WIMBLEDON SCENES

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1935, Page 13

WIMBLEDON SCENES

PERRY DRIVES FIRST BALL. FOREIGN PLAYERS WELCOMED. (By Air Mail—Special to News.) London, June 27. It is one of the traditions of Wimbledon that the reigning champion should open the tournament in the centre court, and Fred Perry had the honour of striking the first ball in his match with M. Rainville, who had come from Canada mainly with a view to obtaining firstclass experience. Rainville was no match for the champion. Perry, in fact, used the occasion simply to renew his acquaintance with the court and to obtain a little practice. He conceded one game in each of the first two sets and three in the third, and one imagines that the ycung Canadian would be glad to depart into the seclusion of the dressingroom. But the championship soon provided its thrill. Following Perry’s match came Wilmer Allison, America’s chief singles player, and Vivian McGrath, the two-handed Australian. It was believed that Allison would win and go on to play an important part in the championship. McGrath, on the other hand, was remarkably confident, and he fully justified his belief in himself. The match fluctuated in bewildering style. When the Australian secured the first two sets he appeared to be sailing easily to victory. Then, however, his shots began to go -wrong, and the American made an astonishing recovery. He not only saved the third set, but he took the first five games in the fourth. It looked, in fact, as though McGrath had completely lost his touch. In the sixth game, however, he made a brilliant half volle/J and this seemed to inspire him. Gradually playing his way back to his best form, he took command and outplayed Allison to such an extent that the latter did not win another game. THE BOUNDING BASQUE. There was keen disappointment among the Wimbledon fans when Borotra, the “Bounding Basque” of France’s “Three Musketeers,” was defeated after a wonderful match against Menzel. Youth will be served, and it was youth that carried Menzel through against his redoubtable and popular opponent. It may be, too, that Borotra had been upset in some degree by the challenge to a duel he had that day received from a French journalist. The Wimbledon crowd, when it reard the news, was inclined to regard he whole business as a joke, forgetting hat there is a different code of honour in France. But if Borotra suffers any harm in this duel, his foe had better not ihow himself at Wimbledon afterwards! ior Wimbledon is extraordinarily loyal z? its old friends. No man who has gone •ight through the singles and won the ihampionship ever received such amazng applause or a warmer demonstration >f affection than was accorded Borotra ifter his defeat by Menzel. It was pleasant to notice, also, the varm welcome accorded Senorita de Uvarez ’’ on her ' return to the courts liter an absence of several seasons. Senorita de Alvarez is like Borotra in me respect. She can “play to the gallery” without ever being boring. How the crowd roared when she slipped and fell, jumped up and chased the ball, only to find when she reached it that she had left her racquet lying on the ground!