DAVIS CUP TENNIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19099, 21 August 1936, Page 7

DAVIS CUP TENNIS

FATEFUL FIFTH MATCH PERRY’S EASY VICTORY CTIAWEOR n TROU NC'PTi LONDON. July 28. Great, Britain yesterday won the Davis Cup for I lie fourth successive year hv defeating Australia at Wimbledon by three matches, to two in the challenge round, writes Wallis Myers in the Daily Telegraph. Last year and in 1904 the holders were undefeated in singles. They lost, this record yesterday when Quist. the Australian champion, beat Austin by three sets to one, 6 —4, o—6. 7—5, 6 3.

But fhe fateful fifth match, when both countries were level, was gallantly rallied by Porrv in a never-ceasing series of attacking blows. The champion beat Crawford, 6 —2. 6—3. 6—3. This is Great Britain’s ninth victory in the challenge round. She has wmi once in America, once in Australia and once in France: three times at, the (lid Wimbledon and three times at the New. Of Hie 31 challenge rounds, since Hie cup was founded in ISCO 1 have witnessed 24. and that is considerably more than any other observer.

The, (Contest which concluded yesterday has been eclipsed both in excitement and skill, but, it, emphasised once more the virtue of the balanced team.

Donald Budge, of America, and Gottfried von Gramm, of Germany, were, like Perry and Austin, unbeaten m Davis Cup singles this year. Lucking the support of a great, second string, they could not- conduct their countries even as far as the challenge round, though eneli made a valiant contribution.

AUSTRALIA'S HUGE TASK

Australia, bad to win both singles matches yesterday to lilt the cup a h'.if of revival that even the many Australians present in the vast- crowd could onlv visualise as a. dream. Before, the heavy task of redemption could he attempted, there was a delay ot an hour and a-half. The centre court remained tented while rain 1 oil pitilessly on a patient throng, braving behind a legacy of dampness on the snrlaee, _ Nevertheless, when Austin and Quist had reconciled llieiv feet to a slippery floor— though Austin was to tumble several times —the play was worthy- oi the occasion and a splendid match resulted.

That Austin should have lost, if eyas due to the remorseless pressure which Quist, imposed on a player not as richly endowed with stamina- as himself an antagonist who. requiring .less preparation for his strokes, could save time and exertion.

Added to which Quist had a superior service and a cleaner smash. lie was also the finer general in that he increased iiis speed and file sharpness of his attack at the critical stages in Uncritical sets.

Tie ran much less than Austin because he was more often in control ol the rally. The young .Australian did not, show bis best, hand immediately. Austin was 3—o before a long game, which England was three times within a stroke ol capturing. revealed the menace that was to come. Then Quist need himself to I—o. and one felt he had got 1 lie measurements of the court, attuned to his eye. SIX GAMES IX A ROW He was to take the next six games in sequence —virtually a. love set. 1 luce ot them were to love; the efficiency of the attack was splendid. There were long rallies, and Austin was driving well, especially on the hackhand, lmt the firmer hand and quicker reflex were Quist’s. This cool reprisal. l\v the scientifically sound methods by which it was achieved, the co-ordination, of strokes having a smooth completeness, suggested that Quist held the key to victory if the lapses to which he is prone did not check his progress-. These did not come until his confidence was shaken, by the, incursion of the foot fault judge- in the fourth game. He seemed sure of a 3—l lead when, pressing to secure it, lie swung his right foot over the line before the impact of the ball on the racquet.

The penalty seemed to end a chapter, and when another was opened, Quist began to make errors. lie lost his service again in the sixtli game, a double fault, indicating liis loss of concentration.

Austin’s gain of the sot followed in the ninth game. He was pressing Quist profitably oil his backhand line and coming up behind his best thrusts to bring off a choice- volley. Quisl’s redemption ni' the third set from 3—5 was the turning-point of the.

match : it was a brilliant laetieal coup. hi the ninth game be swung over to Austin’s forehand. hitherto neglected, with a stream of beautifully-measured drives. Every’ move was conducted without a sign of stress or strain. Then lie broke through Austin's service to love and squared the set. The eleventh game was long and splendidly fought, and Austin might, have carried il for lie braced with great spirit—had a bad hound not given iiis opponent, the vital game point. CLEVER, TACTICS Quist hade no mistake in the. twelfth game; he took it to love, forcing Austin to shorten his length by tile depth of bis own, and lobbing very craftily if Austin forced him out, on liis backhand line. There was a quarter-of-an-hoiir of drizzle and the. light on resumption was very poor. I‘erliaps this was why’ Quist gave a hostage Lo fortune by double-faulting in the first, game of the fourth set. 110 seemed strangely shy of taking the offensive. His supreme steadiness in all departments did not require the complement- of daring; lie was forcing errors from Austin by moving him remorselessly from corner to corner.

A 4—l. load gave him a, lien on the match, lie had now two service games on which to go mil ; lie required only

Austin’s good volleying won the sixth and eighth games from SC; neither of Quisl’s two games was deuced. He was a well-deserved victor in the ninth game for 15, having been on court one hour and TO minutes. The light had improved for the final act. but. if could never he an ideal atmosphere for the crucial tie. I wonder that. Berry and Austin played as well; they provided many rallies of brilliant tennis. CRAWFORD ON DEFENSIVE That all three sets went to the champion, and almost with identical scores, was due to the fact that Crawford, with all his fluent driving and gallant perseverance. was almost all the time on the defence against a rampant, and ruthless attack. *' Crawford produced, as he often does, the service aces and occasionally the sweeping circumventing drive, but his mobility was so much less than Perry’s that the fight, was always with the swifter mover. Il is a tribute to Crawford that lie captured eight games against such a whirlwind, and none fit them was taken wit lion I really line plsv—for Berry was giving iml I dug away. In (lu* third set Crawford made a. brave effort to break through Perry’s service and draw level at 4 —4. hut though lie got to vantage, he could not gather the game point. The champion’s pace was Inn hot. his attack' on the Australian's backhand too insistent. Then, after Berry was on Hit*, brink of victory, having piled up a. lead of s.— love in llm third set, Crawford made another gallant effort, winning three games, as darkness was coming. Neither Ids legs nor Ids arms were ipiite strong enough for a duel against a champion who never tired and was alwavs in the hunt.