THE DAVIS CUP.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1328, 4 January 1912, Page 6

THE DAVIS CUP.

AUSTRALASIA SWEEPS THE BOARDS, BROOKES BEATS:: M'iO'UGHLIN. MELBOURNE MENTIONED FOR NEXT CONTEST. ..SUMMARY OF RESULTS. Moriday.-ln the Singles, Brookes (Australasia) beat Beats Wright (America), 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. . Heath (Australasia) beat Lamed (America), 2-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-2. Jutitfay.—lh the Doubles, Brookes and Dunlop (Australasia) beat Beals Wright .and M'Loughlin (America), 6—4, 5—7, 7—5, 6—4. Wodn'e'sday.-Brookes (Australasia) beat M'Loughlin (America), 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, .',. &-3, 6-4. :'„ . '

(By Tclesra'ph — Srfecial Correspondent.)

,'L' Christchurch, January.3. Interest in'"tho Davis' Cup. contest, had, sf course, dwindled owing to the" straightout win-of the Australians in'the first three matches, but there was, nevertheless, ' a Jfairly large attendance. the ttfo-remaining singles 'between Heath «nd Beals "Wright, and Brookes and M'Loughlin. ■;, .'." ' Only ono of these matches, however, ,\win played,- namely,',the; latter;,-In the other Beals Wright defaulted to Heath.There was'considerable delay in starting tho" contest, and': the onlookers got somewhat : impatient, and- began ■to applaud and. cry "Time_[" "Wljercjiave the players, got to?" arid, "We want out money-back!" Someono-in the-opposite stand .shouted, "We. want, tennis!" • The first niatch'.-'wns advertised to staTt ati'"fl"; '-and/ after half an'-hour's.-delay, Duiilop called down Brookes, who was nitting with Mrs! Brookes in 'the stand, Tlio unexplained delay .-continued: AtUeu minutes past.two,.tho.referee (Mr.' F. M. 8., Fisher) made his appearance, .and there were cries for .a speech. Mr. Fisher then advanced into the arena, and announced that, owing to "an unavoidable hitch," Mr. Beals "Wright-would not bo nble to play Mr. Brookes. He would play M'Loughlin, and afterwards an ex-hibition-match would-be played, between Messrs. Larnedl and M'Loughlin" and Messrs. Brookes and Heath.

THE MATCH. BROOKES AND M'Lo'UGHLIN. '''. -. 'STUBBpIiN STRUGGLE. ' When...;Bropkes and M'Loughlin eventually, made their . (nearly, ;an hour lat6). : there;.were ironical cheers, .'.i--:3f'Longhliri;,sfartc'd.witli the service, and-beatvßrookes's.returns-.twice' with"['corner idiots,. a'M-beat him again with-two magniticcnf serves. He'.won a love game, and was chceted. r \. .'

■In-the second game, ho 'put one into tho net;-'arid another out. Then Brookes had some' running across the court, and Itfat his opponent badly with a pass. The ' next > the American put out, and Brookes won a love game—One all. Two fine serves. by/M'Loughliir made tho:««t garou 30 all, and then M'Lougkliu took the lead,- with, a short drop over thenet." A.brilliant eross-volley of, a low. hall'gave the game to M'Loughlin.—2— 1. Ho passed BrookesT'lri.'" the iiext "game twice- wjth. two fine .returns oil' tho- service/ . but-,then- put- -one-out. Brookes's fiorve: piiz/.led-him again, - ' and a. good pine? .by Brookes-made tho score itf—3o in his:favour. Tho next serve M'Lough T . lin put into tho nef;-:Two all.

