DAVIS CUP TENNIS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 20 July 1936, Page 7

DAVIS CUP TENNIS

SINGLES DIVIDED. QUIST’S MARATHON MATCH. BEATEN BY VON CRAMM. • (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) LONDON, July 18. Play in tlie inter-zone final for the Davis Cup between Australia and Germany commenced to-day. Following arc the results:— SINGLES. G. von Cramm (Germany) heat A. K. Quist (Australia), 4—6, 6—4, 4—6, b—4, li—9. J. H. Crawford (Australia) heat H. Henkel (Germany), G—2, 6—2. Henkel retired owing to indisposition. Quist went down iignting in a marathon match against tlie German champion. Quist fell heavily in the first game in the second set and damaged ins ankle, despite which lie disputed the lead right to the end. A fierce wind made conditions unpleasant and tested the skill of both players, and it was not surprising that bad errors were sandwiched between glorious strokes.

Quist took an attractive first set after 20 minutes’ play. He dropped the second set, finding von Gramm’s service harder to handle (the German taking five games in a row). He won the third, dropped the fourth, and then gave von Cramm a great battle in the fifth, the German filially prevailing at 11—9.

In the ninth and tenth games Quist held off five match points and later another four. Quist, at B—7,8 —7, had three match points, but lost the lot. The match lasted two hours and ahalf. Quist’s heroic efforts astonished everyone and both players received an ovation.

Henkel was weak following his chill and his decision to play was deferred as late as possible. Crawford, in the circumstances, was always the master of his opponent, who played an apathetic game, lacking his usual determination. His service was less fiery than ordinarily.

Herr Kleinschrotli, the German manager, confirmed the fact that Henkel did not intend to finish his match with Crawford, as he realised he could not last the full distance. Critics declare that Quist has never produced anything in England remotely comparable to Its play in the singles. The closing stages will live long, with von Cramm plunging for winners, often raising chalk clouds and more often fractionally missing the lines, and Quist saving match point after match point by an iron will and extraordinary sureness and activity, despite an ankle which was so strained that it was found afterwards, when the lust of battle bad vanished, that he could scarcely walk. Each had the mortification of seeing match points vanish in creeping netcords, hut neither lost heart.

An analysis of the play shows a difference of 15 points between the contestants. Von Cramm had the advantage of extra severity. He plays with a smaller margin of error than Quist, and consequently suffered more from the gale. The fact that lie always increased his pace when in danger instead of altering his tactics, testified to his stoutness of heart. His service and the way Quist took it in the fifth set were memorable. Quist’s relief was apparent when many unreachable cannon-ball services Tiere providentially called out by microscopic margins. Quist’s strained ankle may be fatal to Australia’s chance of challenging Great Britain. His foot was so swollen after the fnatch that he could not get a shoe on. An X-ray examination will be made to-night. His participation in the doubles on Monday is questionable, hut the decision need not be made until an hour before the match. However, the real need for Quist is against Henkel on Tuesday. If Henkel is unfit for Monday’s doubles, Lund will replace him.

QUIST’S INJURY

MAY CAUSE WITHDRAWAL,

Received July 20, 9.15 a.m. LONDON, July 19. ) An x-ray examination of Quist’s ankle shows that a ligament has been torn or displaced. He was unable today to put the foot to the ground. He received further treatment, but unless he makes a remarkable recovery lie will be unable to play in to-morrow s doubles, in which McGrath will probably be substituted. There is a faint hope that Quist will have sufficiently recovered to play Henkel in the singles on Tuesday. If not, McGrath could be substituted if Quist were certified medically unfit.