THE DAVIS CUP.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVI, Issue 14909, 29 November 1912, Page 7

THE DAVIS CUP.

AUSTRALIANS BADLY BEATER ON FIRST DAY'S PLAY, Received 11.10 p.m., Nov. 28tli. MELBOURNE, Nov. 28. Perfect weather prevailed to-day, and the tennis courts were in excellent order. The attendance was forty thousand. Dixon yielded to the persuasiau of his colleagues and tleeidecl to play instead of Beamish. The Englishmen had a fine reception. Parke and Brookes took the firstmatch, which ended in a disappointment- to Australians. Brookes served and took the service to fifteen, and won off Parko's service. Brookes won the first three games to love.. Parke took the next, and Brookes the following game. Brilliant driving by Parke, who was loudly cheered, enabled him to get 4-3. He won on Brookes's service to love, making four —all. Parke' took the set, 8-6, amidst great cheering. In tho thirteenth game Brookes lost his service, finishing with a double fault. In the second set Brookes was very poor o:t the volley, breaking down repeatedly. J-Ie failed to find a length, his efforts to do so sending the ball over tho back line. By v.-inning this set, Parke got two sets in against his opponent, a feat not done for years with Brookes. In the - third set, Brookes was extremely tired. When Parke was 5-1, Brookes rallied and won a sequence of six games by grim determination. The seventh and eighth games were lost by Parke rather than won by Brookes. In the fourth set Parke i\on the first gamo off his service, ' Brookes netting two returns off easy servos. Brookes won the next game off Iris own service, after vantage serve was called eight'times. With the score two —all, Parko went out with a sequence of four games. Brookes was very tired, being scarcely able to step aside to intercept the ball at the net. Throughout tho match, Parko executed some perfect drives either deep down the side line or across from corner to corner. Such perfect driving lias never previously been witnessed here. After four-all in the •first set, Brookes never looked like winning. Pie mistimed balls and got too many on the wood of his racquet." Parke received an ovation at the conclusion of ilio match. Dixon started serving- finely, and won the game on it. He served to Heath's forehand, three being not returned. Although, ho served two doubles, Heath won the last four strokes, Dixon breaking down oil the service. In tho second set Dixon won the first tiro games, and lost on th e serve in the third, finishing with a double fault. Heath did the same in the next (seventh) game, one of the best of the day, Heath taking it and the next by fine serving. Dixon won the next—l-1, Dixon won on his service by splendid, driving and volleying, and taking Heath's serve to love won the set 6-4. . In the third set Dixon won his first two games, Heath taking the third. Dixon won the next on account of poor volleying by Heath—3-1. Heath made it 3-2 off Dixon's serve, finishing the gnm-e by a fine pass. Heath. won the next on his service to love, making four-r-lL - During the ninth gams there were some splendid rallies, Dixon winning that and the nextgame, also the set. In the fourth set Dixon took the firs t two games, killing beautifully, weak returns by Heath, -who won the third. H-oath won flu his service to love, making two-all. ' Dixon won the next three by pounding to Heath's back hand. Heath won his service to love. He was making a fine uphill fight. "Dixon carried the games to 5-3, and with vantage to server, twice failed with double faults, allowing Heath to get out of the difficulty and win. 5-1, Dixon leading. Dixon won the next game off Heath's service, and with it the match. A striking feature of the day's play was the complete breakdown of the Australians' services. Heath's serving contained a great many double faults in his first service. There was no sting or length in his second, which Dixon punished severely. Both seemed .afraid to hit. It was a question rather of a good man playing a better. The difference between the two is vspresented 'by t!>e scores. The result of the first day's play is : Parke beat Brookes, 8-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, and Dixon beat Heath 7-5. 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. The Britishers captured two rubbers, six sets, and 48 games, to the Australians' two sets and 37 games.