NOTES ON THE PLAY
STYLE AND METHODS OP
THE CHAMPIONS
PATTERSON OUTPLAYED AND OUTGENERALLED
(By Telegraph—Special Reporter.)
Auckland, December 30. ' Play in the first round of the Davis Cup gnuies to-day at stages reached the highest standard (if first-class tennie, while at others it descended to thirdgrado play. One would bo roused to a high pitch of enthusiasm by brilliant shots and super-brilliant recoveries only to bo plunged into the depths of disappointment by absurdly easily missfs that would have shocked a novice. On the whole the play in the Tilden-iJroo!ce» match was maintained on a high level, but the Johnston-Patterson--game was_n sorry spectacle, ami the score fairly represents tho merits of the'players. Johnston played solidly at all times, and frequenty quite brilliantly. Patterson, after the first six games of ihe first, set, simply went to pieces. Now and afcaiu he would sparkle, but on his play on the day lie never looked like winning, and one could only_ marvel liow lie ove> had managed to win in first-class company. The only explanation that sceiiM to fit is that Johnston, who is at the top of his form, "rattled" the Australian by punishing .his fast services, and then out-drove, out-generalled, ami overwhelmed him.
Tt is not my purpose to cover tlie p:.iy in any detail, but merely to supply « general imprpsstnn of tiie style nmt methods of the players and the relativo merits of their efforts. TILDEN-BROOKES CONTEST.
The Tilden-Brookes match was reallv :> contest of youth, coupled with great skill and remarkable power, pitted against a veteran of superlative skill and courtcraft, but lacking in power. It was n delightful exhibition of two contrasting styles. Tilden, who opened the game, at onco gave an indication of his terrific service. Again and again with tho* plain lightning-like shots straight down the centre of the service court he left Brookes standing. Brookes, however, did not move a muscle of his somewhat serious countenance. In turn he served, and though liis service lacked the speed of his opponent's it was cleverly placed and the return from it usually was weak and enabled Brookes to lead up to a kill. So the play went with the service, game for game, for some time. Tilden generally won his points outright with a whirlwind service or a'dazzling side-line drive varied occasionally.!)}' a lieautifuliyongled low cross-court •shot. Brookes, on the other hand, usually was content to play his opponent into a difficult position with a series of shots, and then gently put the ball just beyond his reach, or. as often happened, send him dashing to the wrong side of the court in anticipation of a ball that had a provoking habit of journeying in quite another direction. Twice it. looked as | though Brookes would win the first set. At three all he captured his opponent's service, and then, winning his own. had him 5—3. The Australasian hopes were high at tlils stage, but Tilden won his next service, and scored off tlit of Brookes, and so evened matters—s all. Brookes led again at 7—6 and at B—7, but was ultimatel* beaten at 10—8, Tilden playing very brilliantly in the concluding stages of the «et. Tho second set went game for gams ,to i all, amt then Tilden again broke aw." A y, but there wns very Utile between the two men when the sot ended at o—t. The afternoon was terribly hot, and both players at this stage bai.licd their hands with iced water.
In the third set, Brookes, who had been playing a ratlu-r slow ball well back to the back line, and following into the net, changed his tactics, nc varied his good length balls with short drop shots which fell two or three yards over the net and soon had Tilden galloping. The veteran's play at this .stage wns masUrly, and Tilden was sleekening n little under the strain. Brookes raptured the sqt at G—l. The fourth set opened with Brookes still in tho ascendant with short drop shots, clcvorl.v concealed half-volleys, and aeeurately-placod side-line shots of varying length. He again and again played Tilden out of position, and finally led 3 love. The American, howevor, then responded gallantly with brilliant services and dashing drives and beautiful cross-court shots, winning live games in succession, and leading 5—3. Brookes won line more game, and then Tilden scored again ami won the first of the series of matches for (ho American team.
