DAVIS CUP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19271, 8 September 1924, Page 7

DAVIS CUP

THE DOUBLES. AUSTRALIA WINS THE SEMI-FINAL. Pits» Association —By Telegraph Copyright. NEW YORK, September 5. In the Davis Cup semi-final Patterson and Wood (Australia) defeated Lacoste and Brugnon (France) 6—4, 6—4, 6 2. A. and N.Z. Cable. THE PLAY DESCRIBED. NEW YORK, September 5. The first set of the doubles opened with Lacoste serving. Patterson pulled his service out in the fourth game 9—(, and the Australian smashed Laeoste service in the seventh. The set was definitely shapinir itself, but Patterson was still having trouble. The Frenchman aimed his service with a peculiar cut, compelling 1 atterson to receive it on the back hand or to turn awkwardly to receive it on the fore hand. Patterson’s service, moreover, offered few puzzles to the Frenchman. Wood’s evenly-balanced playing provided protection against the Frenchman s shrewdly-placed placements and forcing shots. The Australians ran out the set 6—-A, , .. In the second set a speedily-dnven ball from Brugnon’s racket in the first game caught Wood on the solar plexus, depriving him of his wind for nearly live minutes. The Australian resumed play after a rest, and he and Patterson took the next game, breaking through Brugnon s service. All the games in which Patterson was serving had gone to deuce, but he was having trouble with his shots, save when overhead opportunities were offered at the net. Then his kills were sensational. He was playing keenly and trying his hardest, showing* an improvement over yesterday s form. Brugnon was the backbone of the French team, making many placements by driving the ball twice to the same spot, and catching his opponent off his guard. Lacoste was not so keen as ho was yesterday, but still ho showed ability to compel errors by finding his opponent’s weak spot. Patterson lost his service in the sixth rrame 12 —10. and the score was 3 ail. Lacoste lost the service in the seventh, and the Australians won the set 6 4. Neither team played brilliantly at tho beginning of the third set. Lacoste lost the service in the first game, and Wood failed similarly in the second. Errors predominated, and the ball was kept httio in play. Brugnon lost the service in the third game. Patterson won the fourth, his service working perfectly. Brugnon lost the eei'vice in the seventh, and the Australians led 5—2. Pattexson found his service jeopardised in the eighth game, but he manfully pulled it out o—4, and the Australians won the set 6—2. . The I’ rencl.meu were hardly a match for the Australians in the doublesNevertheless, the fact that Patterson was off his form made the Australians task harder. —A. and N.Z. Cable. THE SINGLES PLAY. AUSTRALIANS’ SUPERIORITY. NEW YORK, September 6. (Received Sept. 7, at 5.5 p.m.) In the Davis Cap, Patterson beat Borotra, 6 —3, 6—l, 6—3 ; Lacoste feated Wood, B—lo, 6—l, 5 1, 7 5. The Australians will now meet the Amencans in the final. —A. and N.Z, Cable* Patterson, serving,* lost the first game to love, Borotra making four placements. Borotra lost his service in the second. An unlucky star still seemed to be dog<nng .the Australian’s footsteps, and his errors stood out prominently. His netted halls barely rose a foot high, and ms drives both backhand and forehand, were wild The Frenchman, however, was also erratic, and the balance between the errors of both kept the games alternating until the eighth, when Patterson, resuming control of his shot, again broke through the Frenchman and established a 5 o lead, which spelled victory. With the following game Patterson won the setsix games against three. Both men were wary and highly strung, being anxious to force an opening and counter-balance the lost points by calculated placements. Tins made the play forced and lacking tho treedom which lawn tennis needs as a spectacle. , , The second set saw a miracle performed. Patterson returned not only to form, but played absolutely unbeatable tennis. Every shot was perfection. He missed nothing. His returns could not be returned. JMo racket could touch his service. His speed was tremendous and his accuracy undeyiatiug. He quickly smashed a four—love lead, permitting no game to go deuce, and barely allowing the Frenchman, four points. It must be said the Frenchman’s play was weak at this period, but the Australian’s tennis was such, that he could not be denied victory. He went close to the net and angled his shots, instead of smashing. Thrice he broke through Borotra’s defence and permitted the Frenchman only a single game, which the latter only won at deuce. Tho Australian won the • set, six games against ° B In the third set an all-night storm had penetrated the courts, although covered, and tho going was slow. Both slid over the turf a groat deal, even spiked shoes only holding alightly. Patterson continued Kis pace and fine playing, but the FTenchman now also resumed his usual form, and the games were being hotly contested. Borotra broke through Patterson at the fifth game by five beautifully placed returns, but Patterson retaliated, breaking through Borotra’s service in the sixth, and the score stood at three all. The Australian now was winning at will. He was aided by the Frenchman’s collapse, which appeared complete. Patterson tore through the Frenchman’s service in the eighth game, the latter beinf very tired, while Patterson was fresh’. The Australian won the set with the greatest of ease. Lacoste, in serving, lost the first game, and Wood, serving, lost the second. The games then alternated with the service, until the seventh, when the Australian took the lead, breaking through Lacoste's defence with a scries of long court drives, which kept his younger opponent racing madly, but purposely from side to side. Wood lost his service in the eighth. Lacoste’s accuracy was Bound to check any easy victory. Both men were steady vollevers, and kept the ball in play for minutes. Their rallies and recoveries caused the audience to acclaim until the umpire compelled caution and asked for silence. Wood stood to lose the tenth 2 —3, and the set, but pulled up and evened the score, five all. Wood showed his mastery of the situation in the next i*anio, coming close in to the net, and driving through Lacoste’s service and apparently winning the twelfth game 'l—2, and the sot, but Lacoste questioned the final shot, which was netted. The game was thus reopened, and Lacoste won the game 10—8, and the score was evened—six all. Wood again cracked the Frenchman’s service in the thirteenth game, and lost his own in the fourteenth. Tho Australian ultimate!v won the set. In the second sot the Frenchman amassed a 3—l lead, when Wood dropped his service. The second match was hard fought by both sides every inch of the way. The contest, if anything, was a straggle between apparently evenlybalanced players. At this period it appeared as if the more accurate one would win. Wood again lost his service in the sixth and Lacoste increased his lead s—l, Wood was over-driving his shots, and his errors were chiefly outs. Tho Frenchman’s play was excellent, and he was palling out on top. He won tho seventh 4—l on his service, and the set. In the third set the Frenchman repeated his performance of the last set, quickly amassing a s—l lead by outsteadying the Australian. Lacoste’s repertoire of shots consists of an unbeatable backhand, a fine forehand, and a tricky service, which curves always into tho left corner, demanding a return from the backhand. Any attempt to reach around, and return his service from the forehand is costly, because it puts his opponent off his pace, or results in a defensive return of which Lacoste Likes advantage. In the fourth set from I—41 —4 Wood pulled

up to even the score, five all. It lllus trated what is now considered axiomatic in America— namely, that Wood lights hardest when his outlook is blackest, but the Frenchman was playing too well. He controlled the situation, and when ho won off his own service in the eleventh, and took command 2—o on Wood's service in the twelfth, the end was near. Wood drove out an easy overhead smash, and lost the final point with another out.—A. and N.Z. Cable.