DAVIS CUP SINGLES

Evening Star, Issue 17548, 31 December 1920, Page 9

DAVIS CUP SINGLES

THE AMERICANS VICTORIOUS. TILDEN'S TERRIFIC SERVICE. YOUTH IS SERVED. PATTERSON FAILS BADLY. [Special to the ' Stab..'] AUCKLAND, December 30. The Davis Cup matches to-day were played under almost perfect conditions. After a night of rain the weather gradually cleared, till at the commencement of the first.game the sun was shininpc brightly. Both matches were played in brilliant sunshine. The court, had been well protected by tarpaulins, and was fairly drv even in the early morning; while when play began it was in almost perfect order, and though slower than at its best was still fast enough for a first-class exhibition of the game. The first set between Tilden and Brookes was splendidly contested. It was a protracted one, the scores indicating the evenness of the contestants. The first six games went with the serve, but in the seventh Brookes, by coming in on Tilden's second service and taking it on the rise, outplayed his opponent, and took the game with the loss of only one stroke. 'He followed this up by again outplaying his opponent in his own service, and by wellplaced shots which the American could not reach. Consequently Brookes led 5-3. In the ninth game Tilden opened with a weak smash, but by the agency of some beautiful backhand drives, and two bullet services which Brookes could not even shape at, ho brought the score to 5-4. The feature of the tenth game was the superb forehand driving across the court by the world's champion, enabling him to bring the score to 5-all. Although serving erratically in the eleventh game, Tilden won '! because of his splendid ground we'lv :vi(] he again assumed a lead with 6-5. Brookes won the twelfth by the magnificent placing of his service, Tilden being twice left standing. This was the first love game of the match, and the rivals were again even. The thirteenth came opened with a long exciting rally, Brookes finally drawing forth tremendous applause by manoeuvring his opponent out of position and dropping a snort crosscourt volley quite out of his reach. He followed this up by coming in and taking Tilden's second service as it rose, driving hard to the American's backhand, and taking the game and the lead, 7-6. Tilden replied by taking the next two games, the first to love. Brookes failing to get his first service in. and Tilden making short work of his second with beautiful sideline drives. The fifteenth game was the "wonder game" of the match. Brookes opened hy returning one of Tilden's "bullets" so well that it left his opponent standing. Tilden won the next two aces, but Brookes recovered and got to 'vantage out. Seven deuces followed, the spectators being thrilled bv the wonderful recoveries of both players. Curiously enough, the game was won by Brookes sending up a weak toss. The "spectators anticipated the American to make a "killing," but Tilden failed badly and sent the ball into the net. Brookes led 8-7. In the next game the Australian played below his form, Tilden winning the game to love, and equalising the scores. Although Tilden was slack in the seventeenth I game he won it, and took the lead once again, 9-8. Brookes's final service of the set was. below his earlier efforts, and Tilden, playing splendidly from the baseline, won the game to love. The set took three-quarters of an hour, showing that the play throughout was as even as the scores indicate. In the second set Tilden opened the service, Brookes winning and raising the hopes of the Australian's admirers. Tilden warmed up in the next two games, and with superb back-hand drives, which just skimmed the net, won ace after ace. In the fourth game Brookes served his first double fault, but nevertheless won the game. Play Avas generally even in the remainder of this set, although nothing like so exciting as in the first. Brookes appeared to be a little below his game, missing easy volleys which should, have won aces and games. His play at this stage was quite unlike his usual game, while Tilden's low sweeping drives enabled him to take the set at 6-4. ' In the third set Brookes opened by saving splendidly with well-placed half-volley •shots from almost impossible positions'; and after lie had obtained a 4 to 1 lead Tilden obviously ceased trying, reserving his energies for the next set, He did not take another game. In the fourth and deciding set Brookes opened splendidly, and for three games quite outplayed his opponent. Tilden then woke up. and bv good voiieving took the game. The fifth was well fought, Brookes, if anything, having the worst of I the hick. He had the lead at 40-30, and i after an exciting rally, in which he worked '■ ;his opponent off the court, placed an easy volley (to the spectators', dismay) right j into the top of the net. This was unfortunate, as it would have given him a ' lead of 4-1. This was Brookes's last chance, for Tilden not only secured this 1 game, but, per medium of'his low cross-1 court shots, took also the next three, games and secured the lead—4-3. In the seventh! game Tilden served what was to him and to the spectators a good one, but the line umpire gave it a "fault." Tilden then delivered a second service, which Brookes deliberately hit out of the court—a sporting action which aroused the enthusiasm of the onlookers. Although Brookes in the eighth game came in on two af Tilden's services, driving them right across the court to his opponent's backhand, the American followed up by scoring with two "bullet" services, which ! Brookes failed to touch. Then followed ! a tremendous rally, which Tilden won, giving him the lead at 5-3. Brookes won his next service, but was outplayed in the tenth game, and had to accept defeat but not disgrace. The record ran: 10-8, 6-4, 1:6, 6-4. FEATURES OF SHE GAME. The main features of the game were Tilden's terrific services, which so often found Brookes entirely defenceless, and i his wonderfully powerful backhand driving across the court. He simply hurled himself at the ball, which travelled over the net at a marvellous pace. Only a Brookes could have dealt with such shots, and while many of them won aces the veteran sent almost as manv back with beautiful volleys. Tilden's best shots of this nature were made off the hottest returns of which Brookes was capable. The faster they came at him the faster they went back. Tilden's overhead work was not anything like so severe as his strokes off the ground. Brookes was the tactician of old. Hir wonderful head work and the power of anticipation for which he is famed enabled him to put up such a splendid fight against his youthful, forceful opponent. PATTERSON AN EASY VICTIM. The second match was a great disappointment to Australian followers, and, coming after the first match, was a fiasco. Johnston made a hack of Patterson, completely outplaying him in all departments of the game. Never at any time did the Victorian seem to have a chance. His service was weak, the first seldom getting in, and the second a high, rising ball which Johnston seemed to relish, pouncing on it and returning :t with great pace and accuracy to Patterson's back-hand, which is notoriously .weak. Johnston com-, pletely dominated the situation, and the score-by no means misrepresents the play. Most of the critics had been forced to recognise before the match that Johnston is a first-class player in splendid form, while Patterson has certainly not been playing up to his reputation; but few expected such a crushing defeat, remembering that Patterson has held the world's championship, and that he beat Kingscote without the loss of a set, whilst Kingscote ran Johnston and Tilden to the fifth set before succumbing. Johnston's fore-hand drive is a splendid severe and accurate; and his back-hand, though not its equal, is very formidable, especially when he is harl pressed. Patterson got few chances overhead, but his smash, usually so severe, was t by no

