DAVIS CUP CONTEST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 11

DAVIS CUP CONTEST.

SEMI-FINAL OPENED. FRANCE VERSUS JAPAN. ONE SINGLES TO EACH SIDE. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Reuter. NEW YORK, Aug. 26. The first two singles matches in the semi-final of the Davis . Cup contest, Japan v. France, were played to-day at Forest Hills. Each side won one match. Cochet (France) defeated Tawara Japan), I—6, 4—6j 7—5, 6-—3, 6 —2j Harada (Japan) defeated Lacoste (France), 6—4, 4—6, 6—3, 9—7. The first match at first promised to be slow and only slightly interesting, but later it offered Cochet an opportunity of displaying his splendid staying power and ability to be both accurate and brilliant, at the net and overhead. The Frenchman literally overwhelmed Tawara. Cochet lost the first two sets because he was erratic and inaccurate, but he outplayed his opponent and tired him so in the last three sets that there seemed to be no doubt of his superiority. The Frenchman won after having faced almost certain defeat.

Early in the match Tawara put in a raking fire of lob-bouncing forehanders which kept the Frenchman on the run, but in the third set Cochet found his stride and his deadly forehand attack carried him to victory. The match between Harada and Lacoste was long drawn-out and not spectacular. The Japanese was the more vigorous and caught the Frenchman unprepared again and again. Lacoste played listlessly, but such was the accuracy of his forehand and back-hand play that he was able to stave off defeat for a long time. Both men played a back-court machinelike game. The match began as a baseline duel and the rallies were long and sustained. Harada had the more sting in his drives and upset Lacoste's defence. The Frenchman's play in. the second set was beautiful but it lacked force. After that he -wilted under the hurricane attack of the Japanese.

PROFESSIONAL TENNIS. AMERICAN TO ADOPT. MEMBER OF CUP TEAM. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Reed. 8.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Aug. 2G. Mr. Charles Pyle, who recently induced Mademoiselle Suzanne Lenglcn to accept a professional engagement, states that a tennis star of international prominence wlio is at present a member of the American Davis Cup team will be one of the opponents of Mdlle. Lenglen on her tour of the United States. Asked if he referred to Tilden Mr. Pyle declined to say, but he promised to announce the name of the player referred to on September 15, immediately after the Davis Cup final.