Cup stays with Aust,

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33539, 21 May 1974, Page 26

Cup stays with Aust,

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter —Copyright NAPLES.

Australia won the Federation Cup women’s tennis competition for the seventh time in Naples after one of the most exciting finals in the cup’s 12-year history.

Misses E. Goolagong and J. Young had a 7-5, 8-6 victory in a closely-fought doubles over Misses J. Heldman and S. Walsh after the singles were shared, 1-1. A capacity crowd of 4000 packed into the Villa Comunale stadium on the Mediterranean Sea front for a grand ending to the week-long tournament. Like the audience at a Neapolitan opera, they cheered and whistled at every twist of the drama played out before them.

There were shouts of “bravo, bravo,” as favourites served an ace or hit a winner down the line. The United States was unfortunate to lose three set points in the first set and one in the second, but it went on fighting for every second of the 100-minute match, played as the sun went down after the gruelling heat of the early matches. There was no telling which wav the championship would go until the final ball. Australia was leading. 7-6. and had the advantage on Miss Herman’s service. Miss Goolaeong lobbed her return on to the American base-line, Miss Walsh volleyed wide, and the cup stayed with the holder. MATCH LEVELLED Earlier Miss J. Evert levelled the match for the United States with a 2-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Miss D. Fromholtz after Miss Heldman had lost, 1-6, 5-7, to Miss Goolagong.

At one stage. Miss Fromholtz, aged 17, was only two points away from taking the match, but the 16-year-old American fought back tenaciously to the delighted roar of the crowd.

Miss Evert was not as good a player as the left-handed Miss Fromholtz, but she never lost her concentration for a moment. The Sydney girl, on the other hand, tended to panic—advancing too far towards the net and hitting wide. LAZY TENNIS

Miss Goolagong was nowhere near her best form against Miss Heldman. She seemed bored by the American’s nagging style, only producing good shots when the game interested her. She played lazy tennis and only rarely advanced beyond the base-line.

“Evonne’s only danger was of being lulled to sleep,” said the Australian manager (Mr V. Edwards) after the match.