DAVIS CUP CONTEST.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1610, 29 November 1912, Page 5

DAVIS CUP CONTEST.

OPENING DAY'S PLAY. AUSTRALIAN DEFEAT BROOKES SUCCUMBSBy Toleprraph—Press Association—Copyrisilit (Bee. November 28, 11.10 p.m.) Melbourne, November 28. Tho weather was perfect to-day for the opening day's play in the Davis Cup contest, and the courts were in excellent condition. The matches were witnessed by an attendance estimated at 40,000. C. P. Dixon, captain of the British Isles team, yielded to the persuasion of his colleagues, and decided to play instead of Beamish. The Englishmen had a fine reception. The first match was between J. C. Parke (England) and N. Brookes (Victoria), and it ended in a disappointment for the Australians. Brookes y, Parkes. Brookes served and took the game to fifteen. He won on Parkes's service, and at the end of tho first three games the score stood 3—o in his favour. Parke took the next game, and Brookes the following. Some brilliant driving by Parke was cheered. Parke, getting 4—3, won on Brookes's service to love, thus making the score four all. Parke finally took the set, B—®, amid great cheering. In the thirteenth game Brookes lost on his service, finishing with a double fault. The set ended B—68 —6 in Parke's favour. In the second set Brookes showed poorly on the volley, breaking down repeatedly, failing to find the length, and in hie efforts to do so sending the ball over the back line. By winning this set (6—3) Parke got two sets in against him, a feat not done for years with Brookes. 11l tho third set Brookes was extremely tired. When Parke was s—l, Brookes played with grim determination, and win a sequence of six games. The seventh and eighth gam as were lost by Parke rather than, won by Brookes.- The score was 7 —5. In the fourth set Parke won the first j game off his service, Brookes netting' two returns off easy serves. Brookes won the next game off his own service, after vantage to tho server had been called eight times. After two all, Parke went out with a sequence of four games. Brookes was very tired, and scarcely able to step aside to intercept the ball at the net. The set ended 6 —2 in favour, of the Englishman. i Throughout the. match, Parke executed perfect .drives, either deep' down the side line or across from corner to corner. Such perfect driving had never previously been witnessed here. After four alldn the first set, Brookes never looked like winning. He mis-timed balls and got too many on the wood-of his racket. Parks was given an ovation at the conclusion of the match. Dixon v. Heath. The second match was between C. P. Dixon (England) aad R. W. Heath (Victoria). Dixon started serving finely, and won the game on the service, playing to Heath's forehand. Three of the services were not returned, although he served two double faults. Heath won the last four games, Dixon breaking down on his service. The set ended 5—7. In the second set Dixon won the first .two games, and lost the service in the third, finishing. with a double fault. Heath did the same in the next game. The seventh game was one of .the best of 'the day, Heath taking it and the next with fine serving. After 4—4. Dixon won off his own service with splendid 'serving and volleying. He then took Heath's serve to love and the set 6-4.

