, but it would surprise me very
much If he meant Davis Cup tennis.
When "Big Bill" made his announcement
he waa preparing for the
French covered court championship,
snd later he was losing to Jean
Uorotra In the final round.
When an American goes to England
and France to play against the
Kritlab and the French I should call
It international tennis. But evidently
Tilden doesn't. So when the
time comes I don't believe he will
regard the Davis Cup matches as international
tennis.
This isn't the first time Tilden has
said he waa through with international
tennis. Two years ago he was
saying he had played for the last
time In Davis Cup matches, but you
didn't see him in the side lines after
that, did you?
I am convinced that Tilden can no
more give up playing Davis Cup tennis
wfafle he can play at all than he can
stop eating. He loves the game too
much, and he likes the spotlight too
much. And who, having held the
spotlight, doesn't like It?
I predict that Tilden will be in the
1930 American Davis Cup tcani If
Hie committee selects him. Some announcement
about his making a sacrifice
and hearing the call to duty will
reconcile his acceptance of the call
with his announcement of retiring.
IflS 'TAREWEU/' DISCOUNTED
That the committee doesn't take
much stock of his "farewell" is shown
by its naming him for the Davis Cup
*>i|uad from which the team will be
selected. The tact that he has been
in tournaments on the Riviera, becoming
accustomed to courts and
climate. Is ail the more reason he
should be willing to play this season.
You will remember Bill has had
hot rows with th« tennis powers because
they would not challenge In
the European gone and let our players
benefit by early preparation on
foreign courts. tASt year Tilden and
Frank Hunter declined to play In the
Afnerlc^n J cone, and went abroad In
May., after saying they weren't 'are
whether they would ploy In the lewn
In Europe, only to accept placeis
readily for the fnterzon« and challenge
round.
If the champion
hears
the
call
egiin—-and Jie will, unless he becomes
*rtojip-4eaf—he (i the logical No.
l
b
d
t
e
man for the team.
He Is 87 years
old, and
has already completed
12
years of service.
But, despite
that,
he Is again the
national
champion,
and there is no disputing hi« position
as the premier player of this country.
He had tough battles
in
the
championship last September, notably
with Frank Shields and Johnny Doeg,
but he came through
winner,
and
beat Hunter in the
final.
While it might be- wiser to choose
a young team entirely, and give it
opportunity to season itself for future
victories, the DavU Cup
committee
feels it has a real chance to
bring
back the cup thie year, but believes
that thia can't be done without Tilden.
WOULD PLAY SINGLES ONLV "
Thase choosing
our
teams
have
been criticised
in
the pa^t for
not
discarding veterans and giving young
blood a chance,
but lost
September
J. W. Wear, chairman of the selection
committee, was roasted
because
he chose George Lott in
place
of
Hunter in the challenge round. That
#hows you can't please everybody, no
matter what you do, and if the committee
thfriks it can win with Tilden
he should be picked.
If Tilden is selected Ills piny will
undoubtedly be limited <-o the singl
With a team like Van Ryn and Allison
on deck, and
George Lott
and
Johnny Doeg, national dcubits champions,
also available, there is no need
to burden
Tilden
with the
doubles.
He will be much
more valuable
in
the singles alone.
I do not think Bill has, a
chance
of boating Cochet, if we gel Into th
chullenge round,
but 1 would
£avor
him over liorotra, and if I^acoste returns
to the fray this year,
which
feems
doubtful.
Tilden
might
also
beat
the
phlegmatic
Parisian.
Laeowte has been
doing
very
little
playing for more
than a year,
and
no longer has his -Jieart In the game.
Tflder/s recent defeat by
Borotra
In the covered
court
champlonshlr
does not mean
a
thing.
Borotra's
forte is Indoor play, while
.ildftn has
never been within 15 at) good In-loo is
as- on gt'e&s or day.
li'.Ji defeated
liorotrn In the challenge 'ound
Jaw I
diimmcr, and my money would he on
him to do It again .this year.
1
Tfldiju
ran
come through
with
ofie of )i!a singles matches there Is a
strong chance vpe can bring the
ack. We will be favorite «n the
oubles, anC the Job will be to find
he player tvho can win another
ingies match.
$