Bright New Faces

In sunny New South Wales, as in Southern California, it is near-perfect tennis weather all year long. Oswald William Thomas Sidwell liked to play tennis as much as the next youngster, but figured that his real sporting future lay on a golf course. Then the war gave Billy Sidwell a chance to play tennis against G.I.s in Britain. He did so well that he decided to stick to the game. Last week all Australia had reason to be thankful.

At Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Mass., Australia was matched with Czechoslovakia in the Davis Cup interzone finals. After 27 countries had been eliminated, the survivors were fighting for the right to challenge the U.S. (last year's winner) next fortnight. Missing were the top 1947 Australian Davis Cuppers: Dinny Pails had turned pro, and John Bromwich (who hates airplanes) had refused to fly to the U.S. Australia was counting on overage (35) Captain Adrian "Quist, the national singles champion.

Dogged, deliberate Quist beat the erratic No. 2 Czech, Vladimir Cernik, with little trouble, 6-2, 13-11, 6-0. Then wiry little Billy Sidwell, 28, went up against Jaroslav Drobny, 27, Europe's best. Billy's backhand was in perfect control, and he tantalized the left-handed Czech with frequent line placements on his left side. Between sets, Sidwell sat down to catch his breath, keeping Drobny waiting, and picked himself up with great deliberation whenever he slipped on the dewy grass. Uncharitable spectators figured that the Australian was just grandstanding; but insiders knew that Sidwell had to take things easy after a nervous collapse from overtraining early this year. Only a hundred spectators were still-around when Sidwell won, 6-3, 6-2, 9-11, 14-12.

The Czechs, now behind 2-0, came back to win the doubles. Playing his second singles, against Jaroslav Drobny, Adrian Quist had a chance to clinch the matches. But age told: he got off to a good start, only to lose, 6-8, 3-6, 18-16, 6-3, 7-5. That left Australia's Davis Cup chances in the hands of Billy Sidwell. He polished off Czech Cernik in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2. That spelled victory for Australia, 3-2.

Who would represent the U.S. in the Davis Cup matches? Now that Jake Kramer had turned pro, the first rank of U.S. amateur tennis was a pretty lackluster lot. At Newport, R.I., last week, in the Casino Invitation tournament, the old familiar faces went through their old familiar paces in a last unofficial singles warmup before Forest Hills. This week the Davis Cup committee, to nobody's surprise, picked Veterans Ted Schroeder, Gardnar Mulloy, Frank Parker and Billy Talbert to represent the U.S. against Australia. But the real news at Newport was made by youngsters whom the committee did not consider ripe enough for the team.

Philadelphia's fast, rangy, young (24) Victor Seixas (rhymes with gracious), a University of North Carolina senior with a cannonball service and a neat drop shot, upset top-seeded Schroeder in the quarterfinals, 2-6, 6-4, 8-6, 6-4, before losing in the semifinals. It was the second tournament defeat in a row for Schroeder, who just wasn't in shape.

Even more of a surprise was the spectacular play of Harry E. Likas Jr., 24, of the University of San Francisco, the 1948 intercollegiate champion. No. 19 in the national ranking, Likas upset Wimbledon Champion Bob Falkenburg and Budge Patty in early rounds, then toppled second-seeded Mulloy in the semifinals. Skinny Harry Likas, who is shy on stamina, had practically been forced to play the game ever since he was a kid. His tennis-crazy father for years whispered instructions to his son during matches, ceaselessly drilled him on strategy. Last week, minus Harry Sr., Harry Jr. gave Billy Talbert a run for his money with a smooth-stroking ground game before losing out in the finals, 4-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

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