LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 48, 25 August 1923, Page 17

LAWN TENNIS

t«Y "HUKA"!

THE DAVIS CUP.

, APPROACHING THE CHALLENGE

GAME

AUSTRALIA DEFEATS FRANCE.

The Australian Davis Cup team has so far covered itself with glory in its Davis Cup matches, and the latest win, that over France, has cleared the air as far as the tour being a ..financial success is concerned, for the- challenge round gate should be worth big money to the association in Australia. The Americans will roll up by the thousands to see their champions, Tilden and Johnston,, in the clash against Australia's representatives, Anderson and Hawkes. The great, challenge round, the result of which is to decide which nation has the right' not only tb be the champion nation of the world, but also to have the honour of holding:the famous Davis Cup for the year 1923, will be played on the new courts of the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills, New York. The new stadium, which was to be completed early this month, is a most up-to-date construction, and will seat 13,000 spectators. The match starts on Friday, 31st August, with two singles, then on Saturday, Ist September, the doubles will be played, and the two remaining singles will be. played on the following Monday, .(Labour Day). The cost\of a ticket to see the whole series of matches amounts to about 375, so if the 13,000 tickets are sold, and they are almost sure to be, the gate will be .worth £24,----050. Making an allowance for a thousand free tickets, the gate should amount to £23,200, and, if expenses are put down at £10,200, there will still be £12,000 left. Divide that between the United States Tennis Association and the Australian Association, as provided for by the Davis Cup rules, and each should secure the very handsome profit of £5000. Anderson and Hawkes have been ■ playing well enough to give the Americans some doubts as to Tilden, Johnston, and Co. having anything like a. walk-over, and consequently a big gate may be expected.

; Can the Australians win against the chosen of the United States? That is a question that has been asked repeatedly during the last week, and it is not too easy to answer, for the simple reason that', very little is known as to the actual form of Tilden, Johnston,, and Co. at the present time. If they are 'in'-the same, form' as; they were at' Auckland in 1920, A'riderson and tiawke's will do well-to ..win as many games as did ■Brobksand Patterson; at least that is how it looks on paper, as .the Australians -r Anderson .in particular — are hardly .consistent : enough in their matches to defeat "Big Bill" or '.'Little Bill." It has -been reported that the Australians are patchy, making errors, nets, and outs on easy shots, and that ■will let them down against such players 'as Tilden and Johnston. The one hope is that the men' from the South may rise ta the occasion • and \ play up, or .even.above, what has :been their best 'form Update;' then they ; may have a : chance,,but a 1 player only plays so well as his opponents' play will permit him to do. - •' ■• . . - • ■ . ■ ■ ■ ' '■'*; AUSTRALIA v. FRANCE. "' France, with its much-boomed players, Lacoste. and Brugnon, both young players "who have sprung to the top rung this year, hardly did as.' well against the Australians as was expected. The Continental papers made much of the two French players, and if they are as good as w e have been led to believe then Anderson and Hawkes must take avery high place indeed as tennis champions. The French players are much better ,on " hard " courts than turf ones—there are none of the latter in Francer-so possibly their showing against the Australians can thus be accounted for., Anderson defeated Lacoste •m three sets straight, scoring 19 games £> 12 and 113 points to 94. The young frenchman had every chance of winning the.. Brst set, as he captured Anderson * , serve in the third game and led ,<M, but Anderson broke through with ,game-love to even again. Once more Lacoste looked a sure winner as he captured the seventh game with Anderson s .serving, and by winning on his ;o.wn ■ service he led 5-3. In the ,next game,- on the Australian's ■'ISv*'' he- M 4°-30 ' th™ within a point of game, and sefat 6-4-but. Anderson saved the game after one deuce. Lacoste must have slumpa j y m the next game, as 4 n O ulh o?h'%° n ?' ■'" B*™-Le,' although the Frenchman had the service., Anderson , took the lead 6-5 after an advantage game, and clinched thY £t with game-15, set 7-5. Anderson lost two service games, the third and seventh, whereas Lacoste lost .three service games ♦ L£ emg the fourth > tenth, and twelfth games. Anderson scored 41 points to 33 m this set, and. although he had only scored 23 points to 26 when Lacos c led 5-3 he rattled on 18 points to 7 m the last four games. It wag a great pull up, and possibly the luck was with him m that critical ninth game. Ihe second set saw Lacoste snatch a love game off Anderson's service, but the latter, ran away with the next four games scoring 19 points to 6. The sixth game went to three deuces before Lacoste won it. and the seventh was a longer one running to five deuces before Anderson won it, to lead 5-2. Lacoste took his tnird game with his service, at game-15 ™ m. oPP°nent won the set with Igamej , ,winnel" scorßd 35 points to 30, and only lost one service game to.his odponent's; two. Set 6-3. The third set proved that the French youth was still game and dangerous, as he won the first game, and led 2-lov e by capturing his opponent s service. Anderson evened the ganre s at 2all, and each winning on their services 3 all was called. Anderson won the set and. match by breaking through Lacoste service game after one deuce, and led 5-3 by also winning the next after two deuces. Lacoste won a love game, ljut it to all over as Anderson romped home with' a love game off his service. Set 6:4. and match. The winner, scored 37 points to 31 in this set, and lost 1 service game to'his opponent's

