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Richardson Likely Davis Cup Player Has Excellent Opportunity To Replace Seixas on U.S. Team to Face Australians By STEVE SNIDER United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., May 12. Hamilton Richardson, 20-year-old Tulane senior, is moving up fast as a potential Davis Cup star. If he continues to improve, theres an excellent chance that Richardson will replace Vic Seixas as Tony Traberts singles sidekick when U. S. tennis forces attempt to wrest the Cup from Australia next winter. Richardson dropped into New York Monday night and gave gloomy U. S. officials a quick pickup by demolishing 40-year-old Gardnar Mulloy in the National Round Robin championships with a stronger backhand and court tactics than he ever had shown before. "The floodlight conditions obviously didnt suit Mulloy but Richardsons form was a pleasant surprise even so," said -Davis Cup chairman Alrick Man. "It proved his victory over Trabert at Houston recently wasnt exactly a fluke." Theres a long season ahead before Davis Cup selectors must pick a team but since Seixas hasnt made up his mind whether he wants to go through another Davis Cup grind all candidates will be scree" d carefully. In Spot to Clean Up Richardson is in a good spot to clean up during the early grass court season in the east next summer when most of the other top campaigners both American and Australian usually are weary after the European tour winding up at Wimbledon. Ham. passed up the European trip this year to defend his National Intercollegiate title at Seattle June 21-26. "I hated to miss Wimbledon but this is my last year of eligibility for the collegiates and I wanted to defend the title," said Richardson. The decision, however, should be a break in that hell be fresh for the summer campaign. Trabert, Seixas, Mulloy, Art Larsen and the Aussie wonders Lew Hoad and Ken Rosewall have been grinding away all year around for two years or more. All show the strain at one time or another. Cup officials have been grooming Richardson for several seasons, hoping hed develop into a hot shot like Hoad and Rosewall. Occasionally, his progress has been disappointing and thats why his form against Mulloy was greeted with starry eyes on Monday night. Like the veteran Billy Talbert, Richardson is a diabetic. He is, however, considered strong enough for a strenuous Davis Cup campaign, particularly if Talbert is along to hand out advice on conditioning. While he is waiting for the summer season, Richardson wont lack for heavy competition. He can get that right at home from Tulane coach Emmett Pare, an old pro who once toured as a foe for Bill Tilden. "For one set, he is still great," said Richardson.
