THE DAVIS CUP.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19584, 14 September 1925, Page 8

THE DAVIS CUP.

WON BY TOOTED STATES. FEENOHMEN DEFEATED IN DOUBLES, - fx«M A*»ccl«tjoi>—By T^kgrapb-Copyright. NEW YORK, September 12. In the Daria Con doubles, Williams and ILiohaxds defeated Borotra and Laccste ifh ranee) 6—4, 6—4, 6—3. America thus (retains the Cup.—A. and N.Z. Cable. DESCRIPTION OF THE PLAY. LOSERS’ DESPERATE STRUGGLE. NEW YORK, September 11. William; and Richards were the superior pair. Borotra lost the first service game, and never caught up, the server winning regularly to the completion of the set. Borotra and Lacoste both lost the service in the second set, and the Americans quickly ran to 6—l. Then Borotra and Lacoste improved, winning Richards’ service game, the only one that the Americans lost during the match. The Americana were superior in ail departments, Richards’ driving and smashing showing great pace, while Williams' ground shots and backhand strokes were sure winners. The French led in the third set (the only time in the match) 2 —l, but they were outplayed all through the concluding stage. Richards and Williams got off to a fine start, breaking through Borotra’s service with two sparkling placements by Williams. The Americans romped through several games, despite dazzling kills at the net by Borotra. The ninth game went to the French off Borotra’s service to love, all the points being scored on placements, but Prichards led the Americans to victory in the sei olt his service. $n the tenth game of the second set rihe Americans started with a rush that threatened to sweep the Frenchmen off tbeir feet, racing through four straight games. The Frenchmen rallied, however, and soon startled the gallery by taking three in succession by sparkling attack and net work. They also broke through Richards’ service in the ninth game, but were checked in the tenth, which the Americana took after they had carried it >to deuce, and so wou the set. In the first four ■ games of the third aet the Frenchmen held the Americans on even terms, fighting desperately to turn the tide. All went to deuce, both teams coming to the net in a series of flashing exchanges. The French were the first to weaken on Borotra’s service, which was broken through in the fifth game. The . challengers earned it to deuce, after failing at love-forty, but a double fault helped to decide it in favour of the Americans. The Frenchmen’s task now seemed hopeless, but they won the seventh on jLacoste’s service in a final desperate effort. This was their last moment of triumph. They were beaten back in the next two (fames, giving the defenders set and match. Borotra was brave to the end. It was his weak service that decided the match in the ninth game, bub he tried heroically to save the situation, falling to the ground in a vain effort to reach a dazzling shot sent down by Richards. Heat and the pace told on both sides in the last set, and the Frenchmen showed the effects of the previous day’s strain. The doubles match lasted only one hour. AMERICANS WIN REMAINING SINGLES. TILDEN’S NARROW ESCAPE. NEW YORK, September 12. (Received Sept. 13, at 5.5 p.m.) Tilden defeated Lacoste 3—6, 10—12, B_6, 7—5, 6—2.—A. and N.Z. Cable. Johnston defeated Borotra 6—l, 6—4, 6—o. —Reuter. , HOW THE AMERICANS WON. NEW YORK, September 12. (Received Sept. 12, at 11.5 p.m.) The Americans made a clean sweep of the Davis Cup by winning to-day’s singles. It took Tilden three hours' to retrieve the match with Lacoste after the Frenchman had taken two sets; but with defeat staring him in the face and every stroke counting, he saved the day by a combination of steadiness and good luck aided by very few errors. His opponent had him four times within a point of defeat, but he recovered. Once a net cord shot saved him. He preserved his record- of not losing a single match in six successive years of Davis Cup play. * Johnston, on the other hand, made short ■work of Borotra, disposing of him in less than an hour. The Californian overwhelmed the Frenchman by the sheer force of his drives and beautiful placements. —A. and N.Z. Cable. HISTORY OP THE CONTEST. Tho Davis Cup contest, or the International Lawn Tennis Championship, was instituted 25 years ago by Mr Dwight P. Davis, who represented his country in its first match and has 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 as represented by 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 Ausreached the challenge round, in which her representatives were defeated by the Americans. Last year 23 nations took part in the contest, and this year the number was increased to 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 to the wax losses of the British Empire by not entering a team; but since her reentry America has not only regained posqossion 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 the Davis Cup since the inauguration of the contests:— year. Winner. Banner-lip. 1900 America England 1901* America 1902 America England 1903 England America 1904 England Belgium 1905 England America 1906 England America 1907 Australasia England 1908 Australasia America 1909 Australasia America 1910* Australasia 1511 Australasia America 1913 England Australasia 1913 America England 1914 Ausiaahisia , America 1915* Australasia 1916* Australasia 1917* Australasia *l9lß* Australasia 1919 Australasia England 1920 Amcrcia Australasia 1991 America Japan 1922 America Australia 1953 America Australia 1934 America Australia 1925 America Prance The * denotes years in which no matches were played cither because there was no challenge or oo account ol the war.