ENGLISH TENNIS CHAMPION.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 28 June 1926, Page 10

ENGLISH TENNIS CHAMPION.

NINETEEN-YEAR-OLD AUSTIN. In defeating O. G. N. Turnbull, Britain's foremost singles player, in the final of the Magdalen Park Club (Wandsworth) open tournament on Saturday H. W. Austin, the 19-years-old Cambridge player, accomplished a remarkable feat, and one which places him near the top of English lawn tennis players. At the outset it must be said that che decision of the referee to make the final the best of three sets instead of the usual best of five sets favoured Austin more than Turnbull, who, in their last encounter at Queen’s Club two weeks ago lost the first two sets and won the last three, sets and won the last three. But in everything else Austin more than deserved his win, because Turnbull was playing as well as he has ever done. As a match it provided the best .lawn tennis seen this season, and certainly as good as at any other English tournament, with the exception of Wimbledon, for a long period. For length, speed, tactics, manoeuvring, and anticipation it was a match that will be long remembered. Each man was returning the service with sureness and severity. Seldom was there a bad or short return from the service. Whenever Austin’s length fell the slightest bit short, Turnbull dealt with the ball promptly and decisively. Austin therefore could not afford to make his returns of service anything but of good length, and having got the ball well into the back of the court the rallies began in earnest: The two players placed the ball several times to within an inch of the base and side lines and would then suddenly swing the ball sharply across the court in order to make an opening for a deep shot on the opposite side line. In every stroke there was a design, and as the ball travelled to and fro one wondered who would be the first to break down. Turnbull repeatedly caught Austin going the wrong way, or what is known in lawn tennis parlance as “on the wrong foot.’’ Austin ’s chief method "of getting Turnbull out of position was to attack Turnbull’s backhand about six tim«», and then slice the ball short to Turnbull’s forehand, thus leaving the backhand ■undefended for a simple winner. But so good was each phiyer in anticipating what his adversary intended doing that the designs of both were often frustrated. >We saw each man advancing to the net, as he should, on good length balls, and we saw the deciding volley.

But one will never forget Turnbull’s great effort to avert defeat. To me it was as great as Austin’s wonderful win. The match stood at one set up to Austin and four games all in the second. Turnbull lost the eleventh game —his own service, and with Austin’s to follow it looked Austin’s set. But strangely enough, that position was repeated in every leading game up to the sixteenth. Austin gained the advantage game, and then Turnbull attacked furiously that Austin easily lost his service for the match. It looked as if Turnbull could not bo beaten. But in the sixteenth game Austin got to 40—15, or twice within a point of the match. But Turnbull played a cross-court drive that was untakeable for one point. Austin overdrove a ball for another to make that game deuce. Turnbull, with a perfect backhand passing shot and a double fault by Austin, won and made the score eight all. To Austin’s great credit he remained perfectly calm at this He out-manoeuvred Turnbull like a veteran in the next game, -which he won 'to 15, and continuing to do the same in the last game, he won a glorious match. Austin’s father would not let his son play in the Davis Cup trials because he considers his physique at the moment is not strong enough. Good advice, hut England’s loss for this year.