DAVIS CUP TEAM.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVIII, Issue 18572, 26 November 1920, Page 5

DAVIS CUP TEAM.

DEFENDERS SELECTED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. SYDNEY, November 25. Norman Brookes has selected Gerald L. Patterson, P. O’Hara Wood, 11. W. Heath, and himself to oppose tho American team for the Davis Cup. He has suggested that they should sail for Auckland on December 2.

CHALLENGERS AND DEFENDERS. Tho Davis Cup contest will be decided at Auckland on December 28, 30 and 31, between Australasia, the holders of tho Cup, and America, who became tho challengers after the eliminating heats played in England. The teams are:

Australasia. America. G. L. Patterson. W. T. Tilden N. Brookes TV. M Johnston P. O’Hara Wood W. M. Washburn R. TV. Heath S. Hardy The selection of four Victorian players by Norman Brookes will not give great satisfaction in New South Wales, but it appears to have been a strong probability from the beginning, and an accurate forecast of the team was cabled from Melbourne on Wednesday. In the interstate matches which were commenced in Melbourne on November 12, Victoria beat Now South Wales very

substantially both in singles and doubles, and the scores speak for themselves. Norman Brookes, however, did not lake part in the singles owing to indisposition, and this was bad luck for both Peach and Rice, who were drawn against him. The Victorians were predominant in the singles, says a Melbourne writer. Patterson is not a player whose game is interrating to watch, and his mannerisms and occasional lack of control do not tend to make him popular with the public. His strokes are, however, a. revelation, and, although at times extremely careless, he seems able always to give of his'best when the necessity arises. The form displayed by both P. O’Hara Wood and J. B. Ilawkes justifies a certain amount of optimism as regards the result of the Davis Cup contest; virile R. W. Heath also displayed remarkably good form in the forenoon. Owing

to the walk-over scored against Brookes, the veteran Horace Rice did not appear on the court until late in the afternoon, and the reception given to him by the public, who were aware that this was his fiftieth appearance in an interstate" contest, must have been extremely gratifying to the “ little brown man.” He was opposed to Patterson, and played one of the very best games in his long career He drove Patterson’s first service down the side line, and, shaping confidently, played beautiful tennis, securing a. lead of 4-1, 5-4, 6-5, only to lose at 7-9. Amid great' enthusiasm Rice won the secondhand led at 3-1 in the third, then Patterson settled down to serious tennis, and took six games in succession. Scores: — J. B. Hawkes fV.) d. E. O. Pockley (N.8.W.), 6-1, 6-3; P. O’Hara Wood (V.) cl. R. Noii (N S.W.),>B, 0-7; R. W. Heath (V.) d. M. H. Marsh (N.S.W.). 6-2, 6-1; S H. Henderson (N.S.W.)' d. T. K. Fitchatt {V.), 6-3, 5- 6-3, G. L. Patterson (V.) d. N. Peach (N.S.W.), 64, 6-3; H. M. Rice (N.S.W:) d. N. E. Brookes (V.), w. 0.; P. O’Hara Wood (V.) d.|M .IT. Marsh (N.S.W.), 6-1 64; E. O. Pockley (NS.TV.) d. J'. K. Fitchett (V.), 6-2, 6- J. B. Ilawkes (V.! d. S. H. Henderson (N S.W.), 6-3, 6-3; R. TV. Heath (V.) d. It. Neil (N.S.W.), 8-6, 3-6, 6-2; 0. L Patterson (V.i d. H. M. Rice (N.S.TV.), 8-6,.3-6, 6-3: N. Peach (N.S.TV.) d. N. E. Brookes (V.), w.o. Totals: —Victoria: 8 rubbers, 17'sets, 123 games: New South Wales, 4 rubbers, 10 sets, 117 games. In the doubles Victoria scored overwhelmingly. Brookes, whose indisposition was apparent, played a remarkably fine game all through, and was probably the best player on the ground, ft was noticeable that there was much more sting in his ground strokes, while at the net he was as good as ever. His service, too, was so severe and well placed that his opponents admitted that they were more puzzled and tied up with his deliveries than with those of Patterson Patterson’s overhead work and service were deadly, one stroke in particular" being very spectacular. Standing about twenty feet from the net, he smashed the hall with such force that, bounding otf the ground^t a distance of twenty feet on the other side of the not, it went right over the roof of the pavilion! The number of double faults served by him was abnormal, but this may justly be attributed to ilack of opportunity for practice since his return. O’Hara Wood, Heath, Hawkes and Fitchett all played attractive tennis, as did the New South 1 Welshmen, who, while perhaps better than the Victorians in ground shots, were outplayed in smashing and volleying-

Scores:— Marsh-Peach (N.S.W.) d. HawkesFitchett, 6-4, 6-4; O’Hara Wood-Heath (V.) cl. Neil-Pockley, 6-4, 6-4; BrookesI’atterson (VO d. Bice-Henderson, 6-1, 6-2; Hawkos-Fitchett d. Neil-Pockley, 6-1, 6-1; O’Hara Wood-Heath d. Rice-. Henderson, C-2-, 7-5; Brookes-Patterson d. Marsh-Peach, 64, 6-3; Hnwkes-Fit-chefct d. lvice-HcndcT son. 6-2, 6-3; O’Hara Wood-Heath d. Marsh-Peach, 6-4 6-2; Brookes-Paiterson d. NeilPockley, 6-1, 6-2. Doubles Total: —Victoria, 8 rubbers, 22 sets, 105 games; New South Wales. 1 rubber, 2 sets, 53 games. Grand Totals: —Victoria. 16 rubbers, 30 sets, 231 games: New South Wales, 5 rubbers, 12 sets, 170 games. Since the interstate matches the Victorian championships have been played. In the fourth round of the singles championship N. Peach (N.S.W.) beat Brookes, 1-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, but O’Hara "Wood defeated Peach 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, 6-3. How good O’Hara Wood is may be judged from this set, for Peacli is undoubtedly a very brilliant player. O’Hara Wood beat G. Ollivier (N.Z.), 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, and it is evident that ho is in very good form. The full results of the Victorian championships have not been cabled, but in the semifinal Patterson beat Hawkes (Vic.), 8-6, 6-4, 10-8. Hawkes is a very fine player, and his friends regarded him as a possible for the Davis Cup team. R. IV. Heath, who is put in as fourth man, has “ come baclc ” lately, but it is unlikely that he will play in the Davis Cup match, the probabilities being that O’Hara Wood and Patterson will play in the singles and Patterson and Brookes in the doubles.