THE DAVIS CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22131, 10 June 1935, Page 10

THE DAVIS CUP

AUSTRALIA V. FRANCE OPENING SINGLES PLAYED WIN FOR EACH SIDE McGRATH DEFEATED By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received June 9, 5.5 p.m.) PARIS, June 8 The Davis Cup tie Australia versus Franco was begun to-day in Paris. The weather was fine and warm, but gusty. There were 7000 spectators.

The opening singles resulted as follows:—Crawford defeated Merlin (Trance), 6—i, 4—6, 6—3, 6—3; Boussus (France), defeated McGrath, 6—4, 2 —6, B—6,8 —6, 6 —l. Although Merlin, in the first set, displayed more initiative Crawford won by forcing the Frenchman into errors. Merlin was brilliantly aggressive in the second set, which lie won, though Crawford fought magnificently. Merlin led 2—l in tho third, but Crawford levelled by winning his service, which ho bad frequently lost in tho earlier sets. This seemed to restore the Australian's confidence and ho captured four successive games and then comfortablv' clinched tho set.

With a great variety of strokes Crawford unquestionably dominated tho final set.

Boussus scored with crisp drives to McGrath's corners in the first set, which he won in spite of trouble in breaking through the Australian's kicking angular service. The Frenchman's errors cost him the second set. Both displayed determination in the third, which Boussus took after a great driving duel. The Frenchman was severely accurate in the final set.

The doubles teams for to-morrow have not been announced, but it is expected that Borotra and Bernard will meet Crawford and Quist. The draw for Monday's singles is as follows:—Merlin v. McGrath; Boussus v. Crawford.

THREE OTHER TIES JAPAN ELIMINATED WIN FOR CZECHO-SLOVAKIA (Received June 9, 6.35 p.m.) LONDON, June 8 Davis Cup ties in which matches were played yesterday and to-day, in addition to the contest between Australia and France, were:—Germany v. Italy, South Africa v. Poland and Czechoslovakia v. Japan. At Berlin in the opening singles today von Cramm defeated Mangold (Italy), 6 —o, 6—4, 6—4, and Stefani defeated Henkel (Germany), 6 —l, 6—3, 6—4. At Warsaw yesterday Farquharson (South Africa) beat Hedda, 6—4, 7—5, 4—6, o—6,0 —6, and Kirby (South Africa) was leading Tarlowski when bad light caused a cessation of play. This raatch was finished to-day, when Tarlowski defeated Kirby, 7—9, 7 —9, B—6,8 —6, 6—4, 6—2.

In the doubles Kirbv and Farquharson defeated Tloczvnski and Hebda, 6—3, G —2, 6—2.

Czecho-Slovakia eliminated Japan at Prague yesterday. After winning the first two singles the Czech doubles pair, Menzel and Malacek defeated Yamagishi and Nishimura, 2—6, 6—2, 6—2, 6—l.

In the final singles to-day Caska defeated Nishimura, 6 —2, 6—3, 6 —B, 6—4; and Yamagishi defeated Hecht, 6 —l, 6—4, 6—4.