DAVIS CUP

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 September 1924, Page 5

DAVIS CUP

AUSTRALIA DEFEATS FRANCE

MEETS AMERICA IN FINAL

8Y I.J.BLL- PRi.Su AbSlK.iAi’iOi'i— COPY AilxßT' NEW YORK, Sept. 6. Australia defeated France- in- the semi-final of the Davis Cup, and. will . now meet the United. States (the hold- ' ers of the trophy) in the final. In the first two singles each won one match. The doubles resulted in* Patterson and AVood (Australia) defeating Lacoste and Brugnon (France), L 6 —4, 6—2; and the final two singles, played to-day, resulted: Patterson beat Borotra, 6 —3, 6—l, 6—l, and Lacoste beat Wood, 8—10; 6—l, 6 7 5 . ’ > y * Patterson, in serving, lost the first to love, Borotra making four placements. Borotra lost his service in'the second, but the unlucky star seemed still dogging the Australian’s foot- ’ steps. His errors stood out* prominent- : ly, and l his netted balls rarely rose a foot high, and his drives, both back- - hand and forehand, were wild. The Frenchman, however, was also erratic, and the balance between the errors of both kept the games alternating until the eighth, when Patterson, resuming control, his shot again broke through the Frenchman and established a s—Si lead which spelled victory. , With the following game Patterson won his set and six games against three. Both men were wary and highly strung, being anxious to force an opening and counterbalance the lost points by calculated placements. This made play forced and lacking in that freed°m which tennis needs as a spectacle. The second set saw a miracle performed. Patterson .returned not only to his form, but played absolutely unbeatable tennis. Every shot was per-., fection. He missed nothing, and his returns could not be returned. No racquet could touch his service', as his speed was tremendous and his accuracy undeviating. He quickly smashed his tour to love lead, permitting ho game to go to deuce, and barely allowing the frenchman four points. It must be said that the Frenchman s play was spotty* at this period, but the Australian’s tennis was such that he could not be denied yictory. He took to the net and angied his shots instead of smashing. Thrice he broke throqgh Borotra, and permitted the Frenchman only a single game, winch the latter only won at - deuce, ihe Australian won his set and six games against one. An all-night storm had penetrated the courts, although covered! and the going was slow, while both players slid over the turf a great deal, even their spiked shoes only holding slightly. Patterson continued his pace and fine placing, but the Frenchman now. also resumed his usual form, an,d the games were being hotly contested. Borotra .broke through Pattersons fifth s n .7™ beautifully placed returns; hut Patterson retaliated by breaking Borotra s service in the sixth, and the score stood at three all. • The Australian was now winning at - will and he was aided by the Frenchman s collapse, which appeared complete. Patterson tore through the Frenchman’s service in the eighth game, and the latter was frankly tired, ’ while Patterson was, fresh. . The Australian won the set with the. greatest ease.. , •“

Lacoste, serving, lost the ’■ first,, and Wood, serving, lost the second. The games then alternated with the service until the seventh, when the Australian took the lead, breaking through Lacoste with a series of long court drives which kept the younger opponent, rac-: ing rnadly but purposelessly from side to side. Wood lost his service in the eighth. Laeoste’s accuracy was bound to check any easy victory. Both men are steady volleyers, and kept the ball m play for minutes, while their rallies': and recoveries caused the audience to exclaim until the umpire was compelled aitY’Y a caution and ask.for, silence^.AVood stood to. lose the tenth 2—3 and the set, but he pulled out an evening score and-made the tally five all.- \\ ood showed his mastery of the situation in the next game, closing in to' the net and driving through Lacoste’s ; service and apparently winning the twelfth game 4—2 and the set, but Lacoste questioned the final shot-which was netted, so the game was thus reopened and .Lacoste won. the!.. game 19 8 and the score was evened fo six all. AVood again’ cracked - .the frenchman’s service in .the thirteenth and lost Ins own in the fourteenth, but the Australian ultimately won the set. In the second set the Frenchmanamassed a I—31 —3 lead when Wood dropped his service. The second match wasr being hard fought on both.sides, every inch of the way being contested! If anything it was a struggle between apparently evenly, balanced players at. this period, and the more accurate one would win. AVood again lost his service in the sixth, and Lacoste increased his lead to 5-—l. - Wood. wasoverdriving his shots, and his errors? were chiefly outs. The Frenchman ’s play was excellent, and he was -pulling out on top. He won the seventh 4 —l on service and the set.

In the third set the Frenchman repeated his performance of the last set, quickly amassing a s—l lead, by out- - steadying the Australian. Lacoste’s repertoire of shots consists of an unbeatable backhand and fine forehand and a tricky service which curves always into . the left corner, demanding a return, from the backhand, as any attempt to ' reach around so as to 1 return his service from forehand is costly, because it puts the opponent off his pace or results in a defensive return whereof Lacoste takes advantage. In the fourth set, from I—4 Wood ' pulled up and evened the score to five all. It illustrated what is now considered as axiomatic in America, namely, that Wood fights hardest when the"• outlook is blackest, but . the French- , man was playing, too well. . He controlled the situation, and when he won his own service in the eleventh and took command hv 2—o on Wood’s service in the twelfth the end was near. W ood drove out an easy • overhead smash, and lost the final noint with another out. . “ .

AMERICAN NATIONAL TOURNAMENT.

NEW YORK.'Sept. 6, In the national tournament doubles Brookes and Schlesinger tied with Tilden and Hardy, 6 — l, 6 — B, 6 — 6, when ram stopped the match.