Australia Has Narrow Win In Davis Cup Match

Greymouth Evening Star, 23 August 1948, Page 3

Australia Has Narrow Win In Davis Cup Match

(Rec. 10.10 a.m.) NEW YORK, August 22. Australia defeated Czechoslovakia by three matches to two in the interzone final of the Davis Cup and now meets America in the challenge round. ~ In the deciding match, Sidwell defeated Cernik, 7-5, 6-4, 6-2. Sidwell, by beating Drobny and by beating Cernik more easily than Quist had done, established himself as the No. 1 singles player of the current Australian Davis Cup team.

Sidwell dropped only one service in his match against Cernik. The Australian attacked after the Czech had levelled the scores, 3-3, in the second .set. Cernik only reluctantly left the baseline and Sidwell closed in nimbly for decisive volleys and smashes. Sidwell gained a 3-1 lead in the third set and Cernik’s resistance then crumbled. Sidwell broke Cernik’s service to love in the eighth game and concluded the match, which lasted 85 minutes, with an emphatic smash. On Saturday, with one match to be decided, Australia and Czechoslovakia had each won two matches in the Davis Cup inter-zone final at Boston.

Drobny beat Quist, 6-8, 3-6, 18-16, 6-3, 7-5. When failing light stopped play, Sidwell was leading Cernik, 7-5, 3-1, in the deciding match.

Drobny outclassed Quist physically and scored more than twice as many service aces. Quist’s strokes worked well after a doubtful start, but he was never fast enough on his feet, and found Drobny’s service progressively harder to handle. Quist missed a match point at 10-9 in the third set. He was never offered another, and when the match dragged to four and then five sets, Quist’s chances against the rugged, imperturbable, unwearying Drobny steadily declined.

Quist’s game lacked his pre-war fire, but his refusal even to chase shots that he might once have returned showed more than anything else how hard it is to “come back ' at 35.

Only 40 minutes remtiined for Sidwell and Cernik to play in the deciding match before 6.30 p.m., the agreed time to adjourn until Sunday. Both were cautious and heavily conscious of their responsibility. ■lt proved another battle of .services, but with Sidwell more aggressive all round and superior at volleying. Drobny and Cernik surprisingly beat Long and Brown in the doubles match, .10-8, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.