THE FINALS AT WIMBLEDON

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1946, Page 3

THE FINALS AT WIMBLEDON

MATCHES FULL OF THRILLS Received Sunday, 7.30 p.m. LONDON, July 7. With workmanlike coinbination, the Amer'icanSj Tom Brown and Kramer, played too srnooth a game in the finai of the doubles at Wimbledon, for the Australian, Pails and UeofT. Brown, who .looked more like two good sihgles players participati'ng ' in \vagutdy related matches soinehow playing on the Bame | court. One of the unluckiest men in j th^ tournument was Kramer who show- ' ed; class wdth a cousiatentiy brilliant ! all-round display of iieree serving, a ! fluent .re.turn serviee, incisive volleying [and smashing, and sound eourtcraft. ! Tom Brown took a little timo to warm i up, his foreliand once mo're being an j orratie weapon but once he started tim- [ ing the ball he fitted as partne.r for I Kramer, held service comfortably, rei turned service skilfully and volleyed and smashed with the instinctive piacement of a lirst class doubles player. The final *day found Pails just as much out of touch as earlier in the w;eek. In the early stages he seeined [ out to rehabilitate himself and for four ! games smashed and volleyed better than on any occasion durihg the tourna- . uient. The Americans, however, broke ' through Pails' ^ervice in tlie fifth game, a inatch winning point tliey were to repe'at live times altogether in Pails' 1 aeven services. The.ii6-year-old Californian, Paulino Betz, .became first postwar Wimbledon ehampion wlion she defeated a fellow ' Galii'ornian, *tho . 23-year-old Louise I Brough, in a hard eontested but- unspectacular final. Both were hard serving, hard volleying women. Knowing each other 's proWes's at the net, tliey fought warily i'rom' the baseliue in.lo^g driving duels in which Miss Betz was siightjy steadier than her opponent. i Alifas Brough in the second sot took tlie . uet. oftener although she was passed several times by ' flashing backhand shots.' Bhe volleyed many nice winn'ers ( and pillled" up i'oiir all but Miss Betz applied a little extra pressure and ran but an easy winner. » Mea's Singles to Five Sets. In a, match full of tlirills, Yv«« Petra of. Frunce, defeated Geoff. Brown, of Australisi, in the final of the men 's singles championshijp at Wimbledon. I The rn^tch went the full five sets, lasting .56'.. games. Brown fought back • splendidly after losing the first two i sets, aiid the result was in doubt to tho last. . Bro.wn 's cannonball service . at first was not working as-well as in recent ' matches) and Petra broke through to gain set-winning advantages in the : lirst two sets. In theso sets: Petra liuried down a terrific first service and took tlie net at every opportunity. He . used a dropsliot with rare accuracy, and altogether was in brilliant form. yhowing a magnificent iighting spirit, ' Brown railied in the third set and served with terrific speed. Petra did 1 likewise and the games went wil-h the i service : to seveu all. It was at this ; stage of a ding-dong struggle, in :which j both piayers reached great heights, •jfthkt r,Browif- fmallyi ' broko Petra^B' aorvice in the 16th game for the set. ' Again, in the iourth set, the service of both piayers was the dominating ■ fuetor, but there were also some [ breath-taking rallies. Petra led 5—3, I but the Australian, with grand serving ! and driving, won four games in a row i to take the set. Petra had two matcli ! points at 5 — 1, but Brown, with blazing i i'orehand drivcs, won the vital points. ! Brown got away to a bad start in the ! lifth set, when Petra broke through his I service to lead 2 — 0. The French giant, ' still playing remarkable tennis and i (iracking down tremendous services, j held the advantage to lead -1 — 2. Petra I won many points ,by taking the net. ! Brown won one of Petra ;s servibeS, but, ! leading 5—1, Petra served in the tenth i game and, with a flashing ace, raced to a 40— -0 lead. Brown then outed a : doubie-liander to give the Frenchman : the set and inateh. | The spectators wildiy eheered both piayers for a magnilicent game. Petra, .who was mobbed and kissed on botli chcelvs by entliusiastic Prencli aupporters, said: "The final was one of the hardest matches I have ever playeid. 1 am full of admiration for the gallant fight Brown put up. He is a very hard man to beat."

Brown, in a tributo to Petra, declared: "Petra played a magnilicent guine. He kept a cool head when I j picked up during the third and fourtk sets. He was just too good for me to- ; day. That service of his is terrific." ; Iiesults were: — Men 's Singles. Final: Petra beat Brown, G — 2, 6 — 4, ! 7—9, 5—7, 6—4. Women 's Singles. Final: Miss Betz beat Miss Brough 6—2, 6 — 4. i Men 's Doubles. Final: Kramer and Tom Brown beat Pails and GeofE. Brown 6 — 4, 6 — 4, 6 — 2. Women 's Doubles. Final: Misses Brough and Osborne beat Misses Betz and Hart 6 — 3, 2 — 6, 6—3. Mixed Doubles. Final: Tom Brown and Miss Brough beat GeofE. Brown and Miss Bundy 6—4, 6—4.