The New York herald., 1922-08-18
UPHILL VICTORY OF
ALFONSO EARNS TIE
Ace Of Spanish Team Defeats
O'Hara Wood After Drop
ping Two Sets.
PATTERSON WINS EASILY
Is Master OF Count De GOmar
Throughout Straight
Set Match.
PATTERSON WINS EASILY

PHILADELPHIA, Aug. 1z.-Australia
and Spain broke even here to-day I'm the
opening matches OF the final round OF
the Davis cup play. Gerald l., Patter-
son the Antipodean tennis ace, defeated
Count Manuel De Gomar. 6--3, SIS,
6-4 Then Manuel Alfonso brought
Spain prominently into the picture by
defeating Pat OHara Wood In a SEN
sational comeback, 2--6, s-6, Ga,
St, Ell.
The victory of the little Spaniard thus
carries the final decision over until Sat
urday since win for either nation i'm
the doubles match tomorrow will still
leave the standing one contest short Of
decisive result. 1t was Alfonso who
furnished the thrills this afternoon. Pat
terson always held control In the match
with De Gomar and showed but flashes
of his best form. When he chose to
come up to the net or turn on his fastest
service he was clearly superior to h!
Spanish rival and in tho third set ap-
peared actually to loaf at times until a
decisive action was necessary
Sparks began to fly however, as soon
as O'Hara Wood and Alfonso crossed
racquets. The Spaniard was as active
as a cat and rAsused to concede a single
shot until he had tried desperately for
return. O'Hara Wood had remarkable
control of his shots and service in the
first two sets and although every ex-
change was fought to a finish he ap-
peared always to have just enough in
reserve to punch out the winning point
Alfonso. however, grew faster and surer
as the play progressed and although
OHara Wood did not appear to be par
ticularly worried when the Spaniard won
tho third set he became distinctly upset
when Alfonso fought him to standstil
IN the crucial fourth set, which went to
the Spaniard at Sc
II was IN this session that Alfonso
reached tennis playing heights that
would have done credit to the foremost
ranking American player. He stood uo
before the fastest drives and service of
his opponent and turned them back with
speed and precision that ELECTED round
after round of applause from the gall
'ery of more than a thousand spectators
He covered court with astonishing
speed, agility and endurance and his
sense of direction and control of strokes
In the midst Of the fercest rallies grad
ually took the aggressveness out of the
Australians game and forced him into
defensive position which was his Ul-
innate downfall.
Some idea of the battle in the fours n
set can be gained from the fact that ten
of the fourteen games went TO deuce,
one or more times. The plucky struggle
staged by Alfonso finally caught the
spectators fancy and they began to root
for him In regular baseball fashion and
il required an admonition to be impair
tial before they realized the error of
tennis etiquette their enthusiasm was
leading them into. In this set the driv-
Ing, passing and strategy of both play
ers was remarkable.
A remarkable situation arose in this
set when O'Hara Wood leading at five
games to one served a perfect ace with
his second ball only to have a foot fault
called on him at the most critical poin.
of the whole match. From thence on
Alfonso began to overhaul the Austral-
Ian, eventually winning the set and
turning the match into rout In the fifta
and final session which he won with the
loss OF but one game. O'Hara Wood trod
yfsibly In the fifth set and faded out of
the picture rapidly. AT the conclusion
Of the match Alfonso ran over to his op-
ponent and embraced the Australian In
true Latin fashion.
The point scores: