A WIN AND A LOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 211, 5 September 1924, Page 5

A WIN AND A LOSS.

DAVIS CUP SEMI-FINAL

LACOSTE BEATS PATTERSON. A WIN FOB O'HABA WOOD. (By Cable—--".ess Association. —Copj-risTitJ (Received 10.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. Tho final of tho preliminary rounds of the Davis Cup contest was begun today between Australia and France. Bene Lacostc beat O. L. Patterson, C—3, 6—2, 10—8. P. O'Hara Wood beat Borotra, I—o, 6—., I—G, o—4, G—2. 'The weather was cool, which was deemed advantageous to the Frenchmen. Patterson and Lacostc started nervously, hitting the ball cautiously. Tlie Frenchman lost several games through errors, but Patterson failed to follow up the advantage. In the second Set Lacoste's play improved, and he showed superiority in backhand and all round steadiness. The final set waa a battle royal. La-! coste employed the backcourt game, concentrating on Patterson's backhand. The Australian, in the 17th game, was twice within a point of winning .the set, but Lacoste's victory in the next game was a triumph for youth and steadiness. The ascendancy of the agile Frenchman continued at the beginning of the next match, chiefly because Borotra was able to keep the 'ball in play long enough to volley for clean placements. Wood's return of service was another factor in his setback. The insistent challenge of the tenacious Australian would not be denied. Fighting an uphill game he twice broke through Borotra's servico to Square the score. The Frenchman vainly volleyed and superbly placed returns at dizzy angles. At tbe crucial point of the match Wood put on an extra burst of speed which proved too much for the tired Basque. I Lacostc, serving in the first game, offered an opportunity for Patterson to break through the third game, and the Australian immediately took the lead nt 3—2. The Frenchman's inability to 1 return Patterson's fast service seemed to shake him, and the contest quickly resolved itself into a battle between an exponent of excellent backhand ground strokes and a hard hitter. Lacostc,

j breaking through Patterson's service, won the sixth to love, and, winning tbe seventh to love, took the lead at 4—3. Patterson attempted to mix his game, slicing and lobbing;, but tho Frenchman's unerring returns from the backhand, ana keen drives to Patterson's backhand, j quickly brought him victory in the first set, six against three. I In the second set the games alternated with the service, until Lacoste broke through tbe fifth, leading 3—2. The Frenchman fought always to advance to the net, the Australian making an effort to lob and drive him away, but Lacoste's uncanny accuracy, and apparent intimate knowledge, of .how to develop his opponent's errors by driving to Patterson's backhand were piling up the points. Patterson again lost his service in the seventh, and he now determined to receive the Frenchman's service at midcoUrt. This did not disconcert Lacoste, who ran out the set six games against two. In the third set Patterson was striving mightily to pull himself together. His service had suddenly weakened. . He double-faulted continuously, and one could see that he was making an heroic effort to again obtain his control. It seemed a day of bad tennis luck for him. Ho could create few opportunities for near the net overhead kills. The games now alternated, and a tense struggle was. witnessed, most games going to . deuce, the Australian by micht and main ; pulling his service out again and again. t After standing thirty-forty Patterson in tho tenth game again attempted to rejceive tho Frenchman's service in midcoiirt. but unsuccessfully. In the four- . teenth game the Frenchman serving, stood within a point twice of a lost set, but ho pulled up from fifteen-forty, and in the seventeenth game he broke throuirh Patterson's service, also winning tbe eighteenth to fifteen, and the set ten games against eight. PAT "WOOD'S WIN. Wood, serving, lost the third and fifth games, giving the Frenchman a quick s—l lead. The Australian lost his service also in the seventh game, and the Frenchman took tho set at ease, six games against one. Wood seemed shaken :by his team-mate's defeat, and he was unusually inaccurate, netting the softest shots and offering Borotra every opportunity to cross-court his shots for placements or to pass the Australian ! when the latter ran to the net. In the second set Wood offered an exI hibition of indomitable courage ;and : skill under adverse circumstances. He stood love-forty serving; in the second game, and he pushed his way through with masterly shots, taking the following ei_.it points, scoring a break through the Frenchman's service in the third ! game, nnd leading 2 —l. His service was perfection, clipping the edges of the court. He increased his lead, and at 3—2 he re-established • his control beyond question, lining returns close nnd parallel to the line of the court in which he received tbe service. He pulled bis service in the eighth out after deuce had' been called five times, and ran the set out by winning alternate games, six games against four. In the third set, his play again becoming patchy, Wood lost his service in 'the second," and Borotra quickly 1 amassed a three-love lead. The French- • man was playing high-grade tournament 1 tennis, his work at the net being fault- , less. He volleyed with precision, and j showed instinct for angling his shots j into placements. Wood again lost his I service in the fourth after deuce had : been called twice, but the Australian . retaliated and the Frenchman also lost his service in the fifth after deuce. Wood ■ again lost his service, and Borotra led i s—l,5 —1, winning tbe set six games against : one. , I In >the fourth set tbe games alteri j natcd without any great incident until ' j the eighth, when Borotra stood to lose i his service thirty-forty. It was a vital .' game, the loss of which would probabh' i spell the Australian's victory in the set, i but the Frenchman showed well-balanced nil-round tennis, and pulled out the ■ score, standing four all. The Austrai lian. however, bided bis chance, and, lobbing the Frenchman into errors, broke through tbe latter's service in the tenth | and won the set six games against four. i In the fifth set again Wood showed the • stuff of which great tennis players are •! made. Tlie Frenchman's clever place- ! in'ents left the Australian love-forty in j tiic third game, but Wood won the next five points. The Frenchman in the fourth did virtually the same thing, i winning from thirty-forty. Wood., fight-

(log his hardest when the oddi were greatest, invited bis opponent into a volleying duel in which he broke through the Frenchman's service in the sixth and led 4—2. fie was ndw not to be denied. overwhelming the Frenchman and tear* mg- through the latter'e service in the eighth to fifteen, Winning the Set, el* games against two. The Australians should now have a good chance of making their way to the challenge round. The doubles played today should be won by them, for Wood and Patterson make a very formidable double. They understand each other's play and combine much better than do the Frenchmen, who h&ve not had much practice together. If they Win to»day, one win on Saturday Will give them the match, and though tbe results Of yesterday's games and (last form show that both the Frenchmen are very formidable, the Australians will be in a sound position when play begins tomorrow.