LAWN TENNIS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11738, 28 January 1924, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS

BIG MATGH PLAYED D. G. FRANCE NOW PREMIER WELLINGTON PLAYER. WINS IN THREE SETS. Saturday saw L. France sustain his first local defeat in a championship singles match for the past three seasons. Challenged by I). G. France, his brother and doubles partner, for first position on the provincial ladder, he was defeated, 6—4, 2—6, 6—4, in one of the hardest matches 6een upon Thorndon courts for many days. D. J. France thus steps to first place upon the ladder, awid adds the name of still another inter-State representative to the list of those whom he has defeated this season. ALL OUT TO WIN. The match was an exceedingly hard “go.” Prior to their departure for the New Zealand tournament, the brothers had met, and, after a keenlycontested first set had gone to L. France, his brother slumped, and went down to love in the second set. This time the challenger was determined that no such thing should happen. Throughout his drives were of great pace, his net work clean and decisive, his service aggressive. He was all out to win, not infrequently attempting to ace his second service when game point faced the receiver, and going for all possible fineness of placement. The pace of his ground shots kept his opponent away from the net more than was usual for him, while D. G. France himself went in on every possible occasion, often swinging fine passing shots past his brother when the latter advanced to volley. THE OPENING GAMES. D. G. France opened service and lost th© first game after being down o—3o. breaking through his brother’s delivery after three deuces, and taking four points in a row in the third game,after' being o—3o,0 —30, to lead 2—l. The challenger’s mistakes gave L. France the fourth game to love; he took his brother’s service after losing the first two strokes, and led 3—2. Stinging drives gave D. G. France the following game for the loss of a point, and he led 40 —0 on service, winning the game after deuce to notch the odd game in seven. Four deuces were fought through before L. France evened on his following delivery, but a love game went to the younger player on service, and his hard hitting smashed through his brother’s defence to 30 in the tenth game for set, 6—4. CHALLENGER SLACKENS OFF. Up to now play had been very hard. D. G. France could not keep the pace, and slackened off in the second set. As a result, he io6t three games in a row, the first to love, the second (L. Franco serving) after being down o —4o and pulling two points out of the fire, the third after a hardlyearned deuce. A brief rally gave him his opponent’s service game to 15, after holding three chances for game, and he reached 40—15 on service in the. fifth game, but fell away to be down I—4. In the next game, D. G. France drove his brother out of position, and continued his net-rushing tactics to pull up to 2—4, but was credited with only 3 points in the final games of the set, which thus went to L. France at 6 —2. Set all. THE FINAL SET. The final set saw the challenger resume his hurricane tactics; he had to force his opponent to make errors, and it was not easy. He. lost his opening service after o—3o,0 —30, hut evened in the second game after deuce. Again the younger man fell down on service? which he lost to love, and L. France took his delivery to 15 for a useful lead "of 3—l. His brother, however, was far from beaten. Serving and smashing accurately, he ran out in the fifth game after deuce, and punched his forehand into the vacant spot of his opponent’s court to capture his service for the loss of a stroke, and 3—all. Then the top man proved his mettle by serving a love game on his brother’s delivery, thus leading 4—3. THE END COMES. The final spurt of D. G. France gave him the match. With his brother serving on the change-over, the challenger put over four successive slashing sideline drives, each one a placement, to even at 4—all. He was down o—ls in the ninth game, led 3d—ls, and had his first game point at 40 —30, winning after a hard struggle, during which deuce was called three times, and he had three times had the odd point. The' final game saw him run to o—4o against service, and L. France make a desperate effort and raise the score to deuce. D. G. France, however, took the next two points, set 6—4, and the malch. An examination of the scores will reveal the fact that each man won 14 games, and that L. France scored 98 points and the winner 97. Some notion of the closeness of play is thereby afforded.

LADDER MAT€H

EDMONDSON WINS. In a try-out match for twelfth position, L. J. Edmondson (Thorndon) successfully defended his place against B. B. O’Brien (Wellington), whom he beat 6—4, 6—3. O’Brien led 3—o in the second set, and his opponent took fne next six games in a row.

DAVIS CUP

HOLLAND CHALLENGES. Australian and N.Z. Gable Association (Received .Tanuarv 27, 11.50 p-m.) NEW YORK, January 20. Holland has challenged for the Davis Gup in the European zone.