TENNIS IN AUSTRALIA

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19523, 24 June 1933, Page 16

TENNIS IN AUSTRALIA

COMMENT BY VINES Praise for Sproule Writing to the editor of “American Lawn Tennis” during their stay in Australia, Ellsworth Vines expressed some interesting views concerning the play and players of Australia. Discussing the Victorian championships, in which he was engaged at the time of writing, Vines said: "I am in the singles only by the grace of heaven. Sproule had me down two sets to love and 5-1 on his serve in the semi-finals played yesterday. He had also two match points on my service. Without a doubt he played fifteen better than ever before. He hit all my best shots for clean winners, and every time I came to the net he passed me cleanly. It was the luckiest pull-out I’ve ever made, and I hope I'll never have to play another match like that. In the other semifinal Crawford defeated Hopman in five sets. At one stage I thought Harry would win, but Jack stepped on the gas, and won the last two sets. In the quarter finals Keith Gledhill played a marvellous game against Crawford, only losing 11-9 in the fifth set. He held one match point, but couldn’t put it over. The Australians are simply mad on sport, and everywhere we go we are given royal welcomes. The people who come to watch the tennis are very sporting, and absolutely impartial. It makes one feel as though he were playing before his home-town gallery. For M’Grath we have the highest regard. His back-hand is really a wonderful shot. Another player that has impressed me immensely is Adrian Quist. He's a) fighter, with perfect strokes, backed up by brains and speed.”