DAVIS CUP HELD.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1853, 22 January 1920, Page 8

DAVIS CUP HELD.

AUSTRALASIA WINS. SOME SPLENDID TENNIS. By Cable. — Press Association. — Cnnjiriglit. SYDNEY, .Tan. 21. Misty rain and a southerly wind I did not daunt the crowd of 7001) persons who assembled to witness the final stage of the Davis Cup contest. The court was covered by tarpaulins land was not affected by the rain, but ! an hour elapsed before play comImenced. After that, though the 'weather was dull and threatening, I the rain held off. I Contrary to anticipations, the uniipire called the game one all when j Patterson commenced serving to | Kingscote, whereas it had been expected that yesterday's game would I not be counted. Patterson was in superb form. .His forceful attack and line service 'completely outwitted the English-! jman, whose delivery appeared ! weaker than in former games. Patterson continually cut and drove the! |ball to Kingscote's backhand, speed-! lily reached the net, and bv means of short drop shots repeatedly beat the I visitor, Patterson taking the first set! 1-0-1. | | Kingscote won the opening game !of the second set. Patterson equal-1 ised the next game and carried the score to 3-1 in his favour. Kingscote again foot-faulted twice, | before winning his second game byi means of fine back-hand passing shots. Each player won on his j own service in the next four games,' the seventh of which was keenly) contested, each holding the advantage several times. With the score! . r >-4 in Patterson's favour, Kingscote brilliantly attempted to equalise, but after a deuce Patterson's service carried him through, winning the second set—6-4. " Both appeared anxious to attack, playing up to the net when the opportunity offered. Patterson won j off Kingscote's service, but lost his! fust service in the match in the next game, through two double faults. Kingscote took the third game, getting ahead, 2-1, for the first time in this match. Patterson recovered and, playing well, won three successive games; but the indomitable Englishman never relaxed, and equalised—4 all. Kingscote got ahead in the next Same and Patterson, winning the following game to love, created great excitement by again equalising—s all. A long deuce game followed, each playing perfect tennis. It resulted in the Australian's favour. The final game went to six deuces before Patterson, with a terrific smash, settled the game, the set. and the destination of the Davis Cup, the scores being 8-fi. Patterson demonstrated his ability in this match as a olayer of wonderful eouanimity in the tightest corner, exhibiting a perfect temperament for big games. Interest had relaxed when Lowe and Anderson commenced what proved to be one of the greatest and most evenlv-contested matches ever witnessed here. Each played a similar base-line same of long drives. The absence of volleys made the rallies longer, but lacking in the brilliancy and speed of the other Cup matches. Anderson, after ding-dong games, took the first set—o-4. Lowe won the second set—7-5, Anderson the third—fi-3, and Lowe the fourth—-0-4. The final set was only decided after 22 sanies. Eaeh hung on tenaciously, first one gaining the advantage and then the other, until, with a failing light. Anderson took the set and the match for Australia—l 2-10. The final scores for the contest were:— Australasia. Matches. Sr>ts. Games. 4 12 102 British Tsles. Matches. Sets. Games. 1 e 77 GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP. (Rec. Jan. 22, 8.35) SYDNEY. Jan. 22. Twice during the Davis Cup contests the Englishmen captured the crowd and won ovations by their sportsmanlike action. In the first round there was some cloubt about a shot which the line umpire called against Patterson. Lowe thought otherwise and deliberately hit the next ball -out. Then, in the deciding round. Patterson fell, and Kingscote refused to take the advantage, and threw a point in his favour away by putting the ball into the nets. COMMENT ON THE GAMES. (Rpc. Jan. 22. 11.KU SYDNEY. Jan. 22. The "Daily Telegraph," comment-1 ing on the Davis Cup, says that ifj Patterson had too many strokes forj his adversaries, they both tested him j severely by their orthodox methods, which they used -with accuracy, activity and endurance. The main reason for Kingscote's failure was Patterson's terrific service, which drove him off the court most of the time, and when the Englishman essayed to break down i the service with skilful cross-court drives, he encountered backhand drives that were paralysing in their power and lift. The "Herald" says:—"Under conditions of unusual beat, the visitors suffered the greatest handicap, and the Cup was well lost by the Britishers, who can be congratulated; for their fine display from beginning to end." The "Herald" concluded by eulogising Patterson's play. His shots were all too much for the British representatives.