JOHNSTON ON HIS GAME

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 56, 4 September 1923, Page 3

JOHNSTON ON HIS GAME

HAWKES CONTINUALLY FORCED

INTO ERRORS,

' (Exclusive to Australian Press Association.) (Received 4th September, noon.) NEW-YORK, 3rd September. Johnston played beautiful tennis from the first set, being right on his game from the outset. He won the first six games in a row, forcing the pace and stepping' right on (0 Hawkes's twisty serve. Driving deep to Hawkes's backhand,- he forced him into errors or defensive shots. His own backhand worked; beautifully, and he showed > wonderful 1 ocntrol, hitting. crisply and deep to either corner. Hawkes -was not right on his game; and was kept on the defensive by his opponent's forcing tactics and wonderful. speed.: The Australian was inclined to. slightly ■ mistime- hia forehand drive and hit over .the baseline when he tried to speed up his game. Johnston; continued his ruthless' play in the second set, but lost the opening game by netting from the forehand as a result of trying to get too much pace. Johnston, however, recovered his accuracy and won the next three games. Hawkes won the fifth game by a clever change of pace, causing Johnston to net from the forehand. The American, nevertheless, went put 6-2, winning the concluding three games by 'excellent tennis, - all his strokes. working , smoothly like a perfect machine; in which ♦• all parts were in absolute harmony. Excellent tennis, was seen- in the opening stages of. the. third set, ■ the Australian doing some beautiful forehand driving, thus capturing the first game. ' He also offered stiff: opposition in the second and third games, but Johnston was too good, and won the,last six games and tho. set,, 6-1. Hawkes played well, but the result' was inevitable. Throughout! the three sets Johnston was on his toes, combining great, pace ' with perfect' accuracy and control. • His backhand was particularly good,- eexcuted crisply and' with perfect length. There was no weakness in his armour to-day. The only three games won by Hawkes were'all taken on his service/ He lqst.his own service, however, eight times: Johnston was distinctly too much for him, being a'player of greater experience- and greater natural tennis faculties.