STRUGGLE FOR DAVIS CUP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18173, 19 August 1922, Page 9

STRUGGLE FOR DAVIS CUP.

..«. AIFSraALIA AND SPAIN. ONE MATCH WON BY EACH. ALONZO DEFEATS WOOD. By Tel«gr«,t)h—Prees Association— Copyright A. and N.Z. NEW YORK, Aug. 17. The final of the preliminary rounds of the Davis Gup contest was begun at Philadelphia to-day, when Australia met Spain. Two singles matches were played, G. L. Patterson meeting Count Manuel de Gomar, and P. O'Hara. Wood playing Manuel Alonzo. The games resulted :— Patterson beat De Gomar, 6—3, B—6, 6-4. . Alonzo beat Wood, 2 —6, 3—6, 6—2, B—6, 6—l. In the first set, De Gomar won the first game to fifteen. Patterson won the second to thirty, the third to love, the fourth after deuce, and the fifth to thirty. De Gomar's service was weak, but in the sixth game, which he won to love, he outgeneralled Patterson. He won the seventh to thirty, and then lost the next to fifteen. Patterson's service was very fast, and his overhead smashes were effective. He won the ninth game after deuce twice, and with it took the set. The Spaniard again opened the second set with a win, while Patterson won the second after deuce had been called four times. De Gomar won the third to thirty and Patterson the fourth to love. The Spanish players returns were so soft that Patterson destroyed them. De Gomar won the fifth game to fifteen, and was now playing with more precision. The Australian won the sixth game after deuce had been called twice, and the seventh and eighth to fifteen. His opponent took the ninth to thirty, and in a remarkable recovery won the tenth to fifteen and the eleventh to love. Then Patterson ran to set, taking the twelfth after four deuces, the thirteenth to deuce, and the fourteenth after deuce had been called twice, two service aces being included. End of the Match. Patterson opened the third set with a win at fifteen, and had demonstrated a clear superiority over his opponent. He is faster and hits harder. He won the second game to love, but lost the third without scoring. Patterson won the fourth to thirty, while De Gomar won the fifth to love. Patterson won both the sixth and seventh after deuce, De Gomar won the eighth to thirty, and the ninth to love. Patterson clinched the contest in the next game, which he won after deuce had twice .been called, thus taking the set and the match. Following are the details of the scoring :— Nets. Outs. Service Double aces, faults. Patterson ... 35 30 17 11 De Gomar ... 20 35 3 4 In the second match, Wood opened by winning the first game after. deuce and the second to thirty. Alonzo took the third after deuce and the fourth to fifteen in a remarkable recovery of an apparently impossible shot. Then Wood won the fifth at fifteen, the sixth afte r deuce, the seventh to thirty, and the eighth after deuce, thus taking the set at 6—2. Alonzo proved himself a versatile player, several times making remarkable shots, but Wood was the steadier. Wood won the first game in the second i set to fifteen, while Alonzo took the second after deuce. Wood won the third to thirty, making a remarkable recovery at the last point, Alonzo failing to make a return. Wood won the fourth after a couple of deuces, though Alonzo had stood at fortv-love. Then the Spanish player won the fifth at fifteen, and Wood followed up by taking the next two games to the same score. Alonzo won the eighth to fifteen, but next game Wood took the set by winning after deuce had twice been called. . . Alonzo then began to dominate the situation. He won the first game after deuce had been twice called, and lost the second to love. Alonzo then took four games in a row, the third to thirty, the fourth to thirty, the fifth to fifteen, and the sixth to thirty. Wood won the seventh to thirty, but that was his last game in the set, Alonzo winning the eighth to fifteen, and the set 6—2. Struggle ta Fourth Set. In the fourth set Wood won the first game after six deuces and Alonzo the second after one deuce. He was playing excellently, and the tennis in this match was much better than in the contest between De Gomar and Patterson. Wood won the third game after deuce, his arm appearing to be in very good condition. He won the fourth game after deuce hsd twice been called and the fifth to love. Woody who had appeared to be tired in the third set, was refreshed by the interval after the set, and on the return to the court was playing a fast and well-placed game.. He won the sixth game to love, but then had a string of losses, Alonzo taking the seventh, eighth, and ninth games, all after deuce. Alonzo in the latter two games was within a point of losing the set and the match, but Wood double faulted in the eighth and netted the ball in the ninth, Dermittinqr Alonzo to squeeze cut and win the games. Alonzo won the tenth game after five deuces, Wood won the eleventh at thirty. Alonzo the twelfth to thirty, the thirteenth to love and the fourteenth after deuce twice, thus taking the set. Wood's i double fault in the eighth game lost him the set and the match. In the fifth and decisive set, Alonzo won the first game to thirty, the spectators vociferously applauding him. He won the second and third also to thirty. .He had recovered remarkably in the fourth set, and was now'yilaying sensational tennis, while : Wood appeared to be tired. The Australian won the fourth game to fifteen, but this was his only game, and Alonzo winning the fifth to thirty, the sixth to thirty, and the seventh to love, took the set and the match. UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT. FOOT-FAULT COSTS MATCH. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.' (Reed. G. 40 p.m.) NEW YORK,' Aug. 17. The following review of the match is supplied to the Australian and NVw Zealand Pres s Association by G. L. Patterson:—Our match with Spain was played in intense heat, though a slight breeze relieved the conditions somewhat. The standard of play suffered in consequence, and was rather poor in both matches. I commenced against Gomar serving fairly well, though certainly making some double faults in the endeavour to score aces. Gomar was uncertain off the ground, and seemed bothered by the cut I was putting on the ball. The game was very fast, and steadying somewhat Gomar came close to takinsr the second set, but I managed to get out by good volleying. The heat now affected Gomar, and he had not the power to pull the last set out Wood was robbed of his match when, having served a service ace for pame and match, a foot-fault was c&tted on him. This so distressed him that he lost touch for a while, enabling Alonzo to pull the match out, the last set being the only one in which he locked like winning. Alonzo, being noted for his stamina, took advantage of this and pressed on to victory, with Wood tiring and disappointed. This match does not need much description, because Wood was so superior until the unfortunate incident, though he was winning largely on forced errors, that when the tide turned, he was too tired to stem Alonzo's brilliant rush. Instead of being in the comfortable position of two up, we are now in the same anxious position as we were against the Frenchmen, with the dread possibility of Wood's arm not standing the strain. . ,; ~.