America Retains the Davis Cup

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 211, 7 September 1938, Page 6

America Retains the Davis Cup

Budge Again Wins BROMWICH BEATS RIGGS United Press Association.—Bv Electric Telegraph —Copyright. PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 5. America retained the Davis Cup by defeating Australia by three matches to two in the challenge round. Today’s singles matches results: — D. Budge (America) beat A. K. Quist (Australia), B—6, 6—l, 6—2. J. Bromwich (Australia) beat ft Riggs (America), 6—4, 4—6, 6—o, d-2. Success with passing shots in the early part of the first set gave Quist a B—l lead, but Budge drew level at 3—3. The games then alternated with the service. There was a peculiar incident in the tenth game. When Quist was leading, 40—15, the footfault judge called three footfaults against Quist, completely upsetting the Australian and seemingly having the •am* effect on Budge. The crowd booed, and Paul Gibbons, who was umpiring, cautioned the spectators that “Footfaults are part of the game.” Budge dropped three points successively, apparently without trying, thus giving the Australian the game.

Breaks in service occurred in th« 11th and 12th, each dropping a game and the score stood at 6—6. Quist Stood 40—0 to break Budge’s service

Kgain in the 13th, but the American recovered to take the game with the losi of only one more point

More Footfaults. The footfault judge called two footfaults against Quist in the 14th, and the crowd jeered unmercifully. Mr Gibbons angrily cautioned the audience: “Footfaults are footfaults and should be called. This is a most unsporting protest against them. The Australian captain agrees with me on that”

Budge thereafter sportingly dropped the two points which footfaulting cost Quist but the latter seemed unnerved and dropped his game after deuce and the set

In the second set Quist outed repeatedly, and the American led 4—o. Quist won the fifth game on Budge h •ervice but was unable to carry oi» his revival and lost the set, I—6. In the third set both played spottily. Quist lost his service twice am* Budge once. Quist’s service, however, returned to form in the fourth, which he won. The American took the next two games for a lead of s—l. Quist won the seventh, but it was only a brief interlude, and he went under in the eighth. Budge winning the

match and thus retaining the Cup for the United States. Judge Explains Rulfng. Mr Harold Lebair, who called tha footfaults against Quist, later explained: “Quist leaped into the air when •erving. and clearly footfaulted.” When asked why he alone called footfaults, he shrugged his shoulder*. Interviewed by the Australian Associated Press correspondent. Mr Lebair said: "Quist had both feet off tha ground everytime I footfaulted him. He was simply violating the rules.” The correspondent asked: “Did he footfault before the tenth game?" "No, I called the first footfault l ■aw,” said Mr Lebair. The correspondent asked: “Did he footfault after the last one you oallMr Lebair replied: “Yes. he repeat •dlv footfaulted after that.” “Why didn’t you call them?” asked the correspondent. "I didn't because the man’s game •fter that was completely demoralised." stated Mr Lebair. The other footfault judge, Mr Shaw, when interviewed by the Australian Associated Press Correspondent, said ,hat Quist did not footfault on his side of the court. Asked why, Mr. Shaw replied: “liecause ho was facing into the sun and did not juniD up.” “It Was Horrible” The corresponded asked: “But vou believe he footfaulted on Mr. Lebair •& Bide?" . * es > because I saw him repeatedly jump off the ground the first day. and therefore I know ho footfaults that way, but the only thing that saved him on .Saturday was his spiked shoes, which kept him in contact with the ground. However, this is a silly rule and should be removed from tho rules book,” declared Mr. Shaw. Quist, on leaving the court, told the. Australian Associated Press correspondent: “It was horrible. Howcan I be expected to play t-ennis if I : nm not allowed to serve? Those foot- j faults cost me the match even before the contest was well on its way. There

was simply nothing I seemed to be able to do after the tenth game. I was pretty well at the top of my game before that and would not have allowed the match to go so easily." Bromwich and Riggs In the first set Bromwich and Rigy each lost their service. Bromwich won his service in the third game, bu. Riggs again lost his, giving the Australian a 3—l lead. Riggs drew level at 3—3. At this stage the tennis became amusing, both drop-shotting frequently. Riggs showed surprising ability to score points from these, but Bromwich netted little easy ones and the crowd was hilarious. The games alternated with the service urrtil Bromwich won the ninth, breaking

Riggs’s service, and took the set by winning the tenth with cool placements after forcing the American out of position. In the second set, when the score was 2—2, the players again tried to out-trick each other with dropshots and again Riggs had the better of it This time it was costly to Bromwich, who lost his service in the seventh, and the American led 4—3, which he improved to 5—3 after the best game of the match, in which, after longsustained rallies, the American’s lobs or volleys ultimately proved ungettable. Rig*:s Takes Set. Bromwich won the service in the ninth, and Riggs settled matters irt the tenth with a series of beautiful smashes and passing shots. In the third set, playing with sustained precision, Bromwich had the better of it throughout. The American contested every point, but the Australian had Just a little more “on the ball.” In the final set the Australian was too steady for his opponent, who netted or outed most of his shots. Bromwich had a lapse after leading s—o, Riggs winning the sixth and seventh, and the American was leading 40—15 in the eighth when Bromwich applied the necessary pressure to win the ?ame, set and match.

BROMWICH ADVANCING No. 1 PLAYER IN 1939! PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 5. Harry Hopman, captain of the Australian Davis Cup team, when inte.i viewed by the Associated Press, said: “Bromwich’s victory simply reaffirm* ed our strategy. Quist should have defeated Riggs on Saturday. He did not because his game broke up afte* his footfaults began. His attack, ana even his resistance, broke up and he was simply unable to maintain the pace necessary to win. "The footfaults to-day again emphasised the problem.” Hopman added. “They came in both sets when he was fighting to advance, and each time they robbed him of spirit. “I am not saying thir because I am complaining against the judge. Quist has been really footfaulting. There has been unending controversy over that part of the rule forbidding a player to lift both feet off the ground. It is beside the point whether the rule should be altered. It is essentiai that Quist should learn not to violate it “We had a valiant, able and faithful team; they did well, and they learned much of value. Bromwich is now strongly advancing to the No. 1 position in world tennis in 1939 if Budge becomes a professional, as he prob*bly will.” Bromwich said that he was satisfied with his showing against Riggs, who. however it must be admitted, lost most of his incentive after the challenge victory. “I am looking forward to the national singles with a great deal of pleasure, since it will be a genuine test of the relative values of the world olavers.” he added. “LOST MORE THAN THEY GAINED” GRANTLAND RICE ON OVERZEALOUS OFFICIALS Received Tuesday, 10.5 p.m. NEW YORK, Sept. 5. Commenting that over-zealous officials can wreck any game, Mr. Grantland Rice, the noted sports writer, says: “The United States lost far more than they gained by winning tho Davis Cup challenge round. There is no glory In winning on the calling of a delayed technicality against an under-dog team that has travelled 11,000 miles.”