DAVIS CUP

Southland Times, Issue 21715, 30 May 1932, Page 7

DAVIS CUP

AUSTRALIA’S BID AMERICANS WIN THREE MATCHES VINES DEFEATS CRAWFORD (United Press Assn Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Philadelphia, May 28, The Davis Cup match between the United States and Australia was commenced yesterday and continued today, the Americans winning two singles and a double. Details are as follows:— Shields v. Hopman. Frank Shields (United States)’ defeated Harry Hopman (Australia) 6—4, 6—l, 6—2. Shields began the service and lost the game. A brisk wind was blowing across the court, making play difficult. They were both cautious in playing the back-court game. The score, was 2—2 after the Australian had lost on his service in the fourth game. Shields then again lost his service and Hopman went into a 4—2 lead in the next game, the American netting and outing, but Hopman lapsed into inaccuracies and losing on his service in the eighth game the score became 4—4. The Australian now attempted a fatal mixing of the pace, alternating deep court drives with short volleys, but Shields was steady on the returns and ran out winner of the set, Hopman losing his service in the tenth game in which he was unsteady. Despite the wind, the heat on the court was terrific and Hopman seemed badly tired. The American ran up a s—o lead with the greatest ease in the next set. Hopman was having obvious difficulties with his game. He bravely stood his ground throughout in the forecourt, smashing the American’s lobs, but again and again he was passed by sharply angled shots. He now changed his racquet and with it his luck, winning the sixth game. He played in the back court in the seventh game, but netted and outed, while his opponent was steady. Hopman opened the third set with his service, but he was not playing vigorously. Shields, who is noted for his cannon-ball service and tremendous forehand drives, was also not extending himself in the heat. However, he quickly ran up a 3—o lead. His play was “spotty” in the fourth game in which he served and lost. Hopman steadied remarkably in the next game, which he won by carefully timing his returns. He dropped the next two games by netting and outing or being passed at the net. The American gained the final game by a smashing forecourt attack. The match took an hour. The stroke analysis was:—

Crawford Defeated. Rain and wind stopped play for the day on Friday when Ellesworth Vines (United States) was leading Jack Crawford (Australia.) 6—2, 6 —4, 2—6. The fourth set stood at three all when play was stopped. The match was resumed to-day, Vines taking the fourth set 6—-4. In the first set Crawford served and lost the first game. The wind, if anything, had smartened and gave the balls a very uncertain direction. The Australian stood o—2 on his service in the fifth game, but reached duece and won it. They were playing slowly, matching their strokes in a deep-court duel. Vines’s vigorous service in the sixth game caught Crawford unprepared so that he was hardly able to put his racquet on it. The American thus took a commanding lead, 4—2, which he increased to 5—2 when Crawford had trouble with his service in the wind in a long-drawn-out seventh game, and then ran out winner of the set on the Australian’s repeated shots into the net in the eighth game.

The Australian opened the second set with his service, but although the game was thrice deuced he was unable to win it, losing the final point on a double fault. Crawford, although winning the spectators’ applause from time to time with brilliantly angled passing shots, was far from his top form. He was having difficulty in reaching his stride and he lost the second game, and then won the third on his service at love with a remarkable show of well-placed forehand drives. The Australian was now fighting. He struggled bitterly for the next game, which was five times deuced, but the American, on his superior accuracy, won it, to take a 3—l lead. Crawford again reached heights to win the fifth game. In a hard-fought repeatedly deuced contest to pull his service out, after standing o—2, he evened the score at 3 —3 by breaking through Vines’s service and then went into the lead 4—3, winning the seventh game at love and compelling the American to run dizzily from side to side of the court with brilliant returns. But Vines was not to be denied. He took the following three games, principally on earned points. He made seemingly impossible “gets” in returning Crawford’s smashes to his feet and placing his shots out of the Australian’s reach Crawford opened the third set with a love service game and broke through the American’s service in the second. He increased the lead to 3 —o before lapsing into errors. Vines pulled his service out in the fourth game, but lost, the fifth by repeatedly finding the net with badly timed returns. The Australian now led 4—l. Crawford at 5 —2 was clearly in control. His backhand was beautifully timed, compelling the American to run wildly back and forth. Die Australian allowed the American only a single point on the latter’s service in the last game. Australian’s Misfortune. The Australian lost his service at the opening of the fourth set and Vines increased his lead to 2—o with a sizzling service and striking passing shots. Crawford was having hard luck. He lost the third game (love) on a net-cord shot and the slip of his racquet on the ball. The American was formidable overhead. Vines lapsed into errors in the fourth game when he was out of position to take the Australian’s wellplaced returns from the service and was unable to handle Crawford’s service in the fifth. The score was evened at 3—3 when the American lost his service. A rapid thunder shower developed and the match was stopped. The thunder shower developed into a steady storm and the match was postponed until 2.45 to-day. Vines and Crawford resumed their match to-day where they left off yesterday. Crawford went promptly into the lead at 4—3, but quickly lapsed into errors and dropped the next two games in a series of nets and outs, giving the American a lead of one game which the latter capitalized on his own service In the tenth for victory. He was match point twice before clinching matters on a placement from his backhand. The stroke analysis was as follows:—

