LAWN TENNIS.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 17, 18 January 1913, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

AUSTRALIA v. BRITISH ISLES

THE COLONIALS’ SUCCESS

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.)

Sydney, January 17

The test match between the British Isles and Australia opened in dull and muggy weather. The courts were fast. The attendance was 3000. A feature of the contest was the brilliant display of Brookes, who heat Dixon two love sets, the first lasting eleven minutes, and the second nine. Dixon played a plucky uphill game, getting in a number of smart serves and scoring shots, but Brookes was unplayable. Dixon at no stage had a look in. The champion sent down many severe servos, which Dixon either did not reach or mishit. The power of anticipating his opponent’s shot and concealing his own intention was shown to perfection. The opinion of observers who had seen Brookes often was that he never played better. Again and again he sent back winning shots when it seems impossible to reach the ball, Brookes himself declared that he played the best game of his life. He took twentyseven aces to twelve, and twenty-six to nine.

Dunlop easily succumbed to Beamish in the singles, Beamish showing beautiful backhand work and crosscourt drives.

Lowe played Jones in the open court simultaneously with another match in the main court. Lowe showed resentment at the unscreened court, saying that the spectators streaming past badly affected his game. Heath made a good stand against Parke, but his weak backhand work was costly. In the doubles Brookes and Dunlop overmatched Beamish and Dixon, Dunlop playing an entirely different game to his display in the singles. Brookes again sent many unplayable serves, and his network was perfect. The Australian pair took the first set to love, a most unusual feat in modern first-class doubles.

Parke and Lowe fought a close contest with Heath and Jones. Heath proved indifferent as a doubles player, possessing no proper low volley. He found the net with irritating frequency. Jones’s brilliance compensated for this and won the match. Scores:—

Beamish beat Dunlop, 6—2, 6—l; Jenses beat Lowe, 6—o, 6—l; Parke beat Heath, 9—7, 3—6, 6—3; Brookes beat Dixon, 6—o, 6—o.

Heath and Jones beat Parke and Lowe, I—6, 6—4, 12—10; Brookes and Dunlop beat Beamish and Dixon, 6—o, 6—3. The present score is; Britain, two matches, five sets, fifty games; Australia, four matches, nine sets, 57 games.

BROOKES’ REMARKABLE FORM

(Received 9.40 a.m.) Sydney, January 18

Dixon declares that in his long career he has never seen anything equal to Brooke’s display yesterday