TENNIS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2672, 30 November 1909, Page 6

TENNIS.

DAVIS CUP CONTESTS.

DECISIVE VICTORY FOR AUSTRALASIA.

United Pbess ’Association —Copyright. SYDNEY, Nov. ,28. - Brookes beat McLoughlin, the scores being 6 —2, 6—2, 6—4. He held him easily through. Wilding beat -Long, the scores being: 6—2, -7. —6—1. Long, went'td pieeea-iruthe last set. -• 41 1 SYDNEY, Nov. 29." ' The finish of the Davis'Cup contests resulted in: an easy victory , for Australasia. ...The weather: was. fine -and .p 001,.. There were/0000 spectators present],

BROOKS DEFEATS McLOUGHLIN

Brookes ' and McLoughlin opened. The American winning the toss, servedwith the wind, which was at times fluffy. - After the rain the ground dried well, although it was *'A trifle heavy;. The American carried the score to 15, when--a-double, fault’let'Brooks Ihv With: an advantage to 1 the - fine rally ended with the game to McLoughiin. The American could make nothing of Brookes’ service, wliile the. Victorian was-brilliant in-his returns.. He won the service and the performance till the score stood at 3—l. McLoughlin was outclassed, at almost ©very point. The 'American then got .his second game tin, but Brookes afterwards had it all his own way, finishing with two love-games, and winning tne set by 6 to 2. . The -next set was almost similar to the first. The Victorian had the visitor completely tied up with his, embarrassing service and fine : generalship The result was again 6—2. McLoughlin made a harder fight sit the- commencement of the third set, getting the first two games to his credit. The Victorian placing liis shots wiithi rare. . judgment, annexed four successive games, but McLoughlin put on his third game, and Brookes won his service, making the score.s to 3. McLoughlin’s next .service ended in his favor, but the Victorian somewhat easily disposed of him in the next one, which ended 6—4. The visitor played a- plucky match with flashes of brilliance, but tne experience and judgment of the older proyer werehtoo. much, for his yoqthful op-. ponent. - - W'SM 8 S .

WILDING CONQUERS ;LONG.

Tli-e. second match. /'Wilding versus Loiigy i promised': a tougher contest.Wilding won the toss. -He served with the wind, and the first four games wore evenly balanced, each player winning off his service. The New Zealander, after winning off his third servico wont clean away, and appropriated the remaining games. His play was. characterised by excellent drives. The score was 6—2. . ' ' ■ •:/ The second set was a hard one, and its hardness told on the American. He appeared to press Wilding, but the New Zealander always had a bit in. hand. Wilding won lxis first service, hut Long did the same, and beat the New Zealander off liis second serve. He was placing very cleverly and kept Wilding moving. The score stood 2—l, in favor of Long. Then Wilding levelled matters in the next game off the American’s service, and followed up by winning his own. Both players made the pace warm for each other, and the score was called five all, but Long was palpably weary. The New 'Zealander secured the lead with a warm service and hard driving, tempting his opponent to the net and then tossing the .ball to the back line. With the score 6 —5 Wilding won brilliantly off a long serve, the score being 7—5. , The third set saw the American rail badly. Wilding got the first three, games to love, and the American won off his own service, and then the New. Zealander got the. next three in . quick succession/'the score being 6 —1.-. AUSTRAL ASIA RETAINS THE CUP. (Received November 29, 7.55 p.m.) • SYDNEY, Nov. 29: • Australasia- beat America in. -the doubles, 12 —10, 6—3, and retains the Davis Cup, after a great battle. THE PLAY—A MAGNIFICENT GAME. (Received November 29, 8.45 p.m.) The finest doubles game ever witnessed in Sydney was produced, by the second contest for the Davis Cup- llie first two sets were tenaciously contested by the Americans, while the third set was sturdily fought, although the Australians had the best of it. ahe weather,was. fine, the sun warm, and the court in splendid condition. About 4QOO spectators were .present. Ihe home team won the toss, but early in the game ;it. was -seen .that the. Americans were in better form than in the game on Saturday. Brookes and Wllcl- • iiVjr did not appear to be as fit as m the previous display. - The New Zealander’s; smashing was weak, and. his driving bad. Notwithstanding that the Americans excelled in smashes, especially McLoughlin. the home players won points by their experience, rather than that they excelled the Americans in brilliance. Tlieir. double play was a revelation. It took .22: games to decide the first set, tlie teams winning alternately, tUI the score was 10 all, then Australasia captured the next two, amid: great excitement. The 21st game was a love one to the lionie players, off Brooke’s service.. In the'last. game, ■the Americans- led,. ' lasia drew/level- them McLoiighhn - ved a double fault., Ihe set lasted .12 minutes.- The second, set was ]Ust /as vigorouslycongested, and pack woir ifs : service fill. the'score ~>vas seven'; all: . Then: Wilding won, iliis.:.serve*, whiles McLoughlin b?S; the set ending 9-7, lasting .38 minutes. In the third set'Australasia scored _»> Move.' • Some beautif\il ,rallies occurred, ending in the Americans 4 , favor. : :fW the score Long carried his.serve, and added another rgame to; the total. Wilding winning the service m the next game made it .5-2. . McLougldm won again, and the Americans fought lmrd. In the ninth, game .there was some brilliant play on . McLoughlin s part, liOhg .seconding -him'ably, but the home players carried the./point, makmg the Davis Cup theirs tor a further term.

THE AMERICAN TEAM.

M'Loughlin !§* the more spectacular of the two -Americans -with his lightning services .and, phenomenal smashes is-sure .to be a favorite with the crowd, says a Sydney exchange; ota recent'date. G. P. Uixoti,; of, the British Isles team, says of “He is a-wonder and. the idol of the American crowd.. His most dreaded point of ; all is his service. - Not only does he 'employ every known species -of American service, but more important-still, as a rule he gets it in. -Occasionally he is - guilty of-® double fault, :but lucky the player whp contrives to win each one of MLoughlirt’si service garnet. His service isveonsideTed in America by those who have played' against it to be' more difficult or that of" Norman Brookes/’ This is high praise,* but few-' of those, who ■ liaye watched M'Loughlin .in Sydney, Will dispute it. - -As to the- seldom making , a double fault, that.is hardly the.,case here, hut it must be remembered .tliat ,the. .'Americans- aro-no t-y et,.n ear 1 y .at the. top of their form, or, ,as tliey express it, they ©re. not yet-“on edge.;' M‘Loughlin’»i v s©rvice, -is. pe.rjaiqly;. mqst varied. He gets many-into the comers with such pace that never gets near them Then there is the original American service.with off-break, and 'another .which conies from- - leg,” to use; a cricket..term. : ,AIV '.these- aje made with'' so ilittle variatioh of action that it is very hard .to .anticipate which is coming. In addition he has the .reverse twist in making which he crouches very i low, and . the ball, diving: > suddenly, breaks away to the forehand. His smashes are absolutely crushing, and made with a full;swing of the arm. His ground shots are made. With a. lot of spin, sometimes over-spin, both on the fore-hand and back-hand, and he halfvolleys frequently. Long is a player of steadier type. He Swerves with little br.eak —at all events, he has not used that -variety much so far- —but he gets over-spin on, and sends his second as fast; as the' first, and ■seldom makes a double fault. s ground! strokes'; .ar© 1 made-, with less spin tha* those - of M‘ Loughlin, a back-hander doivn the. lip© being apparently ,a favorite shot, as he brings it off with great precision. He is good overhead, but there appears to bo some hope of ■recovering his smashes; with M‘Loughlin there is none. / ' ’;. *