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TENNIS BOY
HAILED
A CHAMPION
'SHOULD ACCOMPANY
DAVIS CUP TEAM'
EXPERTS AGREE
AUSTRALIAN tennis stars
**? hail Vivian McGrath, the
1 5-year-old New South Wales
schoolboy, as a .coming cham
pion, and say that he should
be sent abroad as fourth
member of the Davis Cup
team.
Those who subscribe to this view in
clude Gerald Patterson, T. Harada
(Japanese captain), G. M- Hone, R. Cum
mings. and J. Willard.
McGrath's defeat of Gar Moon in the
first round of the Australian singles tennis
championship caused a sensation at Me
morial Drive courts today.
Patterson, who is a former world cham
pion, made the suggestion about
McGrath going abroad, and other players
backed him up.
'Ht should be sent as fourth string, if
only for the experience,' said Patterson.
'He is a phenomenal player for his age,
and should be given a trip abroad. His
match temperament is perfect. Moon was
inconvenienced by. Mclxratns unusual
backhand.'
Patterson himself uses an unusual back-'
hand — the loop-the-loop shot — but it is not
so freakish as MeGrath's double-handed
stroke.
MOST PROMISING
Jim Willard, who was manager of the
1930 Davis Cup team, trains McGrath. He
supports Patterson's idea. At Christmas
Willard took McGrath and other New
South Wales juniors on a country tour
and up to Brisbane. '
'He is the most promising boy in Aus
tralia today,' said Willard. 'His im
provement in the past 12 months has
been astounding. His two-handed back
hand was so extraordinary that at first
some people wanted him to alter it. But
he wisely took the advice of others, and
now it is his greatest tennis asset.
'He conceals this shot wonderfully. No
one can tell where he is going to put
the ball. Moreover, he is a good* all
rounder, being good at baseline and net.
His tactics are good. He goes straight
for his opponent's weaknesses. And he
is never ruffled.'
FREAKISH BACKHAND
Harada, who is the captain of the visit
ing Japanese team, agreed with Patter
son's proposal.
'McGrath's .backhand is a wonderful,
stroke for him ana a. very bad one for
his opponents,' said Harada.. 'His back
hand is the strongest part of his game.
He is a wonderful player for a boy of 15.
It was bad luck for Moon that be met
him in the first round.' '
'McGrath is a coming Davis Cud
player,' said Cmnmings, the Queensland
star. 'It -would not hurt to send him .
away this year. When he matureB in three
or four years he and Crawford ehould be
able to win the Davis Cup back for Aus
tralia.
'McGrath reminds one of Rene Lacoste,
the French Davis Cup player, in tempera
ment. Nothing worries him.'
WORTHY OlyCHAMPION
- 'It was under big match conditions
and against a proved international that
McGrath won,' said C. J. Donohoe, who
holds the Australian doubles title with
R. Dunlop. 'He CJould be given every
chance. The boy's tactics were worthy of
any champion.'
Harry Hopman, a . member of ? the 1930
Davis Cup team, said that it was a mis
take to regard McGrath as too young.
He pointed out that Vincent Richards was
doubles champion of America at 16.
Dr. G. M. Hone agreed that McGrath
should go away with the Davis Cup team.
He sard it was not hard to understand
now why Adrian Quiet had been beaten
by McGrath on Thursday. Everyone in
South Australia would be interested to
see McGrath and Qutet play again.
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