DESCRIPTION OF PLAY

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 55, 14 September 1928, Page 11

DESCRIPTION OF PLAY

CRAWFORD V. VAN RYN

Australian Press Association. (Received 14th September, 2 p.m.) NEW YORK, 13th Sept. With Van Ryn and Crawford both ranking sixth on their national list, the match between them opened on apparently even terms, and the first twenty minutes' play indicated this. The American, by breaking through Crawford's service in the second game of the first set, amassed a 3-0 lead that by reason of his vigorous service, which seemed to troublo the Australian throughout the match, ho increased to 4-1. Crawford took the next three games, breaking through the American's service in the seventh game with a series of tricky placements and soft shots just out of reach, but the American's placement aces in the next game and the Australian's inability to hold his service in the- tenth, netting most of the returns, gave Van l?3'n the set. Games alternated with service in the second, set until the score was 2-2. Crawford saved his service- in the fourth game after standing 40-0 to win, but, seeing himself deuced through his own errors, the Australian rose to a 3-2 lead by accounting for the American's service with a series of angled returns and steady strokes that found his opponent wanting. He increased his lead to 4-2 by the same tactics. The games then alternated with service, although each had difficulty in winning his service games, and doing so only after being deuced, until the Australian ran out the set. The Australian, however, turned the tables upon the American in a marked manuor in the last game, which he won at love. Crawford's service crashed across the not with xmexpected force, and Van Ryn could no more than touch it with the racquet. In the next set they alternated with loss of service, Crawford double-fault-ing thrice in the second game to stand 1-1. Van Ryu pulled the third gameout after standing at 15-40, but, although the Australian similarly deuced the fourth game, after standing at T. 5-40, he could not save his service, and the American came- out at a 3-1 lead, which ho raised to 4-1 on the Australian's inaccuracies and 5-1 when again the Australian's service failed by reason of two double-faults and unwise lobs that lent themselves to easy smashing. Van Ryn then served with great speed to win the- game nt 15 and set. ■ Crawford ran up a 3-0 lead in the fourth set, winning his service. Despito the twice deueing of the game where ho stood 30-0, he out-steadied and outgeneralled the American in the second to break through the latter's service. His placements were as shrewd as they were effective, but tho American drew up to 2-3, when tho Australian sacrificed the fifth with a double-fault and repeated outs, but again the Australian took the upper hand by handling the American's service offering in an adequate manner to lead 4-2. Tho Australian gathered in tho next two games during a littlo lesson he gave his opponent in lobbing over his head or finding the court's corners with returns that were unreturnablCi Van Ryn's heavily driven service, shots were not altogether puzzling in tho fifth set, and the Australian was comfortably in. tho lead, 3-1, when ho passed his opponent with a delicately placed final shot in tho fourth game. The American now displayed very patchy tennis, and Crawford had no difficulty to increase his lead to 5-1. He reached match point at 40-0, but the American carried him .to douce and wrested tho game in a fino and spectacular rally, aud won the next game. Crawford, however, never again let the issuo bo in doubt, when ho took tho final game at 30. Crawford left tho Stadium court amidst Australian cooecs. Ho plays in tho quarter finals to-morrow against Hunter, who defeated Borotra. PREVIOUS GAMES. In tho matches in which the Australians were engaged on the previous day, Crawford had a long, gruelling contest with Ben Gorchakoff, of Los Angeles, a game which was much marred by inaccurate umpire's decisions, arguments over footfaults and lessons by linesmen while the ball was in play, ending in the ultimate summoning to the court of five linesmen and three umpires. Crawford defeated Gorehakoff after the latter stood two points from match in tho fourth sot, tenth game. In tho fifth set the American was desperately tired, and Crawford's accurate, heady game was too much for him. Playing spotty, inaccurate tennis for all but ono set and a half set, Cuminings was defeated by Mangin, an opponent who upon form and his own erratic playing could normally do little against the Australian. Cummings won tho third set C-3, and was loading 4-3 in the fourth sot, but played too erratically to win, thus losing the match. GAME AGAINST HUNTER. Hunter quickly ran up a 3-0 load, his trenchant service and tremendous forehand drives giving tho Australian trouble. Crawford lost the second gamo after standing 30-0 on service. Tho next fivo games alternated with service, the Australian by his shrewd and calculated placements making up for his difficulty over handling Hunter's sizzling returns, but he literally surpassed himself when in the ninth game he outmanoeuvred tho American to break through the latter's service and then draw even at 5-5, when Hunter was at set point. Tho Australian was a single point from again breaking through the American's service in the eleven tli game, but the latter drew out to lead 0-5, and win the next game and set, accounting for tho Australian's service with cannonading driven. They each lost service in the second set until the third game, which tho American won to lead 2-1. Crawford was within a point of winning the second and third games, but the power behind the American's shots forced him

into errors. Crawford drew even 2-2, and Hunter pulled out 3-2, in a long-drawn-out game, four time deuced and full of hairbreadth recoveries and dazzling passing shots. Crawford evened tho score 3-3, and crashed through the American's service next to lead 4-3. Tho men were evenly matched, virtually every game going to deuce. The Australian improved his lead to 5-3. Hunter had changed his tactics, cutting his shots, and these the Australian handled complacently. He was set point in the next game; Hunter deuced it twice, but the Australian was on top to win the set. The third set developed into a tenacious battle. The first five games all went to deuce repeatedly, each contributing poor and brilliant tennis in equal parts. Hunter showed a shade of superiority when he broko through the Australian's service after a fourtcenpoint game, namely, tho fifth, to lead 3-2, but tho Australian returned the compliment to even up a 3-3. Tho epidemic of losing service continued, Crawford dropping his and the American up at 4-3. Hunter continued to exert, the upper hand. Ho won tho eighth game love, and tho ninth at fifteen. Rain stopped play. Tho finish of the match is postponed till to-morrow.