TENNIS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 7 August 1926, Page 13

TENNIS

THE DA ATS CUP.

ENGLAND, FRANCE AND_ AMERICA

As was expected (says “Huka” iu the Evening Post), the French playeis were too good for Great Britain Is representatives in the European final of the Davis Cup competition, but Gregory and Turnbull both put up a good tight, especially tlie former. Great Britain -jvas outclassed in the doubles by Jean Borotra and .Tacqucs Brugnon, who defeated G. E. 0. Crole-Rees and C. H. Kingsley, (5-2, (5-0, (5-3. The latter pair never looked at all likely to stand up to a strong doubles combination, and why they were selected has been a puzzle to followers of form, for F, R. L. Crawford and .T. C. Gregory beat them, 5-7. (5-2, (5-2, in the final of the AArestside championship doubles. The selection of Great Britain’s Davis Cup team always litis ben a queer sort of party affair, and if is about time that modern methods u - ore given some consideration by the conservative powers that run tennis in the Old Country. The matches were evidently played in Paris. The British players in the singles showed good form, and J. -C. Gregory, who displaced .T. D. P. AVlieatley in the team, performed splendidly against Henri Cochct. He led by 2 sets to 1, and at any rate was even with Cochet at 5 all in the fourth set. To run Cochet to a 5-set match is what very few players arc capable of doing, and it is safe to say that no other player in England could do so. With four sets gone the score in games n r as 23-all, but Cochet'in the fifth set played all over his opponent, ami won, (5-0. _ The complete score urns 7-5, 4-15, 5-7, 7-5, (5-0. Rene Ijicostc is back in action again, and although lie beat Turnbull in three sets straight, the latter gavo a good account of himself by vanning four games in each set. AVhat- a great four France has to send to America! They are, as. a team of four, tlie best all-round team of players in the world to-day-—fighters in the true sense of the word every inch of them. Quito young enough to be ill the best of form as far as vigour is concerned, yet old enough to have liad sufficient play against other champions to acquire that experience that is necessary to ivin when up against odds. France has a team today that is capable of giving the United" States the greatest run since the war.

France will have a good try-out against tjie Japanese, and whichever team wins the match it should serve as a first-class hardening up for the great trial of: strength and skill that will he necessary when the players of the United States moot, their opponents in the challenge round. The advantages appear to be with France, and as an allround four the Frenchmen would appear to be the most, likely challengers, and also to have a slight advantage over tlie’ Americans, blit Tilderi and Johnston are such great, players that they are capable of rising to the occasion, even to countering and going one better to everything that the brilliant young Frenchmen lot loose: It is just a question whether the older men, should France be the challenging nation, can stand the great pressure that will he the aim of the Frenelimen to bombard them until from start, to finish.