Hawkes beat Brugnon also in sets straight,■■scoring .19 games to 8, and 92 points to 60. The cabled placements, etc., gives the total as 99 to 67 Brugnon after having a lead of 2 games to 1, fadod clean out of the picture, and ?* o 3 1°, n fiv? Bames in succession for set 6-2. The winner scored 27 points to 18. His points in the last four games were 21 to 8. The Australian made no race of it m the second set, takino- five games (that made ten games in" succession) bafore Brugnon opened his score. J¥ hi. winner scored 28 points to 13. Ihe second game ran to two deuces before Hawkes secured it. In the third set the Australian had another hig run of games, and ied 5-1. Brugnon won the third game at game-15.. With six games gone Hawkes had scored 21 games to 11. In the seventh came Hawkes led 40-15 bsing twico within a point of ant only It loco it liter deuce hid beta wiled eace.

Brugnon, died game, as he captured, Hawkes's service after one deuce, won also on his own at game-30, and made it 5 all by taking Hawkes's service game with game-love. Then the Australian, strange to say, took two love games in succession, and set 7-5. The winner scored 37 points to 29, and he lest 2 service games to the . Frenchmen's 3. In- the match 'Brugnon lost 8 -service "yames to 3. .. • ..."'■;■.. DOUBLES DECIDE CONTEST. The doubles decided the contest, and although it was a close 5-set go, the Australians appeared to have the upper hand most of the time. A bad decision robbed them of a win in the .fifth set at 6 games to 4. The. score was "5 games to 4, Australia leads," and. with Brugnon serving in the tenth game, the Australians led 40-30, but a bad decision (the Frenchman's return went out, but was called good) made it deuce, instead of game to the Australians. Australia' scored. 33 games to 29,. and 210 points to 188 in the match. In the first set Anderson 'lost his four service games. This appears serious, as his service is'one of his greatest assets. Australia led 3-1, as Hawkes's service proved good, and both Brugnon and Lacoste dropped their service games. Anderson's service was ' again broken through, and with Brugnon's service game the Frenchmen evened at 3 all, and later 4 all was called, but Anderson's service was taken once more. The Australians captured Brugnon's service for 5 alt, and led 6-5 with Hawkes serving. Lacoste evened after one deuce, and the Frenchmen led 7-6, by taking' Anderson's service game after deuce had been called three times. The Continental pair won on Brugnon's service after y two douces, and secured set 8-6. The winners scored 47 points to 45, which agrees with the cabled details of the scoring. The second set saw Australia quickly in the lead 3-love, scoring 12 points to 2. Lacoste lost the second game on his service, and each player won on his service afterwards, allowing the set to go 6-3 to Australia. The winners scored 32 points to 22. The losing of the first game in the third set, on Brugnon's service, did the damage, as although Hawkes's service game was broken through in the fourth game, the Australians led 3-2, by again capturing Brugnon's service in the fifth game. Games went with service and "5-3, Australia leads" was called. The seventh game ran to four deuces, andi the eighth to a sinjrle deuce, then Australia won the ninth game at game-15, with Brugnon scrying. The winners scored 37 points to 27. In the fourth set Brugnon dropped his service, and Australia led 3-1, but Anderson immediately dropped his service, and Lacoste winning his at game-15, the games were 3 all. Games went with the service to 6 all, then Anderson's service was broken through at game-15, and Lacoste winning on his service at game-30, the Frenchmen took the set 8-6, and made it 2.sets all. The winners scored 44 points to 39. In the fifth and final set the Australians led 4-love, Brugnon and Lacoste losing their service games after deuce had been called once in each case.. Hawkes and Anderson both dropped their services— the. former at pame-30, and the latter, at pame-15—and the. Frenchmen won on theirs—both, at game-30, thus: making it four games all. The frames went with the'service, and Australia led 8-7 at the fifteenth game. After one deuce Lacoste lost his service game, and Australia, took the set 9-7, and match. The winners scored 55 points to 50. In the five sets of the doubles Anderson lost 7 service cames, .is did. Brucrnon; Lacoste lost 3, but Hawkes only .lost 1.