THE DAVIS CUP
TWO WINS FOR AMERICA
GREAT GAME BETWEEN TILDEN AND BROOKES
PATTERSON OUTCLASSED
Br TeletraDh—Preiis Ainoclal.ion Auckland, December 30. Tho first section of the first matches for tho Davis Cup -took plaeo to-day j and went in favour of America, Tilden beating Brookes, 10—8, G—i, I—G, fi—l, and Johnston beating Patterson, (I—3, ft—l, C—l. Tho first match was close, and characterised by tennis of the highest standard. The second was so cai-v a victory for Johnston that thore was little tennis in it. Patterson was, completely oft his game and could do nothing right. The Governor-General and tho Prime Minister were present. Tho court was in good order, but. u little slow after the rain. Tilden v. Brookes. Tilden having won the toss 6erved the first ball from the north end at 1.50. Tt was a fault, but tho second service beat Brookes. The game wont to 10—30. when Brookes, after rushing the net, volleyed to the left court but missed the sideline, the. first game thus going to Tilden. Brookes won the first point of the second game with a good volley, and the second with a cross volley. A strong backhand drive by Tilden went out. Brookes missed, a high ball and Tilden brounht tho score to 40—30 by driving to Brookcs's backhand. Brookes then won tho game by finding the back line. Neither player at this stajjc was very suro in his service, and both ware faulting their first. A feature of tho third game wns a rally with Tilden on the base line and Brookes at the net. Brookes won tho point. Tilden served the first double fault of the game. Brookes was now crowding to the net and .Tilden tried a lob which bent him. Tilden reached deuce with a service aco and finished the game with a backhand cross court drive and well placed volley. Brookes's first, serve in tho next game resulted in an exchange of volleys, in which Tilden scored. Brookes was very aggressive and very pure at tho net, and Tilden was content to act on tho defensive. Re tried .Brookes's backhand, but lost, the game through failnro to take a beautifully placed service,,— Two all. Off Tildcn's first serve Brookes got a lucky point with a ball that skimmed the net, but Tilden retaliated with n service ace. After an exchange of volleys Tilden netted, but having ! found his length scored another servico ace and. another two shots gave him 'tho gam,e. Like his opponent, Brookes was now acquiring confidence in his servico and increased the pace of Ins deliveries. He drove the first return to Tilden's backhand, and having got his opponent out of position volleyed to tho other side of the court with an effortless motion of the arm that seemed all joints. Tilden netted the next, and Brookes, coming up to the net, took control of the game and won. Three all. In the next game Brookes broke throjigh Tilden's service. Tho Aiurncn.n showed the effect, of this by double faulting. Working Tilden out of position, and then dropping one short, Brookes won tho game and took the lead for the first time. Brookes was now at. his best, and to check his deadly work nt the net Tilden tried rlefensiyc lobbing, but his length wns not accurate enough. • Brookes continued his famous volleying ami took the game 5—3. Ho-made a great effort to win Tilden's servico, and, with it the set. He was assisted by the fact, that Tilden was becoming over anxious. Tilden put the ball out when he had Brookes nt his mercy, and followed by netting the next. Maintaining his reputation for doing a spectacular thing in a crisis. Tilden served an unplayable ball that Brookes hardly saw. Trving to repent the coup he. double-faulted. 30-40. Hp was more successful the next time, reaching deuce with o terrific servicc on the centre line. ■RrooVn- then n;ade two mistake". ,whi»h gave Tilden the game, 5—L Brookes still had a chance to win (lie set on his service. but although he volleyed benutifullv Tilden retaliated with cross-court shols and drew level—a all. Tilden wa=i now driving for lho side lines as Brookes came un, and was serving with great foTce. Ho sont a lucky ball skimming the net, nnd was sportsman enough to laugh -when
Brookes pulled it in bis most artistic manner: Tilden won the came and asam took the lead, ft— Varying his services nt will, and aided l>y a weak return by Tilden, Brookes drew level—B all. He won the first point of the next game in characteristic fashion, driving " mien right off the court, and finding an open flank with a cross voile. Slaving the fa=t service® beautifully, Brookes reached in', and then Tilden lost the game with a double fault. With'a game in hand Brookes started to take risks with Ins serrice. but Tilden returned hard to his feet as li* vent netwnrd®. mul th« Am*ncan won a love game. 7 all. Play was very close in the next game, which Brookes won after sevornl .lpicc=. Tiro-*'-was now tiring, and hlden. liecnmin., atwessive, drew level with a love game. Tilden won the service, and after some fine returns in Brookes's service, won the game and set. > The second set -was closely [°"E h Brookes commenced by breaking , Tildon's service and p/Aing up the fiist "ame after a sustained rally. Hlden retaliated by. taking Brookes s service, and won his own with express deliveries Brookes won the next after dropping f point through a double fault. - all, ! Tilden, wlio was now serving very ta?>t ! won the next game, ehiofly through his service ivnd t'orthand drivels. 1 widen, ' 3-2. Brookes drew level after winmn! 1 points with fine volleys. At tins stagi the umpire appealed to the spectaton ' not to interrupt play ivith applause ! Tilden put in yjvere sprvices in tho ncx game, and although Brookes mado gooi lbngth returns Tilden won it. Brooke 1 niado the score i all after coming up an ■ volleying. Tilden double-faulted in tin 1 next, bat followed £ with an unlak ' able serve and got tho gnme. Brooke 1 attempted to save on hi? service, but. Ti J lieu passed him with a iorchand driv ' through Brookes mishitting a shot li
