WIMBLEDON TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 53, 31 August 1926, Page 4

WIMBLEDON TENNIS

!THE JUNE CHAMPIONSHIPS

DRAMATIC INCIDENTS

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

LONDON, 15th July,

The Jubileo Lawn Tennis Association championship meeting commenced at Wimbledon on "Ist Juno, in brilliant sunshine. At 7 a.m. tho first of tho tennis enthusiasts had taken their placo at tho gates and by tho time these opened there was a tremendous queue. An unusual and interesting featuro of opening day was tho presentation of medals to the champions of the last 00 years by the King and Queen. This year's competitors were lined Tip at either end of the centre court, while tho past champions filed up to receive their medals. Just as tho first of the women was about to go forward a breathless figure in white was hurried on to the opurt by an official. Tho crowd cheered .■*hon it was seen that the lato-eomcr Tyas Borotra, who had flown from Paris that afternoon and changed into tennis flannels in tho car on his way to Wimbledon. This dramatic entry is typical of the Frenchman, who is a great favorite with the spectators. The presentation was followed by an exhibition r^atch, one set only, between Mile. ijienglon and Miss Byan and Mrs. Godfree and Juffrouw Bouman, the Dutch flayer, who is expected to go some way ih tho championship. The match reaiilted in a win for the latter pair, 8-6. Mrs. Godfree is playing better than ever this year v .;_ MISS RYAN'S BATTLEAXE. - Next day the centre court -was packed to overflowing for tho match between Miles. Lenglen and Vlasto (^France) and Misses Byan and Mary K. Browne (U.S.A.) —ono of tho best ladies' doubles ever seen at Wimbledon. With Prance sleacling 3-2 in tho first set, a thunderstorm interrupted play, A team of men quickly covered the court with canvas and the match was resumed three-quarters of an hour later.

The first set went to France, 6-3, but in the next the Americana led 4-1 chiefly owing to Miss Eyan's persistent and brilliant attack, and they were even within a point of 5-1, but Suzanne and her partner made a splendia recovery ana led at 5-4. The French pair actually had two match points with Miss Eyan serving, but amid the breathless excitement of the spectators the Americans survived and evene ! the score once more. There followed a tremendous struggle. Miss Eyan within a point of set served a double fault. Twice more the Americans gained the advantage, and after some wonderful volleying by Miss Ryan, tho set went to them, 8-6. The last set was won by Miss Eyan and Miss Browne, 6-2, amid deafening applause. In the first two sets Miss Eyan carried her partner through, but in the last Miss Browne found her feet and played beautiful tennis, particularly overhead.

The American pair adopted the formation of both at the net, while their opponenYs were one up and one back. Mile. Vlasto seldom comes to the net— her strength lies ia beautifully placed low, swift drives, and good lobbing. Suzanne played her usual faultless game, killing any weak returns and .volleying perfectly, but she naturally did not have quite as much play as her partner—one docs not hit the ball toSuzanne-if thereis any choice. \ - Miss■•'-Kyaw -was" the real heroine of the match. Her volleying was marvellous, and she never faltered in her attack, even when the score stood against her. Slw seemed inspired. Using her racquet as a battleaxo, she chopped her way to victory. MRS. MALLOEY—MISS PRY. As was expected, the match between Mrs. Mallory and Miss Joan Fry developed into a survival of the fittest, Mrs. Mallory'3 comparative freshness when her opponent was exhausted was the deciding factor which gave her the match. In the last set particularly, long rallies predominated, generally with both players persistently attacking each other's backhand. Had either player ventured to the net the match must have ended much sooner, But j perhaps a mutual respect for the other's ' passing shots' and lobs kept them back. At times it seemed as though a straight drive to the forehand court from either player would have won the point, yet the ball crossed the net to the same corner of the court as often as a dozen times in the last set. SUZANNE'S RETIREMENT. After her failure to appear for her eingles match against Mrs. Dewhurst (champion' of Ceylon) on the centre court, tremendous interest was taken in Suzanne's possible withdrawal from the singles. Mile. Lcnglen gave as an excuse for her absence that .she did not know she was to play her single as well as her.ladies' double against Misses Ryan and Browne. She then protested that she could not play a single before such an important double, although Miss Ryan had just played a single without protest. After much discussion with the committee, Suzanne, who was suffering from a cold and rheumatism, said she was upset and tho double was also postponed. After her defeat by the American pair, Suzanne fainted in her dressing-room. However, she played her single against Mrs. Dewhurst next day. After that all matches in which the lady champion was to appear were, advertised provisionally— "If well enough to play." Before playing her mixed double with Borotra she was reported to have fainted three times that morning. No one was surprised, therefore, when after so many postponements and publishing of doctor's certificates, Mile. Lenglen telephoned to Major Laroombe that she was compelled to withdraw from the singles, giving Miss C. Beckingham a walkover.

