Davis Cup Tie To U.S.

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31762, 20 August 1968, Page 15

Davis Cup Tie To U.S.

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) CLEVELAND (Ohio). The usual meaningless final match of a “dead” Davis Cup tie turned into a gripping marathon when the Spanish veteran, M. Santana, refused to bow to the power of big American, A. Ashe.

The United States clinched victory in the inter-zone semifinal earlier in the day when C. Graebner gave it an unbeatable 3-1 lead ty beating the Spanish No. 2, J. Gisbert, 9-7, 6-3, 6-1. Ashe and Santana began a superb 31-hour struggle that was unfinished when darkness closed in. Santana won the first set, 13-11, in 62 minutes. Ashe

won the next two, 7-5, 6-3, and looked on the way to victory, but Santana, using the finesse accumulated in more than a decade of international competition, made a comeback after benefiting from the 10minute break between the third and fourth sets. Santana won the fourth set, 15-13. They will complete the match today. Graebner defeated Gisbert, 9-7, 6-3, 6-1. The first set of the decisive match began in strange fashion with the players exchanging service breaks in the first two games. Then both settled down and held their serves without serious challenge for the next 13 games. With Graebner leading 8-7, Gisbert committed a strange change of tactics in the sixteenth game, one which may have ensured his defeat Gisbert had been serving

to the American’s backhand with notable success, drawing several weak returns. Suddenly he served twice to Graebner’s forehand and the stronger man pounced on Gisbert to put him at an 0-30 disadvantage. After the Spaniard won a point, Graebner drove a powerful forehand to the corner for the third point The set ended when Gisbert hit a weak volley into the net on the first exchange. From that point Graebner took charge, coming to the net after serving for easy points, and forcing the game when Gisbert was serving. For the 24-year-old New York player, the victory, combined with a spectacular performance in the earlier doubles match, provided some revenge for the embarrassing three-set defeat he suffered at the hands of Santana in the opening match.