DAVIS CUP CHALLENGE

Taranaki Daily News, 27 July 1931, Page 7

DAVIS CUP CHALLENGE

FRANCE LEADS BRITAIN TWO MATCHES TO ONE THRILL FOR THE BRITISH PERRY WINS ,HIS SINGLES By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. Rec. 7.15 p.m. Paris, July 25. Thrilling lawn tennis was seen both yesterday and to-day in the challenge round for the Davis Cup between Britain and France. The holder of 'the trophy, France, now leads by two matches to one, Cochet and Brugnon having won the doubles frofii Hughes and Kingsley, and Cochet having beaten Austin in the opening singles match. In the other singles Perry (Britain) created a surprise by defeating. Borotra. Not a single French writer previously had given the Britisher a change of winning.

There are still two singles matches to play, Perry against Cochet, and Austin against Borotra. Britain must win both to lift the cup. Austin fought valiantly against Cochet and gave of his best. He captured the first set after the Frenchman had led at 3 —l, winning five successive games. The marathon second was Austin’s undoing. He held the ascendency to s—l by superb play, but then lapsed. Cochet led for the first time on the 18th game, and thereafter it was plain that Austin had not the stamina to last out, but the Englishmen placed higher hopes on Austin’s than on Perry’s chances. Their hearts went to their boots when Borotra took the .first set, but Perry set his teeth and fought every point, maintaining such a pace that it was an exhausted Borotra who lost the third to loVe. The last set was a thriller, Borotra vainly, trying to overcome ferry’s long driving game. The Englishman fought like a tiger and thoroughly deserved his, victory. The doubles to-day Were almost as exciting as the singles, being played mostly at top speed. The Frenchmen dominated the first set, Kingsley being nervous. Brugnon’s placing of the return service between the Englishmen Was marvellous.. Cochet was calm and regular, effacing himself for his partner’s benefit when the latter was playing well. HugheS was best in the second set. He served vigorously and directed his returns cleverly. He played closer to the net than the others and smashed Wonderfully. Cochet let himself go in the third set, when he realised the necessity of a speedy win. The fourth set was remarkable, the Englishmen winning most of their points by smashes, but Brugnon’s persistence in playing down the centre scored repeatedly. The doubles were played on a tfeacherouS surface following a heavy storm half an hour before the start. The Englishmen were not so weak as the score suggests and at least a dozen times led 40/15, but the doggedness of the Frenchmen pulled them up to deuce. Britain must win both of to-day’s singles in order to win the cup. Tho details are:— H. Cochet (France) beat H. W. Austin (Britain), 3—6, 11 —9, 6 —2, 6—4. F. J. Perry (Britain) beat J. Borotra (France), 4-X 10—8, 6—o, 4—6, 6—4. H. Cochet and J. Brugnon (France) beat G. P. Hughes and C. H. Kingsley (Britain), 6—l, 5—7, 6—3, B—6.8 —6. THE DAVIS CUP RECORD. The Davis Cup has been won as follows: 1900—United States. *l9Ol, —United States. 1902. —United States. 1903. —British Isles. 1904. —British Isles. 1905. —British Islas. 1906. British Isles. 1907. —Australasia. 1908. —Australasia. 1909. Australasia. *l9lO. —Australasia. .. 1911. —Australasia, 1912. —British Isles. 1913. United-States. 1914. —Australasia. 1915-18—No competition owing to war, 1519.—Australasia. 1920. —United States. 1921. United States, 1922. —United States. 1923. —United States. 1924. United States. I(s2s.—United States. 1926. United States. 1927. —France. 1928. —France. 1929. —France. 1930. —France. % *Holders unchallenged.

This is the first year since 1919 that Britain has reached the DriviS Cup challenge round, being defeated that year at Sydney by Australasia. In 1920 United States took the cup from Australasia in a challenge round played at Auckland, and retained it until 1927, when France Won the cup (at Philadelphia) for the fifst titne. The ensuing three challenge founds have been between United States and France, the latter beating off the American challeUgeis on each occasion.