LAWN TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 68, 17 September 1927, Page 23

LAWN TENNIS

■V 'HUKA. 1

VIVE LA FRANCE

WINNERS OF THE DAVIS CUP

TILDEN AND JOHNSTON BEATEN

As New Zealanders will well remember, it was in 1920 that William T. Tilden and William M. Johnston, as Davis Cup representatives of the United States, visited this Dominion, and at Auckland defeated the holders, who were then known as Australasia, owing to Australia and New Zealand being classified as one nation. New Zealand has since been accepted as a separate entity, and her one-time partner has the correct name of Australia. The United States for seven years has held the Davis Cup, and Tilden, with Johnston, have been the main defenders each year. In 1921 France was defeated by India, but the latter went down to Japan, and that nation also defeated Australia. The United States defeated Japan in the challenge round by five matches to love. In 1922 Australia defeated Stance, but again TiltTV . c ,Johnston -were too good, and the United fetates won in the challenge round by 4 matches to 1. It is worthy of notice that G. L. Patterson (Australia) defeated Cochet G-2, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2, in the match Australia v. 1< ranee. In 1923 Australia met 1' ranee in the inter-zone final, and won by 4 matches to 1. J. O. Anderson beat K. Labeat J. Bruguon, 6-2, 6-1, 7-5. The United btates, again depending upon Tilden and Johnston, carried the day, and won the challenge round, by 4 matches to 1. Anderson was alone in winning a match by putting W. M.. Johnston out, 4-6, 6-2 2-6 7-5, 0-2. In 1924 Australia and France again met in the inter-zone final, but I'ranee, although defeated, showed that her players were improving, as they were just defeated by 3 matches to 2. Patterson beat Borotra, 6-3, 6-1, 6-3, but went down to R. Lacoste, 6-3, li-2, 10-8. O'Hara Wood beat Borotra, 1-0, 6-4, 1-6 6-4 6-2 but again Lacoste showed that he was a coming champion by beating the Ausn^ aU ' WO, 6-1, 6-1, 7-5. Patterson and U .tiara Wood beat Lacoste and Bru^non in the doubles, 6-4, 0-4, G-2. Tilden, Richards, and Johnston were again unbeatable in the challenge round, nnd Australia could not win a match. France's First Challenge. Iv 1925 Australia and trance once more were the inter-zone finalists, and this time I 1 ranee secured victory by 3 matches to 1. Patterson defeated Lacoste, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; but Borotra put Patterson out, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 0-3, and also accounted for Anderson, 0-4, 0-3, 8-6. Lacoste and Borotra unexpectedly defeated Patterson and Hawkes in the doubles, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, 1-6, 10-8. The match Lacoste v. Anderson was not played. In the doubles match Borotra was knocked clean out by one of Patterson's hard volleys, which hit the Frenchman on the tef.ple at close range. Borotra declined to retire, although he was dazed foi' some time.vand the fourth set went to Australia at G-l France came back with a rush in the fifth set, and Borotra, now fully recovered was brilliantly offensive. When Fiance led 0-2 it appeared all over, but the Australians with a desperate effort crept up amidst terrific excitement and made it 8 nil; but Lacoste and Borotra with a brilliant.effort took the next two games. In the challenge round the United States had Tilden and Johnston for the singles and Williams and Richards for the doubles. The holders won by 5 matches to love—but Borotra and Lacoste both ran Tilden to five sets before the latter could claim victory. Johnston, on the other hand, won much easier than his team-mate. Tilden beat Lacoste, 3-6 10-12, 8-0, 7-5, 6-2, and beat Borotra, 4-0, 0-0, 2-6, 0-7, 64. Johustou bent Lacoste, 6-1, 6-1, 6-8, 6-3, and Borotra, 0-1, 0-4, 60. Lacoste and Borotra lost the doubles to .Richards and ~R. N Williams, 0-4, 6-4, 6-3. Lacoste led Tilden G-5, and only wanted a point in the twelfth game for set and match. Tildcu was serving and the score was 15-40. At this stage a shot from Tilden was well out, but Lacoste could not get out of its way and it hit him on the toe, with the score 30-40, Lacoste leading. Tilden served, and it appeared to be a good service, in fact Lacosto though it very good, and thought that off it he had made ai backhand drop-drive to win the game, Bet, and match, but a linesman gave a belated call that the service was a fault, and Tilden had another life. Lacoste was four times within a Btroko of victory in that set, but it was not to be. Borotra also shook Tilden up, for when in the lead 2 sets to 1, with a service in hand, lie led 6-5, but Tilden nosed out at 0-7.

Last year Australia was absent, lack of funds being tho main reason, and Franco on this occasion hir.il a hard inter-zone final against Japan. Cochet and Lacoste were the single players for France, and Cochet and Brugnon paired in the doubles. France wou by 3 matches to 2. Cochet beat Sekio Tawara, 1-0, -M), 7-5, C-3, G-2, but Lacoste was beaten by Takcichi Harada, G4, 4-0, 6-3, 9-7. Tlio latter also beat Cochet, 0-1, 6-3, 0-C, 0-4. Lacoste beat Tawara, 6-1, 6-3, 0-2. The doubles were won by France, 6-0, 0-0, 6-2. The challenge round saw the United States with the same old war-horses, Tilden and Johnston, defending in the singles, and with K. N. Williams and Vincent Richards as tho doubles pair. The holders won by 4 matches to 1, but the Frenchmen put up such a splendid effort on the final ■ day that it was clearly seen there would be . a more anxious time the following.year, and so it has proved. Johnston on the opening day beat Lacoste, 60, 6-4, 0-6, 6-0, and Tilden put Borotra out, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. Tho doubles went to the holders very easily, 64, 6-4, 6-2. The'cup was again safe, but the romaining singles were played. Johnston beat Borotra, 8-6, 64, 8-6, but Lacoste beat Tilden, 4-6, 6-4, 8-B, 8-6. Thjj Year's Contest. The chances of the Frenchmen in the 1927 contest were made more rosy when Cochet defeated Tilden in the National Singles of tho United States, 6-8, 6-1, 0-3/ 1-0, 8-6, and Borotra also defeated Johnston, 3-0, 4-6, 6-3,. 64, 64. Many considered that in 1927 the Frenchmen wquld bo able to apply more pressure, and that great players as Tilden and Johnston undoubtedly were they would not be able to hold off the strenuous attack of youth. The doings of both sides have been discussed turnip; the interval, and keen judges were prone to admit that the betting, if there was any,, would be level money. France with its win in the singles at Wimbledon rose in favour, but the United States, having takou tho doubles there, somewhat evened matters up. It has been "Hiika's" opinion all along that France would have to win three singles matches to secure the cup, and that Tilden would again be hard to beat. Little or nothing was known of Johnston's form before the 1927 contest, except that he had competed at tho Seabright tourna-