Tito win wv veil descmd. and Ihouqli tho men were evenly matched, as Uie giimc.-i—23 to indicate, the bvltir 111:111 on the day won. Where lirookes failed wa-; in his "killing" shots. Where lie could got his opponent "on the wrong foot" or right oul of position he was admirable, but otherwise what should have heen certain "kills" were too oflen pushed gently towards the side-linos, leaving TiUlen a ohancp to niatce a dash
for a recovery, an opportunity which ha made the most of, ami frequently to score a clean ace. Brookes's tactics, suvo for this weakness, were admirable, and it was delightful to watch him lending up to an opening, and still moro delightful to soe him when lie had got his opponent well out of position, deliberately and cleanly make the winning hit of tlic rally. Ho never seems to hit a linll hard, but his timing is so pcrfcct that ho gets considerable juice on when ho needs it. At every opportunity ho gets in to the. net, and his mcdinm-paced balls to the back line give him time to get up into his favourite position. It was a liberal education to any young tennis player to note tho patience with which Brookes leads up to an opening, and the unruffled calm with which he accepts good or ill fortune.
JOHNSTON AND PATTERSON. The Johnston-Patterson match showed Johnston at his best, and Patterson at his worst. Johnston is the most brilliant of all the drivers in first-class world tennis. He is mi attractive match player bv reason of the fact that he goes for everything, aim though small and slightly built hits out like a heavyweight. Again and agnin Patterson was passed outright by Johnston's ligiituing drives, and though a rally occasionally ended in Patterson's favour the occasions became less and less frequent as the match progressed. Johnston's service is- a powerful one and more consistent, though not so fierce as Tilden's. Hi? drive is better than Tilden's. and with less cut on it, and his volleying anil overhead work are impressive. Patter-son's-fast. service came off at timta, but it had no terrors for Johnston, who frequently drove it with great forco for a straight-out win. On his play that I have seen lv€re» Johnston is the strongest all-round player of the wliolo of tho Davis Cup contestants, but he had a weak player to beat- to-day. Patterson apparently has to make the game to suit himself, and he could not do this with Joliii6ton. He is a bullocking sort of a player, reiving lastly on hard hitting and spectacular shots. Some of them came off to-day, but they were too few and far between to he of any great effect. After the first few games of the firsL set it was a dobacle. Patterson is very weak on his backhand against fast low drives, but can punish A high bouncing ball with his peculiar overllung backhand. His best shot today wns a cross court chop which left no 'room for reply when it got over the net. but the net must have appeared to Patterson bigger than the court itself from the amazing number of times he netted the ball. In the games between Tilden and Brookes there were a large number of desperately-fought-out deuce games, but save for the first game or two Johnston won most of his games easily. Some idea of how one-sided' the match was may be gathered from the fact that in the final set, won by Johnston at G—l, Patterson won only ton strokes, four of which were in the game he won. This meant that In the six otlie> games he scored on iin averago only one stroke out of five.
My notes show that Tilden was the chief offender in the way of double faults with about eight in four sets. Patterson was guilty of about two. while Brookes and Johnston only made one mtch—a very line record for wen who send their second service very nearly as fast as tlio first.' As to the remaining matches, Australasia should win tho doubles, though there is not so much confidence on this point as there was a day or two ago. Of the two singles to l>e played I have an impression '.tlml the Australians may <lo better than they did to-day. Patterson could hardly do worse, but the Davis Cup looks jery much as though it were going back to the land of its origin. TEE REMAINING GAMES. The doubles contest will bo played today, when W. T. Tilden and W. M. Johnston (America) will meet N JO. lirookes and G. L. Patterson (Australasia). On the final day the second series of singles will take place, when W. T. Tilden will meet G. L. Patterson, and TV. M. Johnston is to play J\ T . E. Brookes. The team winning' three of the live matches—four singles and one double - takes tho cut>. Each match is the liest of live, sets.
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Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 82, 31 December 1920, Page 6
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1,569NOTES ON THE PLAY Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 82, 31 December 1920, Page 6
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