THE DAVIS CUP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19277, 15 September 1924, Page 7

THE DAVIS CUP

RETAINED BY AMERICA

AUSTRALIAN’S LOSE THE DOUBLES. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, September 12. In the Davis Cup doubles Tilclen and Johnston boat Patterson and Wood, 5—7, 6 — 3, 6 — 4, 6—l, America thus retains the cup.—Reuter. THE PLAY DESCRIBED. The match was played in perfect, sunny weather, the only handicap being a strong cross-court wind. There was a large attendance. Johnston, serving, won the first game. Wood the second, Tilden the third, and Patterson the fourth, 5—3. He was winning 3—o in this game when he doublefuaitod twice, permitting the Americans to get to douce. Patterson was deadly overhead, earning anany points and killing Johnston’s defensive lobs. Ho was weak, however, in his ground strokes, and this resulted in numerous errors. Tho games alternated with tho service until the score was 4 all. A break came in the ninth game, when Johnston’s service cracked. He stood o—3, and lost after reaching 2—3; but the Americans retaliated, breaking through Wood’s service in the tenth, and the score stood at 5 all. It cannot bo said that the Americans were a smoothworking doubles team. Johnston’s errors proved costly, as he was unable to handle Patterson’s service, and missed many easy returns. The Australians led 6—5 when they cracked Tilden’s service in the eleventh game. Patterson pulled his service out from I—2,1 —2, winning the twelfth game 4 —2, and tho Australians thus won the sot, 7—5. In tho second set Wood lost the service in tho second game, when Patterson hammered two , overhead bails into the net, and he himself missed two returns from the forehand. The Americans quickly gained a 3 —o lead. Patterson pulled his service out, winning tho fourth, 4—l. The Americans increased their lead to 4 —l upon Johnston’s service. They were now more aggressive, and advanced to the net. TiJden was more at his ease, and they ran out the set with alternate games. In the third set Tilden, serving in the fourth game, found the Australians running up to 3—4, but he pulled out the service, and tho score stood at 2 all The Americans achieved a curious feat in tho ninth game, when Wood, serving, stood at 3 —o. The Americans won the next five points, and took the lead, 5 games against 4. Several sharp rallies occurred at tho net, in which Johnston and Tilden outdrove the Australians or found openings between them. It then became a comparatively easy matter for the Americans to run out. Tlie fourth set proved a quick debacle. Tho American pair, teaming awkwardly, and getting in each other’s way, were apparently unable to dovetail their efforts. Nevertheless, they overwhelmed their experienced doubles opponents, whose team work was perfect. Tho Americans won because they individually possessed strokes which won points. Johnston’s forehand drive functioned with a report like that of a gun and with force like that of a bullet, and it was unanswerable. TiTden’s stroking was smooth, accurate, forceful, and profitable. Patterson, running un to answer the return from his own service, seemed unable to lift the ball more than inches. Patterson lost his service in the first game and Wood in the third and seventh. This gave the Americans the requisite headway to win with ease. Patterson again found his service endangered in the fifth game, but he pulled out 5—3, and the Americans led by 4 games to 1. They quickly tore through Wood’s service in tho final game, and ran out the set expeditiously, 6—l.—A. and N.Z. Cable.

THE REMAINING SINGLES. BOTH WON BY AMERICANS. NEW YORK, September 13. (Received September 14, at 5.5 p.m.) In the dual singles Richards defeated Patterson ft—3, 7 —5, ft—4. Tilden defeated Wood 6—2, 6—l, 6—l The matches were favoured by beautiful weather. TILDEN v. O’HARA WOOD. In the first set Wood broke through Tilden’s service in the first game. Tilden returned the compliment on Wood’s service. Thereafter the American, stripping off his sweater, rolled up the points with comparative ease. He raced through the other two sets, playing a deep-court game without effort at killing strokes, and kept Wood running across the court. PATTERSON v. RICHARDS. Patterson won his first service in the second game. Richards then took the lead and control until the eighth game, when the Australian broke through Richards’s service, and took his own, his slashing first ball being almost unplayable. Richards then reeled off the set on his own service. ■ln the second set Patterson crashed through Richards’s service in the second game, the American faltering and making two double faults. The Australian won the fourth game through two fine service aces and a clean placement. Richards took the fourth game and staged an amazing rally, winning six successive games and the set. Patterson made a brave effort in the third set to turn the tide, but Richards coming to mid-court kept pounding his backhand. The Australian netted the drives which he took on the full volley at mid-court, and could not save the match.— Reuter. AUSTRALIAN TEAM’S INTENTIONS. NEW YORK, September 13. (Received Sept. 14, at 5.5 p.m.) Upon the completion of the challenge found Patterson announced that the team would proceed homeward via Chicago, Winnipeg, and other centres, where its members will play exhibition matches amongst themselves, embarking on the Sonoma on October 7.—Reuter.

HISTORY OF THE CONTEST. The Davi s Cup contest, or the International Lawn Tennis Championship, was instituted 24 years ago by Mr Dwight F. Davis, who represented his country in its first match and lias several times been doubles champion of the United States. Since the inception of the contests the cup has never passed out of the possession of the English-speaking races a-s represented bv Australasia, England, and America; but of recent years the competition of foreign nations has become more serious, and three years ago Japan, by defeating the Australians, reached the challenge round, in which her representatives were defeated by the Americans. Last year 17 nations took nart in the contest, and this year the number was increased to 23—a record in the history of the competiTion. No matches were played during the war period, and when the competition was reinstated in 1919 the United States paid a graceful tribute fo the war losses of the British Empire by not entering a team; but since her reentry America ha» not only regained possession of the trophy, but has held it without serious challenge, mainly owing to the prowess of Tilden and Johnston.

WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP. The following table shows the results of the challenge rounds for tho Davis Cup since the inauguration of tho contests Year. Winner 'Riinncr-np. I'iOO America England inm* America 1!K)2 America England inos England America IftOl England Tlelghim lftO'» England America IftOS England America 11)07 Australasia England IftOS Australasia America IftOft Australasia America 1 ft Id* Australasia 1011 Australasia America 1012 England Australasia Iftlft America England ]-114 Australasia America IftUi* Australasia I'lld* Australasia 1017* Australasia 1 ;>lPt* Australasia , Iftlft Australasia England 1020 " America Australasia I'l2l America Japan 11122 ... America Australia 102 ft America Australia 1021 America Australia The * denotes years in which no matches were played either because there was no challenge or on account of the war.