Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-08-17
AUSTRALIAN RACQUET STARS 4.
TAKE FIRST TWO FROM FRENCH
team IN DAVIS CUP PLAY

Brookline, Mass. Aug. 1s.-By A.
P)-The tennis team of Australia
today trod rough shod over the rem.
resentatives of France in the frs, {,
two matches Of the final competition
for the right to meet the United
states stars in the challenge round
for the Davis cup. The two singles
matches played today went in
straight sets to the Antipodeans and
the best the Frenchmen offered did
not press the victors to the limit.
James o. Anderson, the tall and
slender veteran who leads the Aus
tralia team, at first found Rene
Lacoste, the French schoolboy cham
pion. a puzzle, but he solved the
riddle by taking strong aggressive
stand and won Z to 5. Ga, Ga.
. John B. Hawkes. graceful and fun
of energy on the courts, found the ,
French veteran internationa,,sf
Jacques BrugnCn. off form and no
match for his puzzling shots The
Frenchman fell an easy victim in they
first two sets but threatened in tie
third with a remarkable but bela.od
burst of speed and accuracy with his
shots, only to fall away again. The
scores were CO, 6-1, rs.
The superior playing strength OF
the Australians was demonstrated
throughout and tonight followers Of
the play conceded France little
chance of overcoming the two match
lead. AS the first nation to win three
matches will qualify to meet the
United States next month. Tomor.
row the same players will figure in
doubles encounter of which the
outcome is regarded as uncertain
and on Saturday the same singles
players will play with their oppon-
ents of today reversed.
In the Anderson-L acoste duel the
French boy played repeatedly to his
opponents backhand but without
finding much weakness there. The
tall Australian faltered in the first
set when the first ball of his serve
refused to obey him and the French
schoolboy ran the game score to
So. Anderson then settled down to
business and thereafter was seldom
at a disadvantage.
AS the match progressed the tall
Australians game improved and in
| a game in the second set he scored
four service acres. His confidence
seemed to grow and he thereafter
was able to stroke his ball with
deadly effect. The boys weakness
appeared to be his service which was
not strong enough to bother his rival.
His volleyine, however, was a match
for Anderson's but he was unable to
maintain the steadiness and balance
which marked that of the Australian
in the last two sets. 1t appeared
that Lacoste's fastest shots were not
fast enough to annoy the Australian
veteran.
The service of Brugnon, too, ap-
peared weak by comparison with
that of his rival. Hawkes., who sery.
ing from a peculiarly twisted pos.
ture, shot over balls which The
Frenchman found hard to handle eff
fectivcly. At times, notably In the
final set. Brugnon placed his shots
with remarkable precision but fatal
cratic tendency developed at critical
moments and many balls were Melted
which should have been easy place.
ments.
Even the presence of General
Henri Gouraud, the Lion of the Ar
gonne, as spectator, failed to slim
ulate the Frenchman to violent eff.
fort. The picturesque general greet
ed Lacoste and congratulated him on
his showing after his match and was
rendered a hearty reception when he
appeared on the courts.