PERRY WINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 129, 3 June 1935, Page 7

PERRY WINS.

FRENCH TENNIS TITLE Crawford and Austin Beaten In Semi-finals. GERMAN WOMAN'S RECORD. (United P.A.—Electric Telegraph—Copyright} (Received 10 a.m.) PARIS, June 2. The French lawn tennis championships were continued to-day. Results:— Men's Singles. Semi-finals: Von Cramm defeated Austin, 6—2, 5—7, o—l, 5—7, 6—o; Perry defeated Crawford, 6—3, B—6,8 —6, 6—3. Final: Perrv defeated von Cramm, 6—3, 3—6, 6—l, C—3. Women's Singles. Semi-finals: Frau Sperling defeated Miss Jacobs, 7—5, 6—3; Madame Mathieu defeated Miss Scriven, B—6,8 —6, 6—l. Final: Frau Sperling defeated Madame Mathieu, 6—2, 6—l. Eight thousand spectators were present on Saturday. The weather was hot and dull. Von Cramm won a great match through his superior fitness. Austin was exhausted in the fifth set, but struggled gamely, although he lost his accuracy. The German employed a powerful, destructive service and maintained the pressure. He rose to great heights in the fifth set, his splendid service and superior physique helping him to a decisive win. There were 10,000 onlookers when Crawford opened by winning his service against Perry in light rain. Perry also won his service after protracted rallies which gave promise of a long, hard match. Each man then took the other's service after a beautiful display of fast driving. Perry won the fifth game to love, Crawford twice netting difficult volleys. The Englishman went to 5—2 ahead, often beating Crawford with superbly angled drives, but Crawford saved the match game. Rain then began to "fall steadily and stopped play, but if was resumed 10 minutes later, by which time the light had improved. Perry continued to take the initiative and forced the pace. Crawford, however, played some astonishing rallies, but his form was spasmodic, and the match generally was disappointing. Crawford was never self-confident, while the Englishman's buoyant spirits and skill rose superior to the handicaps imposed by the miserable weather conditions. Perry won by greater initiative and mobility, and more consistent stroke play. Perry is the first Englishman to win the French singles title. He played his first set against Cramm in valiant form, and showed good strategy. His angle shots were just too acute for Cramm to reach, while the pace of the Englishman's driving did not give the German a chance to produce his normal swing. Cramm was leading I—o in the second set when rain interrupted play, and upon resumption Perry seemed unable to recover concentration, Cramm taking the set 6—3. Perry began the third quite differently, and was brimful of energy and confidence. He played at such a pace that he surprised everyone with the ease with which he dashed to s—o. He seemed to throw away his own service game, feeling that he could easily take Cramm's next service and thus begin the fourth set with his own service. Perry soon led 3 —o in the fourth set, and at s—l5 —1 held six match points, but was over-anxious and lost the game, also the next, but won the* championship with a beautiful passing backhand shot. Frau Sperling was too confident for Mme. Mathieu, who appeared to be tired throughout. The German (formerly Fraulein Krawhinkel), in winning the championships of Ireland, Germany, Denmark, Italy and France, in addition to other tournaments, has not lost a set since beaten by Miss Joan Hartigan (Australia) at Wimbledon in 1934.