means certain. His low volleying was occasionally good, though he seemed slow in getting up, and was often caught out of position. His best asset seemed to be his chop stroke, which often had Johnston in difficulties, and spoilt his forehand drive. Patterson's own . fore-hand was very erratic. He often hit beyond the base line, whilst his back-hand was'distinctly poor. Patterson's failure was due to Johnston's superior skill, coolness, and judgment. In fact, many critics rank Johnston above Tilden as a master of the tactics and strategy of the game. Johnston's mastery of the situation was early displayed. The game was called one all. each winning a service, and then Johnston won the next two. Patterson won the fifth, taking Johnston's service: but from this on his game was far too erratic, and- his mistakes too numerous, and he only took one other game in the set. In the second set Patterson made few actual mistakes, but he took only, one game; while in the third and deciding set Johnston. opened by taking the first four games, making his first error after Patterson had made ten. Then Patterson's turn came, and he won one game; but again it was the only win of the set, and Johnstc* ran out a winner by 18 games to 5. The match took fifty minutes, as compared with two hours for the TildenBrookes contest. A CHANCE IN THE DOUBLES. It is considered likely that the Australians may win the doubles, as the Americans have not shown great skill at this game. Brookes is evidently playing near the top of his form, and in doubles Patterson's service and heavy overhead work are a more valuable asset than in singles. From to-day's play Brookes may run Johnston close, but Patterson will have to play a, very different game to even extend Tilden. It thus appears that Australia's' chances of retaining the Cup are pretty remote.