I have a full record of the matches that Budge and Mako played in summer '38, which will give a better idea of the events they played. I don't believe this has yet been documented anywhere.
On the day of the Wimbledon final, Budge described his upcoming summer tour:
https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h_gpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MGoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4844,84280
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July 5-6
Exhibitions in Budapest, Hungary
First day
Budge d. Szigeti 4-6, 6-4, 6-4
Budge/Mako defeated Dallos/Asboth 6-3, 6-0, 6-3
Mako d. Gabri 6-2, 6-2
An AP report:
Fresh from their triumphs at Wimbledon, Don Budge of Oakland, Calif., and Gene Mako of Los Angeles today made a clean sweep of three exhibition matches with outstanding Hungarian tennis stars. Budge defeated Otto Szigeti, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, and Mako triumphed over T. Gabri, 6-2, 6-2, in singles, and in doubles the two-time Wimbledon champions beat George Dallos and P. Asboth 6-3, 6-0, 6-3.
Second day
Dallos d. Mako 3-6, 6-2, 7-7, ret.
Szigeti/Gabori defeated Budge/Mako 6-4, 6-2
Asboth d. Budge 6-1, 8-6, 3-0, ret.
Budge and Mako both retired in their singles matches, for different reasons.
An AP report:
BUDAPEST, July 6.—(AP)—Hungarian tennis players squared accounts with Don Budge and Gene Mako in exhibition matches today.
C. Dallos won over Mako, 3-6, 6-2, 7-7 as the American quit to save his energies for doubles in which he and Budge were beaten by O. Szigeti and E. Gabori, 6-4, 6-2. P. Asboth was conceded victory over Budge in singles, 6-1, 8-6, 3-0 when the final set was called to allow the Americans time to catch a train for Praha.
Budge and Mako arrived in Prague late on the 6th.
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Czechoslovakia Championships in Prague
July 7
R16 Mako d. Malecek 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 5-2, ret.
QF Budge d. Drobny 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-8, 6-2
July 8
QF Hecht d. Mako 6-2, 6-1, 7-5
SF Budge d. Cejnar 2-6, 6-0, 6-2, 6-4
July 9
SF Hecht d. Menzel 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, 3-6, 2-5, ret. (Menzel wrenching a shoulder)
July 10
F Budge d. Hecht 6-1, 6-3, 7-5
DF Budge/ Mako defeated Hecht/ Drobny 6-1, 7-5, 9-7
Budge seems to have been placed directly into the quarters and Mako into the R16.
Western news reports have the Budge semifinal against Cejnar as 26 60 64 but I found the four-set score in a Czech source (
Kramerius). That is certainly correct because all of the other known matches in the tournament were best of five.
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Budge and Mako arrived in Belgrade on July 11 and were scheduled to play the next day, but a dispute arose over whether the matches would be played in Belgrade or Zagreb. It was decided to play the first two days in Belgrade, the last day in Zagreb.
Drobny participated in some of the matches, so he may have traveled with Budge and Mako.
July 12-14
Exhibitions in Yugoslavia
First day (Belgrade)
Kukuljevic d. Budge 15-13, 7-5
Puncec d. Mako 4-6, 6-3, 9-7
Budge/Mako defeated Kukuljevic/Drobny 6-2, 6-2
Second day (Belgrade)
Budge d. Puncec 6-2, 6-2
Propni d. Mako 3-6, 6-1, 6-3
Puncec/Kukuljevic defeated Budge/Mako 6-2, 1-6, 7-5, 6-4
Third day (Zagreb)
Puncec d. Budge 3-6, 6-3, 6-1
Mako d. Mitic 6-4, 6-1
Budge/Mako defeated Puncec/Kukuljevic 8-6, 6-4, 6-4
The Americans left for Paris immediately afterwards.
Only about a month earlier Tilden had mentioned these Yugoslav players in his latest book,
Aces, Places and Faults (p. 146):
A group of young players, particularly the three Davis Cup stars, Pallada, Punjec and Kukuljevic, lifted the game of tennis in Yugoslavia out of the rut and brought it into championship class. Pallada and Punjec are sound baseliners, Kukuljevic is a net rusher with a great service.
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July 18-20
Exhibitions at Fitzwilliam Club in Dublin
All matches “on the centre hard court”
First day
Budge d. Csikos, M. (Hungarian) 6-0, 6-0
Mako d. Sin Kie Kho (Chinese Davis Cupper) 6-4, 6-4
Budge/Mako defeated Sin Kie Kho/Lyttleton-Rogers 6-1, 7-5, 4-6, 4-6, 6-2
Second day
Budge d. Sin Kie Kho 6-0, 7-5
Mako d. Lyttleton-Rogers 6-2, 6-0
Budge/Mako defeated Csikos/Lyttleton-Rogers 7-5, 6-1, 6-3
Third day
Budge d. Mako 6-3, 4-6, 6-2
Csikos d. Ryan, H. J. (Irish Davis Cup player, replacing Rogers) 6-1, 6-1
Budge/Mako defeated Sin Kie Kho/Lyttleton-Rogers 6-2, 6-2, 6-1
(Rogers and Kho were the current doubles titleholders of the British Hard Court Championship.)
Budge and Mako then left for England, “on the night-boat.”
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July 22
Exhibition in Birmingham, UK
Edgbaston Club
Budge 6-3, 7-9 Mako (tie)
Budge/Mako defeated G.P. Hughes/Tuckey, C.R.D. 6-0, 5-7, 6-4
They sailed for home on July 23, arriving in New York aboard the Britannic on July 31.