A fino high smash by•■M'Longhlin in the .following gamo was applauded. Tho game-jwent to ..the American.—3—i!. Brookes then. won/, a lovicLgamc off his! uwn-'serviee. '■-?--.•,.. ■---

■A.beautiful corner-shofc-liy Brooke?,.n'ff ouo of M'Lqughlin's difficult serves, drew' a round oi\applause, as also did a smirch by .M'J.oughlm, but Brookes won tho gamelqff.a difficult service.—4—3. •Brookes'* swerve and break puzzled the boy,lii tho next came, and tho former Tvon.'Jt—s—3. About, this stiigo a dog canm'into the arena, and M'Loughlin hit a ball'at. him to frighten him oil'. The crowd' laughed, . and fettled down , to , watch tho ninth game. M'Loughlin- beat Brookes at tho finish of it with a hard, kicking serve.—s—l. Brookes .then ■won the next game on Ms serve, and the set.—6—l. . . Second Set M'Louhglin's. It now seemed as if Brookes must •win-.'tho., mutch., but,-as-it turned out, he was not to have • matters all his own way.. From this on a severe and prolonged struggle .ensued.—'"Love id'" was called,' againstßroolcos 'off his o;vn serve, and,/.after winning one ace, he lost tho {Tamo.—l all.. In';.,the next game M'Loughlin got to ■10 love. Love if) was the!) Vailed,,but the '.American beat his opponent twice, und .won a love- game..'Brookesvivas again beaten to. : : ; 10 .':loye nil the American's serve, but a double faulfcgaye him .15,.- a half-volley .30,, and a line side-line pass deuce. Afler deuce had been twice howcrort the American won... with a fine.,serve and led, -1—1.".■• Brookes won on his. next /-serve, /the fin'iil riviking the American run hard, but'unsuccessfully, across the court. .Ho passed him twice, beautifully in the next game,', but M'Loughlin, playing well, w0n,;0—2..'. ~.... A fine recovery in tho next gaino,. but Brookes won. on his service rather, easily, 3—3. ■ A -soft half-volley return ; .enabled M'Loughlin to put-in a killing sh&t, and the■ final one, being" put out bv Brookes, this 'gave M'Loughlin the game and .the set i>l;. F, —3. bet all, and the excitement growing. / . Third Set' M'Lougblin's. When the. next game was at deuce, Brookes fell'and. lost' the '.shot. -Then M'Loughlin passed him beautifully and wou'tho gome.. One love. : -. Brookes slipped again in the next game, and.:'w;as twice beaten .by ul'Loughlin's serve.;- Deuce was calledi fiii'cl- then M'Lnughliri failtd. with'a.' half-volley. Brookes put one out. and deuce was callc'di again, .'and then vantage, to Brooke?. A good. "place." made Brookes run, but he got there, and won. .Ono. all. . "Lqyc 30" was called in the next game off Brookes'* serve,- but he retrieved his position, and won thn'game by his serves and .good placing—'J—l. Brookes lending. A tough game was then won by- the American, with a fast middle-line servo that. Brookes could not, get, to. Two nil. Brookes won tho next ganw on his serve (?•—"), and M'Loughlin followed suit, a all. /The American had Brookes running off tho latter's owa servo, and beat him finally, e. fine cross drive. I—3, M'Loughlin leading. The. American then got 10—15 off his own serve, and Brookes nut ono out and gave his opponont tho game. 5—3. The American beat Brookes with a fine side-lino drive in the ninth game, but then a short return got M'Loughlin out of position. He sprinted across the court for it, but Brookes quietly placed it over the.net on the other side, far away from the snot where the young C'aliforflian had got to., The crowd laughed good-naturedly at his discomfiture, and at Brookes's imperturbable coolness. Brookes wot this game,' s—t.5 — t. With the serve in his favour M'Loughlin had now a chance of winnipg tho set, which ho did, amid cheers, ono low drive with "cut" on it being a particularly fine shot. It was a lovo game. M'Loughlin, two sots, Brookes ono set. . Fourth Set to Brookes. Urn'-announcement was cheered again. 'I, was now evident that tho rising Cnlifornian "star" was going to give Norman Brookes a I'lisy ' time. He -was .playing quite .brilliantly—driving, volleying, lob-

