A WIN AND A LOSS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 9

A WIN AND A LOSS.

DAVIS CUP CONTEST. TWO ASTONISHING UPSETS. PATTERSON BEATS LACOSTE. ANDERSON LOSES TO BOROTRA. (Ry Cable—Tress Association.—Copyright.) (Received 10.30 a.m.) NEW YORK, September 4. After a day's postponement owing to weather conditions," the final of the preliminary rounds of tbe Davis Cup contests, to decide which nation will challenge America, was begun on the Forest Hills court, New York, to-day, when Australia, winner of tlie American zone matches, met France, finalists of the European zone. The first two singles were played, each nation securing a win, the results being.— G. L. Patterson (Australia) beat Bene Lacoste (France), 6—3, 6—4, C—2. Jean Borotra (France) beat J. 0. Anderson (Australia), 6—4, 6—3, B—6, Patterson opened with deadly serving, winning the first game to love on two service aces and two forced errors. He repeated the performance in the fifth game, and meantime Lacoste managed to win his service games. The first break came with the sixth game, when Lacoste was forced to yield his service after very lengthy rallies, giving Patterson a lead at 4—2, which at the next service he increasad to 5—2. Patterson's backhand was splendid under a continuous bombardment, and he won the set six against three. In the second set, Lacoste, unperturbed, attacked with greater aggressiveness, but was unable to do more than win his own j service games, Patterson's attack being still too formidable. The Australian's backhand grew a bit uncertain, but the tremendous service, crisp volleying, and incomparable kills of lobs continually checked Lacoste. Power triumphed over control, Patterson playing the best tennis be has shown this season. A service break by Lacoste in the seventh game was sufficient for Patterson to win the set six games against four. In the third set, the longest game of the match developed at the opening, Patterson finally 'breaking the service after six deuces. Lacoste rallied brilliantly, and gauged the side lines to a nicety, retaliating with a break in the second game. He raised French bopes in the third by taking the lead for tbe first time in the match, but the hope proved " fleeting. The Australinn rushed through the next two games to love, and won the next two for a lead of 5 —2. He ended the match in the eighth, getting terrific speed on his service, and won six against two. BOROTRA AND ANDERSON. Borotra started well against Anderson, taking the first two games. Unlike Lacoste, who played almost entirely from the back of the court, Borotra stormed 1 the net from the opening rally. He continued to hold his early advantage, gaining the lead at 4—2, Anderson having trouble over bis control, many of | bis drives finding the net, Borotra forcing him to hurry his strokes. | The Frenchman broke the service for I the second time in the seventh game, I leading 5 —2. Borotra was within a I point of set three times in the eighth, ' : only to be checked as Anderson steadied and found the corners. He raced the I Frenchman ragged to win the game. I Anderson took the ninth, but Borotra j clinched the'tenth, winning six against I four. In tlie second set Borotra again broke the service and gained a lead of 2—o. Still playing aggressively, he forced IIIS way to the net, astonishing the spectators by outsteadying the Australian in driving exchanges. When Borotra led at 4—l Anderson bestirred himself, showed the kind of tennis expected from him, and took two games; but the spurt was short-lived. The Australian made distressing errors and dropped the next two, showing poor control and lack of speed, baffling the critics- Borotra won set, six against three. . In the third set Anderson's tennis continued streaky, and he could not settle down to consistent control. Borotra, still aggressive, took the lead at 3—l. The Australian began taking chances in the next two games, and succeeded by brilliant passes in tieing the score, three all. Borotra baited him and moved ahead to 5—3. Anderson broke tlie Frenchman's service in tbe ninth. Borotra was within a point of match three times in the tenth, but dropped four points in a row as Anderson tightened, evening the score, five all. Anderson was cheered vociferously for his determined stand, which only served to delay defeat, Borotra clinching his triumphs in the fourteenth by winning the set, eight against six. The day's play ended with the score tied, each victory being an astonishing upset over 'the expectations of tbe critics. Lacoste, who had been France's main hope, was helpless before Patterson's cannonading, while Borotra, usually less dependable, rose to the emergency with a brilliant display of tennis to conquer Australia. The leader, Anderson, never struck his real stride. He rallied for brief stretches each set, staving off defeat four times in the final set when I within a point of losing. He succumbed finally to the Frenchman's greater steadiness and more agile court coverings (A. and N.Z. Cable.) The doubles will be played to-day, when Patterson and Hawkee will in all probability meet Lacoste and Borotra, while the two remaining singles will be played to-morrow. The Australians have all along been picked as the probable winners of the doubles, but the results of the two games already played I were so surprising that the unexpected may happen. Last year Patterson beat Borotra in straight sets, and despite the Frenchman's defeat of Anderson, | Patterson must be given a very good '< chance of repeating the dose. His game is very like that of the big Victorian, and both make full use of the net. Patterson's backhand play has immea- . surably improved since . they last met, I and this must increase his* chances of 1 victory.- Anderson's straight set defeat Iby Borotra is astounding, but when he plays the bounding Basque he may make amends.