TENNIS.

Hokitika Guardian, 10 September 1926, Page 3

TENNIS.

[by TELKORAPH—-PER PRESS ASSOCIATION. | DAVIS CUP. NK.. YORK. Sept. 9. The final Davis Cup matches opened at Germantown Club Courts, Philadelphia, between United States and France. In the first singles, Johnston beat Lacoste 6—o, o—l. o—fi, fi—o. NEW YORK. Sept. 9. In the Davis Cup Tilden beat Borotra o—2. 0 3, I)—3. NEW YORK. Aug. 9. Johnston, whom James Anderson alone has beaten in six years oi challenge round play, conquered Lacoste in a sncctneular match before a gallery of 9001), with powerful forelianders. He frequently threw the Frenchman out of position. The latter at the net returned with sharp volleys. In the first set Lacoste played indolently and made a mistake of attempting to beat the Californian at the base line game. Johnston repeatedly caught him out of position with a. cross-cut shot. In the second set the Frenchman’s game was still dull and erratic. Tlis service was seldom effective, whereas Johnston's was exceedingly accurate. Johnston began to find the net towards the end of the set, whereupon Lacoste begun to play with more confidence. In the third set Lacoste played a vastly different game lieing both daring and accurate. Johnston tired and was completely outplayed with the hot sun baking the courts. The American threw his racquet away disgustedly as the Frenchman ran out in a love set. Lacoste found a weakness in Johnston's backhand and. hammered it while the American’s forehand became inaccurate and he was guilty of many errors. Lacoste repeatedly defeated Johnston with a mixture of dee]) drives and short cross court drops. Tn the -lib. set, apparently ail Johnston needed was a rest. He reversed the procedure en-

tirely and went to mid-court and took l.acoste’s drives to the backhand wit ', half volleys, which completely routed the Frenchman. Lacoste grew inaccurate and disconsolate, while Jfihnston got in strokes beautifully ' with great precision and repeatedly caught Lacoste out of position. In the first set Tilden was too accurate for Borotra, but the Frenchman brought the crowd to its feet with

some amazing strokes. Tilden had his cannonball service working, which his opponent was hard pressed to handle. The Frenchman was inaccurate in Ills forehand game from the deep court and ineffective, 'i ilden mixing chops with liard drives down the side lilies let Borotra beat himself during desperate rallies. Borotra played some of the greatest tennis ever seen in a Davis Cud in the second set. He went into lead but Tilden’s chops soon turned the tide, smashing service aces and placements defeating the Frenchman. Starting off at dazzling pace Tilden raked the corners with deadly drives and early ran up a substantial lead. Borotra vainly attempted to take position, and combated every point sensationally. The third set took Tilden only fifteen more minutes to finish the match. He won the first game on Borotra’s errors and then tossed away three in a row as Borotra put everything lie had into his serves. There were brilliant but brief rallies and both dripped with perspiration and once Borotra rung water from his basque cap. Once the Frenchman put such an effort into trying impossible returns that lie slid on his stomach through the grass several feet. Tilden’s steadiness .got Borotrn into trouble often and the Frenchman’s net errors finally gave Tilden the game and match. Tilden played better than in several previous Davis Cup matches. In the Doubles to-morrow. Williams and Richards play Cocliet and Bmg--11011.