This has been a disappointing meeting—first we had Miss Wills's .absence owing to her recent attack of appendicitis, then the absence of Lacostc, Miss Byan's indisposition, and now the complete withdrawal of Suzanne, who draws more spectators than Rny other player in the tennis world. A match between her and d'Alvarez would have been a \vonderful one. OOCHET-KICHARDS. The best men's singles seen on the 'centre court so far was between Vincent Richards and Henri Cochet. The applause given to Cochet's brilliant smashing and volleying was deafening. Since winning the French Champion ship in 1922, Cochet has not struck his heat form until in Paris three weeks ago he beat both Lacoste and Eichards in. straight: sets. During the first set, won by Richards at C 4, both men rushed the net at every opportunity and the spectators were delighted with brilliant volleying and clever passing shots. During the second set, Cochet attacked more aggressively by standing closer in to Richards Js service and returning the ball on such an early bounce that Richards was forced to stay back and try to pass Cochet. The Frenchman's interceptions of these stinging drives were wonderful to watch. Over and over again he forced Richards into' deep defonsivo lobs, which ho smashed with astounding accuracy from just inside the back line. Richards retrieved a few, but his opponent's volleying was flawless. Cochot was sometimes forced into netting his back-hand returns b}* Richards' driving hard into the left-

hand court and then rushing the net. The American appeared puzzled as to what tactics to ad*pt, frequently shook the head of his racquet, changed them often, and in the last set was struggling hopelessly. He ended the contest with a double fault, tho scores being 4-6, 6-3, 64, 6-2. AUSTIN'S PLAY. The young English hope, H. W. Austin, was watched with great interest by tennis enthusiasts in his match against the tall Dutchman Van Lennep. Austin went away at a great pace, winning tho first eight games. At 1-3 in the second set Van Lennep began to find his game and his drive, with tromondous top-spin, scored many points. Austin's accuracy and beautiful length, however, gained him a victory of three sets to one. Kozeluh, the Czceho-Slovakian, was his next opponent, and though he raised the hopes of England by winning tho first set 6-2, he was outclassed and lost the remainder, 6-0, 6-1, C-3. PIOTUEESQUB D'ALVAREZ. Already a favourite with tho public is Senorita Lili D'Alvarez. Tho beautiful Spanish girl, wearing a red bandeau and cardigan, had an easy win over Miss Beckingham, and so takes her placo in the last four. D'Alvarez takes a rising ball, anything near the base line is half volleyed with speed and accuracy, while short bails were returned so quickly and so well angled as to bo out of her opponent's reach.

Tho women .in the last eight are:— Miss Beckingham, Senorita s'Alvarez,5 'Alvarez, Mrs. Mallory, Mies X, Bowman, Mtlllc. Vlasto, Mdlle. H. Contostavlos, Miss Lyrill, and Mrs. Godfree.

The men's championship is further advanced, and in the semi-final are the three Frenchmen, Brugnon, Cochet, and Borotra, and Howard Kinsey (U.S.A.).