In the third set Dixon won his first two games, Heath taking the third, and Dixon winning, the next on a poor halfvolley by Heath, Heath made it 3—2 off Dixon's serve, finishing the game with a fine pass. Heath, in the next game, won off his own service to love, making four all. The ninth game saw some splendid rallies, Dixon winning that and the next, and the set 6—4. In the third set Dixon took the first two games, killing beautifully any weak returns. Heath won the third game, and won off his own service to love, making two all. Dixon won the next three, pounding Heath's back-hand. Heath won off his own service to love. After a fine Tlphilil fight Dixon carried the game to 5—3. Vantage to the server -was called twice, but Dixon, failing an a doublefault, allowed Heath to get out of the difficulty and win 5—4, Dixon leading. Dixon won the next game/ off Heath's service, and the match, o—l. A striking feature of the day's play was the complete breakdown of the Australian's service, Heath serving nearly as many double-faults as first services. There was no sting or length in his second service, which Dixon punished severely. Both seemed afraid to hit. It was a question rather of a good man playing a better, and both playing badly, the difference between the two accounting for the scores. Tho Day's Scores. Parke beat Brookes 8-6, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. Dixon beat Heath 5—7, 6—4, G—4, 6—4. The result works out as follows: — Britain. Australia. Rubbers 2 — Sets G 2 Games 48 37 THE ENGLISHMEN. THEIR PLAT DESCRIBED. "Everything points to a close finish." C. P. Dixon, captain of the British Isles lawn tennis team, is reported to have said this respecting the Davis Cup Contest. is good reading (says the "Sydnev Daily Telegraph" of November 20). Nothing better oould bo desired than that there should bo the closest of close finishes. That Dixon and his men will do their level best to be on top there is no* doubt. That Brookes, Dunlop. and Heath, and Jones, too, if he plays (which 60ems unlikely) will give the Britishers a hard row to hoe is equally oertain. Both teams have undergone a severe training, with what result was apparent to all who saw them at practice after they had. loosened out. Norman' Brookes, that tennis wonder, looks his best. Two months ago he walked on to the association grounds at Melbourne, and an acquaintance said, "Hello! What's up with Norman? He looks brighter than ever ho looked." Ho was right. Brookes, with his a.rms laden with rackets, wns watching tho Englishmen at work. The keenness of his interest was apparent. Dixon was smashing down those severely-cut sorves of his to Parke, and the latter was putting in some slashing drives from tljo base-line. A little later the position was reversed. The Englishmen were watching Brookes at work. Heath was his opponent, and it was a Titanic struggle. "Five all" was called, and then 40—15 in favour of Heath. It looked all over. But Brookes gavo the Englishmen an exhibition of that wonderful service of ltis, and took the set. Dixon carries more avoirdupois than you expect to find in a tennis champion. But, then, ho is getting on in years. On tho practice court ho leavos the impression that he has something up'his sleeve. You see him servo, dasli in, volley, and then suddenly relax. It is he who will have to meet Brookes in tho singles. It will bo an interesting battle. Brookes is probably a bettor exponent of the American game, than any American ever was. Dixon plays a similar game, with a little more base-line play added. And his victims include Gobert and Decngis, the famous Frenchmen. Small wonder that ho ia regarded as the only man of tho team likely to extend Brookes. All being

well, Brookes should win the match. iHis overhead work has improved a lot, and he has lost not one jot of his snap at close quarters. If anything, he is more accurato than ever.

A. L. Beamish, regarded as one of England s finest doubles players, not long since made A._F. Wilding play all he knew how for the Kentish championship, and if he can reproduce that form, the doubles should be a match. Beamish is a fast mover, with a preference for a backhand drive, tho accuracy of which is stirprising. At the net his reach makes him a formidable opponent. The intensity of tho doubles game will depend a lot upon tho style of play the visitors adopt. If they stick to their wonderful base-lino driving too closely, they will 'meet trouble. For Dunlop is a master at cutting- oft such strokes. Again, it was noticed at practice that the Englishmen, in playing doubles, use that position for the receiver's partner that enabled Brookes and Dui\lop to teach tho famous Dohert.vs the lesson of their lives, and if the formation isnsed again, something similar may be | witnessed. Dunlop will go into this contest with an improved service. Hitherto that had been his weak point. But assiduous practice with Brookes, Heath, and Lyoett lias made his service much bitter. Also'his return of service has developed, a!ad he has added to his accuracy and safety an amount of pace that frequently approaches the drive of Heath. J. C. Parke, the Englishmen's third, is a player whose vigour is an 1 outstanding feature. He plays tennis something like he plays football. His pace Tobs him of some portion of accuracy, and in addition he sticks more closely_ to the baseline game than' do either Dixon or Bsamish. The remaining player of those who will meet in the contests is Rod Heath. His return to form is something that, at this time, Australian tennis can be truly thankful for. Heathfs health had not been of tho best up to a couple of months and fears were entertained that he would ■not be able to strike form. But he has done so, and his aggression will go a long way to stemming the tide of. the English assault. '