PERRY BACK TO FORM

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 88, 8 January 1935, Page 9

PERRY BACK TO FORM

Devastating Attack TENNIS AT MELBOURNE (Received January 7, 11.35 p.m.) Melbourne, January 7. F. J. Perry (Britain) returned to form in the Australian tennis championships to-day. Playing with great pace and accuracy, he swept Malcolm (South Africa) out of the singles in a devastating attack, dropping only five games in three sets. Perry’s policy kept Malcolm out' of position, leaving wide openings for his winners. Whatever was Perry’s state of mind recently when he said he was in the doldrums, he certainly had Ills mind on nothing but tennis to-day. As a contrast, Crawford fought every moment to beat Tonkin, the Victorian. Crawford made many errors with the easiest shots, and had Tonkin been a little more accurate in some critical rallies he might easily have won the first two sets.

Surprisingly poor tenins also marked the play of Miss Dorothy Round, whose partner,' Miss Coyne, did all the work in the first set of their doubles match. Bromwich, Sydney’s 16-year-old player, put up a brilliant Jight against Moon, the 1930 singles champion. Bromwich, playing with rare courage, dashed Moon’s hopes of a straight sets win. Results include:— Men’s singles: J. H. Crawford defeated Tonkin, 7-5, 7-5, 7-5; F. J. Perry (Britain) defeated Malcolm (South Africa), 6-2, 6-3, 6-0; Moon defeated Bromwich, 6-4, 6-4, 6-8, 2-6, 6-2; R. Menzel (Czechoslovakia) defeated G. P. Hughes (Britain), 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; McGrath defated E. Maier (Spain), 6-1, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. Women’s singles: Miss Lyle (Britain) defeated Miss Whittaker, 6'-O, 6-2; Mrs. Westacott defeated Miss Dearman (Britain), 9-7, 7-5. Women’s doubles: Miss Round (Britain) and Miss Coyne defeated Mrs. Carnif vand Miss Cox, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. WII PLAY FOR BRITAIN Perry in Davis Cup Series (Received January 7, 7.20 p.m.) . Melbourne, January 7. G. P. Hughes, captain of the British tennis team, announced to-day that F. J. Perry would play for Britain in the Davis Cup matches. ‘ He said the recent rumours that Perry was turning professional were unfounded. WAITING FOR BIG EVENT Hopman on Perry’s Defeats Writing in the Melbourne “Herald.” before the championships started, H. Hopman said: — “I cannot agree with those who believe that the defeat of world champion Fred Perry by Vivian McGrath in the international triangular tennis series in Sydney, following his earlier defeats at the hands of Crawford and Quist, means that his star is on the wane and that his form will be equally disappointing in the Australian championships in Melbourne in January. “Even the performance against McGrath was a distinct improvement on his efforts against Quist in the Victorian semi-final. Once Quist was on top. Perry did little to get out of trouble, but he fought hack strongly from 6-1, 3-1 down against .f.cCrnth. to puli'the match almost out of the lire.

“Perry is certainly far from at top form. The, player we saw floundering late after Quit’s drives would have pounced upon them with the speed of a panther three months ago. We must not forget that, as he said after his defeat by Crawford in the New South Wales championships, he came to Australia this year to win the Centenary national championship. “The winning of that event is a last opportunity to give the lie to the wide-ly-expressed opinion that the world championship and its attendant worries is too much for him to carry. After a week’s rest in Tasmania, Perry will enter the tournament determined to re-establish himself. “His task will be difficult, ns MeGratis, whom he may meet in the semifinal, will have the confidence inspired by his victory. behind him, and should he meet Crawford he will be opposing a tougher proposition than lie did in his finals at Bournemouth, Wimbledon. and even in the recent New South Wales championship. Crawford to-day is playing better tennis than lie did in 1933-34

■■Should these two great cliampionmeet in the final of the Australian championship, the issue will be doubtful, but I have enough confidence in Perry to predict a great match.”