could miTCly reacn. xuuxu aut. game and set. 6—l. Brookes ninde his effort In tlie Bet. Ilis service was accurate and well jilaced. Ilis volleying, though not (puio fio nuUnciuus as oiilier in the (lay, was remarkably effective, and lie niado hardly any mistakes. With' Tildcn in his beat form, serving magnificently, though. occasionally double faulting, tlie set was (it a high level. Tlie. first two games tollowed the service, but Jlrookes took the third gamo by winning Tildcn's service lie wen lii.s own, and Tildcn apparently realised that the set was hopeless and was content to allow it to go to Brookes, I—6.
Brookes opened the fourth set serving against the sun, and won to 15. In the next game Tilden Hied Brookes's backhand, and after returiiiiisj one "Brookes failed At the second. Chiefly through Tilden's mistakes, Brookes won, and l'ila UI'W racket. He did not like it, because after losing' Brookes n service he chase another. This brought better luck. One of Tilden's drives, a return from Brookes, struck the net, but did not go over, and Tilden won the game: 'J—l. lirookos was now serving with great placement, lie volleyed cleverly, but was several times manoeuvred out of position, and the game went to Tilden: 3—2. Tho American opened the next with a s-crvice nee and won the gamo witlv a clever sideline shot. 3—3. The crowd cheered his recovery. In tho next game lirookos won applause by artistically flicking a roturn to the side-
line, but Tilden got the game and led. i—3. At this critical stage Brookes showed his fim; sportsmanship, deliberately hitting a shot out of tho court in order to compensate for n linesman declaring Tilden's second servo a fault that was undoubtedly good. The game went to several deuces before Tilden won it. 5—3 In the next, game Brookes tried hard to save the sec and Will the game after fine volleying out o£ Tilden's reach. The tenth game proved the final one, Tilden winning the service. Johnston v, Patterson. The match between Johnston and Patterson hardly requires description. Johnston started his service with the sun in his eyes, and maintained a very accurate length, Patterson opened tentatively, and playing carefully carried tho games to deuco three times before Johnston put a low volley at his feet, winning the game. Patterson started his service with a fault and it was typical of what was coming. A. sigh went vjy as Patterson smashed an easy 0110 into tho net at 15-40. Patterson got the next point with a defensive half volley' and after a service ace won tho game, 1 all. .Johnston started with a deep forehajid drive, and after numerous exchanges won the game. Patterson was now serving. A terrific top spin drive by Johnston beat him; he failed in the backhand, and Johns-ton passed him with his famous forehand drive. 3—l. Patterson picked up the nost game. Although Johnston was serving with characteristic inconsistency Patterson made a wonderful and apparently impossible return from his backhand, but followed it by several mistakes, and Johnston won. 6—l. The, next was ii lovo game to Johnston. 5—2. After Patterson had won the eighth game be lost the ninth without scoring a point. (!—3. Patterson picked up the first game o(T his own serve. He fought hard to win Johnston's serve, making a splendid backhand drive, and rocking a short fell to the backline. but Johnston's steadiness save him the same. 1 all. It. was tho beginning of the end. ' Johnston wns steadiness itself. His game improved as Patterson's deteriorated. The Australian appeared to lo;e his nerve. Hjs service wns erratic, and he several times doublefaulted. Overhead lie was pitiably weak, and his tactics were poor. Ho appeared to havo no strata to use against Johnston's powerful offensive. The American overwhelmed him with a great variety of strokes all over the court, particularly deep powerful drives to Patterson's backhand. The second and third sets went to the American. &—l.
Before !the matches commenced the crowd rose and stood bareheaded fov a few moments as a tribute to the memory of the. lato Anthony Wilding.
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Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 82, 31 December 1920, Page 6
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1,735THE DAVIS CUP Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 82, 31 December 1920, Page 6
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