bing, and serving well, with an occasional mistake. - Brookes, on the other- hand, '■yean not in his best form,, and he was hitting into .tho net or putting out some easy shots after he had worked up to an opening. . He, however, set his jaw a little firmer, and commenced the-fourth set with a win off his own service. M'Loughlin then won on his serve. Brookes repeated, tin performance, mainly by fine placing drives, and took tho lead, 2-^l. The Australian then took a love gave oft" M'Loughlin's service,' and Brookes lost his serve,.putting a rather easy one over the ,bnck line. 3--2, Brookes leading. He again Won on M'Loughlin's serve, -I—2, and followed this up by .winning, on his own serve' after making the boy race across the.court and beating him badly in tho opposite corner. 5—2. The eighth game saw Brookes running, to retrieve well-placed shots, and the American won the gairie.. 5—3. .-.. Ka'iu began to fall spasmodically as Brookes won the next game, arid the set. 6-3: '' They Start the Last Set Level. "Two sets all" called, the umpire, and the crowd began to key itself up. After a brief spell, the deciding set was started, M'Loughlin serving. ■ .-■ He got to 10—15, but then put ouo out, and \va.s beaten by a side-line pass. -.Brookes's next return was over-the back line, and he failed to return a short one. I—love, M'Loughlin leading. •Tn tho.next. game ' M'Loughlin beat Brookes with two line side-line drives, and Brookes won a side-lino volley and the game. One all. ! .M'Loughlin then won a love game off his serve, and led at 2—l. Ho was applauded in the next game on beating Brookes with, a fine side pass. The rain had now ceased, biit the court was slippery, and Brookes fell rather heavily, and Ipst : the next shot. After 30 all had been called, deuce and deuce again six times, Brookes won. tlic game.. M'Loughlin-had been driving well, arid keeping a good length'. Two all. '.'■ . . '

i Two ; fine .rallies ensued, oiio. sniash.'of M'Loughlin's going, through A ..spectator's Umbrella in the stand. The boy.gbt the better, of. the rallies, his volley placing from near the hot being very line. 3—2,. M'Loughlin leading. . .. '.. ... ■ A fine volley by Brookes, off a hot return, drew forth cheers. Brookes then got.a good lead on his own serve, but the American, ,by .fino driving, and a gaod toss,. .evened ,up matters .to deuce, . .fiu» tossing and volleying ending. with., a typical. M.'Loughlin smash. Brookes, liojvev l er;»-]iia<Je'i it 3 -ail, amid,cheering, bygood placing. ......

, A fiiio "place," as the .boy .was running in, gave- Brookes the. very point he most wanted, at the must-critical stage of the set, for he now. led at-4—3, and.got the service. In tho eighth game a magnificent.rally was loudly cheered. M'Loughlin' returning riiost difficult. shots hard: Brookes,.however, extricated himself with still gr.eatcr. brilliance, and won.with a stinging-serve (5—3) amid further cheer- ' Lu.thqoiext same, M'Loughlin -.was the server; ;aod,'he., won finally frith-ia short one-,, aver the net-that Brookes could not ?et,;to. S— i, and. the. excitement still tense.. ."....".'-. Brookes started the service, in . tho tenth game with, grim determination writ,large on every feature. The loosejointed young Californian passed the enemy at the left-hand corner, and then. Brookes put one in the net. "Lore M" was . called against tho Australian, but he made it 15—20, and then 30 all by a welt-placed shot. Then, with a fine service, hegot M'Loughlin out of .position, andj sending a ball with brilliant accuracy into tho corner, he won the ace. M'Loughlin returned the next service into the net, and tho great struggle was over —tho colonial had, "won again, and-tho ■Americans would-have to go back across the leagues of ocean, not only without the Cup, but also without having won a single match. The crowd cheered and cheered again as the players shook .hands. It was "certainly .a, great triumph for Australasia. M'Loughlin, who,, by. .his slashing play ahd his modest domcanour, .had. taken the fancy of the crowd, was specially cheered as he. walked off. the .ground, Wl (hat was tho e'iid of the memorablo Davi= Cun contest of 1011. ■> "