Aust. Hopes Rest On Emerson

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30558, 29 September 1964, Page 19

Aust. Hopes Rest On Emerson

(N.Z.P.A .-Reuter— Copyright) CLEVELAND (Ohio), Sept. 27. The fortunes of the Davis Cup challenge round today again swung Australia’s way as Fred Stolle fought off the effects of a heavy head cold, rainsoaked court, blustery wind and tenacious Dennis Ralston to bring the match scores level at two each. Stolle played a hero’s game as he had been given little chance of beating the United States’ top player on the slow composition courts at Cleveland. His form in the first two days of play, when he lost to Chuck McKinley and partnered Roy Emerson in a five-set defeat yesterday, was disappointing. But today he found the touch which had taken him through three cup ties and to the final of Wimbledon and the United States singles championships. More than 7000 people braved weather to watch the match. Tomorrow McKinley will play Emerson in the final singles of the round. This match could not be played today because rain delayed the start of the Stolle-Ralston match for.

nearly three hours and it finished just before dark. Emerson’s Record Australia must again become the favourites for the cup as Emerson has a 5-2 record against McKinley and has never lost a big game to him in recent years. On present form Emerson must be expected to beat McKinley. “I like McKinley’s chances on this surface,” said the United States captain, Vic Seixas, but the Australian captain, Harry Hopman, said he was confident of an Australian victory now that Stolle had levelled the scores.

Stolle won because he had the courage to keep going for the lines even when he saw his two-set lead disappear and Ralston take a lead into the final set. The Australian never played for safety. He knew that there was no margin for second chances against the Californian who was playing tennis every bit as good as Stolle for most of the match. His courage was rewarded. From trailing 1-2 after losing his serve early in the fifth set Stolle came back to 2-2 by breaking Ralston with a lob which landed right on the line. Ralston was so sure that the ball was going to fall out that he was half a pace late in running for it. Stolle slammed an ace past Ralston to keep the American scoreless in the next game. Ralston did not take a point against Stolle’s service in the last three service games by the Australian in the match. It was clear that the pressure was on Ralston to hold his service while the Australian was getting more pace off the court and put more than half his winning shots within a hands breadth of the lines. Ralston Cracked In the tenth game of the set Ralston cracked. He netted a backhand and was beaten by a backhand down the line by Stolle to trail 0-30. Stolle twice netted return of two good serves by Ralston

but gained match point with a backhand across court which gave Ralston no chance. Stolle netted to lose that match point but gained another when Ralston netted, a forehand cross-court shot had Ralston stretching in vain and Stolle had taken the match.