DAVIS CUP TIE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22325, 27 July 1934, Page 9

DAVIS CUP TIE

AUSTRALIA DEFEATED BOTH SINGLES MATCHES LOST AMERICA TO MEET BRITAIN (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, July 25. The Singles matches in the Davis Cup tie between Australia and America resulted as follows: Wood defeated Crawford 6—3 9—7, 4—o, 4—6, 6—2. Shields defeated M'Grath 6—4, 6—2, 6—4. United States won the tie and will now meet Britain in the challenge round. Crawford raced to a 4—o lead against Wood, and also led s—l after Wood had won three games mainly on Crawford’s errors. The Australian captured the set with_ form full of promise. Crawford again led 4—o, s—l in the fourth set. Then Wood touched his highest form again to win three games, only to see the Australian run out the set. Both held service to 2—2 in the final sot. Then Crawford slumped and Wood, playing with greater daring and severity, forced Crawford into errors, and the American won the match.

Shields commenced with every confidence against M'Grath, and by means of ferocious hitting won the set, but not before the Australian had made a hard fight. Shields won the second set convincingly. He bombarded the Australian’s weakness—namely, his forehand. Shields now wholly mastered M'Grath’s backhand strategy, and with M'Grath’s service losing its sting it seemed a mere matter of time before America would enter the challenge round. Towards the end Shields out volleyed M'Grath, who was far below his best form.