LAWN TENNIS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 162, 14 August 1914, Page 2

LAWN TENNIS.

AN EXCITING MATCH. In the light of subsequent events, the following account from the Lorldon "Daily Express" of the match between Norman Brookes and Otto Froitzheim, the German champion, to decide who should have the honour of meeting Anthony Wilding in the challenge round of the All-England Championship, should prove of particular interest. Opinion was strangely divided as to who would win. Whatever the result, it was felt that it would be a great struggle, and when Brookes, in little more than half an hour, led by two sets to nothing, with scores of 6-2, 6-1, the crowded galleries felt, that they had been robbed of their due, and many a look of sorrowful indignation was cast at the still nonehalant German champion.

GERMAN STARTS BADLY. Frankly, he gave a poor show at the start. He was absolutely helpless against Brookes's service, which came tearing nine times put of ten on his back hand. When he did get it back, the Australian was always there, ready to kill with a crisp volley.

Nothing came off for Froizheim. When he did make a good shot, it would drop, a bare inch outside. Brookes hardly had to make an effort. He seemed to have the match at his mercy, and the sorrowful supporters of the German began to feel in their pockets for the shillings with which they had backed their opinion. They had to pay up at the finish, it is true, but they had a gorgeous run for their money, and but for several bad decisions, all against Froitzheim, the result might have been different.

With the odds so overwhehningly against him, the German appeared hardly at all discomposed. He strolled about in his usual casual, languid way, and if you had not known you would have .found it hard to guess who was leading.

Hitherto Froitzheim had done little but drive from the base line. In the third set he altered his tactics, '■ '■ and started to lob, and in this delicate section of the game there is no greater artist than Froitzheim When 'in form. He suddenly found his form, and Brookes, who had hitherto "• merely-'had to kill drives '. that were little' above the net, was now compelled to fall back, the perfect height and beautiful length of Froitzheim's lobs forbidding any liberties. .'-"■'

The score crept up from .3 all to 4 all, and then to 5 all, and then, for the first time in the match Brookes dropped his service and Froitzheim led for the first time. He took the next game also, and ; the score. was 2 sets to 1, Brookes leading. - v -. -.,.,, CHEERED TO THE ECHO. Brookes looked terribly baked, and lay down on the surrounding tarpaulin,' while Froitzheim, who was cheered to the echo, continued his desultory and nonchalant • strolls.

The Australian started all right in the fourth set, and won the first game, but then Froitzheim took the next five, and Brookes looked hopelessly beaten. It was thought that he would not waste his energy by trying to retrieve the set, but he stuck to it, and Froitzheim, playing rather carelessly, let him get to 5-4 before winning. Froitzheim had now shown that Brookes's service had no further terrors for him. He returned it quite easily, and frequently .exactly'to Brookes' feet, with the result that time after time the latter put the.ball into the net.

With the score at two sets all anything was possible. There was a long pause before they resumed, and a policeman made himself useful by knocking the head off a bottle of mineral water for the benefit of Brookes, who lay full stretched again on the tarpaulin.

The face of Norman Brookes is that of a fighter. He knew that he was up against it, but he stepped up, livelier than he had been for a long time, for the fifth set, which meant so much. He still retained the cap which niakes him look like a barrow' retailer of bananas, but it was soaked through with perspiration. Norman Brookes was up against it, right enough. He knew it better than 1 anybody else, and his always grim mouth set more like a vice than ever. A STRANGE PERSONALITY.

A strange personality, Brookes! Off the court, simply charming, kindly, deferential, and retiring. On it, grim, remorseless, ruthless, forbidding, and yet incapable of doing an unsportsmanlike action. He cares nothing for sentimentality, but is out to play the game in the strictest sense. ■

They got to grips again. Both played desperately and, game for game, the score crept up to 5 all. The proverbial dropped pin would have made a report like a bomb. The assembled multitude hardly breathed. Six-five —Brookes leads —six all! Seven-six —Brookes leads—-and then came a shocking decision against Froitzheim, and Brookes led again 7—6.

A glorious rally, and then a backhanded smash by Brookes—and then the unimpassioned voice of the umpire: "Game, set, and match to Brookes I" And the grim Australian walked up to the still nonehalent German, and, with, a smile which convinces you, in spite of appearances, that Norman Brookes must be a dear soul, he gravely shook hands with Froitzheim, as one who; has met a foeman worthy of his steel.

Froitzheim, the German, with shouts of "Hoch!" ringing in his ears, added, still nonehalent: "And a dash of seltzer!" .