DAVIS CUP PLAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21515, 12 June 1933, Page 9

DAVIS CUP PLAY

EUROPEAN ZONE AUSTRALIANS IN FORM SINGLES AGAINST AFRICA OPENING GAMES WON ITALY AND GERMANY OUT By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June 11, 5.5 p.m.) TjONDON, June 10 In the quarter final of the Davis Cup contest, European zone, Australia met South Africa to-day in the opening singles on the Queen's Club courts. Crawford defeated Kirbv (South Africa), B—o, o—l, 6—J}, and McGratli defeated Bobbins (South Africa), 7 —5, 6—4, 4-45, 10—8. The court was well grassed. The weather was gloomy. Crawford, with masterly ease, called the tune, to which Kirby, almost throughout, vigorously but vainly danced. There were glimpses of the form by means of which Crawford defeated COchet recently, but Kirby scarcely extended the Australian, whoso service has vastly improved. Crawford was guilty of only one double fault in three sets. Ho rarely left the baseline. He was impervious to Kirby's onslaught. Crawford's delicate chops and severe passing drives were delightful.

McGrath had a harder task against Bobbins, champion of South Africa, who is a powerful and reliable baseline player. He hits hard 011 both wings and is the personification of steadiness. He forced McGrath to fight all the way. The feature of the third set was bobbins' endeavour to break down McGrath's backhand. In one rally he hit five successive drives admirably into the back-hand corner, each of which was returned, the last with such interest that bobbins was left standing. McGrath's service in the fourth set provided the day's brightest tennis, Bobbins converting his deficit of 3 —5 into a lead of 6—5. The match swayed excitingly, McGrath neatly exploiting chops and bringing bobbins reluctantly to the net. But the. Australian often was beaten when he endeavoured to advance on bis own drives.

Britain eliminated Italy from the contest when Terry and Hughes defeated Bado and C'arolli in the doubles, 6—l, 6—4, P—7. In the final singles de Stefani defeated Perry, 5 —7, 6—4, 6 4, 6 4, and Austin defeated de Morpurgo, 6—4, 6—3, 6—2. Germany was eliminated by Japan 111 Berlin. In the opening singles Satoh beat von Cramm (Germany), 6—3, 2 6, 6—3, 6—4, and Nunoi defeated Jaenicko (Germany), 6—2, 4—6, 6 i, 6—2. In the doubles Satoh and Nunoi defeated von Cramm and Nourney, 6—2, 6—3, 6, 6—l.