The Doubles. Van Ryn and Allison (United States) defeated Crawford and Hopman 6—o, 6—4, 5—7, 7—5. Hopman began the service and Allison followed. The Americans led 2—o and they increased their lead to 3—o when they broke through Crawford’s service after the Australians stood 30love. The Americans were bombarding Hopman, who found the net with returns repeatedly. Crawford was inaccurate overhead and drove out regularly. The Americans continued to advance unabated, taking the fourth game oh Allison’s placements and the fifth on Hopman’s two double faults. Allison served in the last game. He double-faulted and outed, but although the Australians led 30-love, Hopman continuously netted and outed and Crawford outed to permit the Americans to run out the set to love. The Australians pulled themselves together in the second set. After losing the first game they won the next two on Hopman’s superb volleying. Crawford was riot at his best, but his partner did duty for two. The Americans evened the score to 2—2, however, on Allison’s bullet-like service which forced the Australians into defensive returns that missed the court. America took the fourth game to love. The Australians again went into the lead when both stood in the fore-court and beat the Americans down in a skilful, fast half-volleying duel, but the Americans recaptured the lead at 5 —3 when they broke through Hopman’s service in the seventh game and won the eighth on Allison’s fast service. Crawford eaved the set when they stood at love-40 in the ninth game on his own service, winning the game with a series of fine placements. The Australians stood at 40 —30 in the tenth game on van Ryn’s service, but the Americans effectively smashed Hopman’s soft lobs to reach deuce and game and capture the set. Australians Win Third Set. Hopman won his service in the first game of the third set, and Allison lost his second due to his team mate’s and his own outing of returns from overhead, but by breaking through Crawford’s service in the third game and by the destructive smashing of the Australians’ lobs in the fourth, the Americans evened the score at 2—2. The Australians again went into the lead at 3—2 on Crawford’s stop volleys at the net. The visitors were five times within a point of winning the next game, but unsteadiness lost them the advantage each time and the Americans evened the score at 3—3. Crawford’s untouchable placements on returns from his own service won for the Australians the seventh game to love, but Crawford was not consistent. He frequently drove out in the eighth game and the score was again even at 4— 4. The Australians consolidated their position by winning the ninth game on Hopman’s excellent service. They were set point in the next at 40-love, yet they permitted the Americans to pull out of danger by deucing, the score being 5 —5. However, the Australians could not be denied. The Americans were inaccurate, while the Australians were at the top of their form in the last two games, which they took easily. The Australians opened the fourth set auspiciously, taking the first game to love with Hopman serving. Hopman rescued ihe third game with placements at the net. after Crawford was on the point of losing his service. The Americans, however, went into a 3—2 lead when the Australians’ play became “spotty,” Crawford’s shots being badly timed and going out. Hopman was doing the major share of the work at this juncture, but altl ugh he was scoring with short volleys at the net he was unable alone to withstand the Americans’ attack. The Americans increased their lead to 4—3. The Americans had advantage at a crucial point of the match in the eighth game when van Ryn was serving. The score was 30-all when the server netted two returns and the Australians evened the tally at 4—4. The Americans again might have gained a vital lead in the ninth game when they were 40—15 on Hopman’s service, but the Australians, rising magnificently to the occasion, pulled the game out with steady forehand and back-hand drives. They now led 5 — 4. The Americans were 40-love in the tenth game. The Australians pulled up to deuce, but the Americans won and evened the score. The last two games of the match were bitterly fought. The Americans were twice match point in the twelfth game, but the Australians were not beaten until the very last moment. Their repertoire of shots was formidable. Unfortunately they were unsteady in the ultimate volleying duel which decided the contest in favour of the Americans. The stroke analysis was as follows: —

BOTH TEAMS FIT COMMENTS BEFORE PLAY. Philadelphia, May 27. Before the Davis Cup matches commenced, the Australian Press Association asked Mr Sam Hardy, of the American Davis Cup Committee, and Mr Clemengdr, manager of the Australian team, for an expression on the condition of their respective teams. Mr Hardy interestingly enough was full of praise for the Australians, and said that on the basis of both teams’ showing during practice there was nothing to choose between them. ‘While it is not likely,” he said, “I should not be surprised if either team won five straight matches, they are so much on the top of their form.” Mr. Clemenger reiterated that the Australians were fit. “We have one of the world’s greatest players, and I expect the matches to be hard fought,” he said.

Shields Hopman Service aces 2 0 Placements 21 5 Nets 22 24 Outs 20 40 Double faults 1 4

Vines. Crawford. Service aces 5 6 Placements 30 21 Nets — 33 Outs 35 38 Double faults 7 11 ;

Australia America Service aces 1 2 Placements 30 35 Nets 55 59 Outs 66 40 Double faults 6 3