Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-05-31

"HE united states scored q
grand slam in tennis against
L Argentina when Frank
Shields, 20-year-old New
Yorker, and Clifford Suffer, New
Orleans youngster, won the con-
Guiding singles of the Western
Hemisphere Davis Cup final yes
terday at Chevy Chase.
Shields polished off Ronaldo
Boyd, 90, 90, 90 and Suffer,
making his Davis Cup debut, won
dramatic match with Guillermo
Robson, 3-6, Ga, 6-3, 53.
Boyd, No. /. ranking player Of Argen-
tina, fell an easy victim to Shields who
scored his third victory of the series,
having previously beaten Robson and
shared with Sidney Wood a doubles
triumph over Kappa and Del Castillo
Although the matches had no cham
pionship bearing. the largest gallery Of
the series. numbering close to 5000,
disdained scorching sun and was re-
warded with f1rSt-class tennis show.
Among those who seemed to enjoy IL
immensely were a triumvirate of the
Nations leading legal lights, Chief
Justice Charles Evans Hughes and AS
sociate Justice Pierce Butler of the
United States Supreme Court and the
Attorney General, William D. Mitchell
Ambassador Manuel Maribran, who has
been out Of the city, was present for
| the first time.
viii Meet Europeans
BY defeating Argentina. champion Of
South America, the United States
| m he -
European play for a shot at France In
the challenge round.
A victory for Shields yesterday was
taken more or less for granted, for
Boyd, not in the best of condition due
to recent illness. was declared by his
teammates to be 20 per cent below form.
He lost one of the opening singles to
the sensation of the tie. the fragile.
appearing but quite durable and light
ning-swift Sid Wood, aged 19.
Shields played his usual hard-driving
game and literally slugged his way to
the decision. Boyd never threatened
seriously, and as the match wore on
The 2l0-pound redhead wore down. At
tempting to conserve himself, he passed
up number Of aces that might have
peen within his reach. Ever so often
ne claSped his size as If in pain.
Shows Occasional Flashes.
Occasionally he put everything he
had into the battle and many of his
drives missed the sidelines by inches.
His brilliant bits failed to annoy the
1mplacable Shields, who hammered
away in the manner of a workman
with job he knew well how to do.
Unable to cope with the youngsters
steamy shots, the South American was
forced into error after error, and as he
tried, his service weakened and double
| faults were frequent
With Shields the match was hardly
more. than an exhibition. The case
was far different with young Suffer in
his battle with Robson. The New Or
leans lad. ambitious as they come in
tennis, was out to make the best show
ing possible in the hope he would be
sent to Europe with Shields and Wood,
WHO sail next Saturday to Join George
Lott and John Van Ryn.
suffers foeman was probably the
most formidable. at any rate the Graf
tiest racket wielder of the Argentine
team. 1t was Robson who gave the
Yankees their only really anxious mo-
ments. when he took the first set of
the opening singles from Shields.
Profits by Shields Experiences.
Suffer profitted by Shields expert.
ence. The New Yorker at the outset
went after Robson as though he would
annihilate him, but found his opponent
armed a,i,e with the barbed wire Of craft.
physically he was not durable, however.
| and after winning a single skirmish
with Shields had little left.
So 1T was in his effort to beat Suffer
ana save his team from a whitewash-
ing. Robson. played possibly the most
brilliant tennis of the campaign to
take the frst' set. 3-6. but the young
American was not perturbed. He ap-
| peared not to be worried when Robson
ran up A lead in the second set.
Inc Argentine, though placing his shots
cieveriy and carrying on a f1ashy game
ct close range, tired steadily. Suffer
had mapped his campaign. He would
hold a steady pace-and wait. He
would outlast the enemy.
He did. Toward the finish it ceased
TO be contest.
If Robson was fighting to save his
country from complete rout, Suffer was
striving to keep his nations slate clean
ana the crowd sensed the drama be-
mind their efforts. Every excellent shot
was generously applauded and as often
as not, the hand was for the invader:
for though their hearts were with the
american boy these hundreds of YAM
KEGS In the stands could not deny the
courage Of the struggling veteran. nor
the unstudied sportsmanship that
marked his losses. It was a battle with
strong will to win on both sides, but
to all outward appearances, to Robson
It was game. He grinned apprecia-
ton OF the enemy's skill when shots
sizzled past him; then struggled on
with renewed determination.
Suffer Overcolnes Lead.
The turning point of the match came
in the second set when Suffer trailed
"a and with the score 40 against
him in the seventh game. Another
point would have given Robson the
game and lead of So, with the set
practically clinched. But here Suffer
turned on full steam and, after deuc-
ing the game twice, won it. From
there on Robson became less and less
effective. The youngsters pace simply
was too hot for him.
The members of both teams were
dinner guests last night of the Chevy
Chase Club committee that managed
the tie. Today the Yankees will 90
to Orange, N. j., where they will prac-
tice this week and the Argentines to
New York, where they viii play some
exhibitions.
The Argentines appeared not at ali
downcast by defeat. Rather than dis
cuss their own failure they emphasized
the brilliance of their conuuerors.
Capt. French said the South An1eri-
cans were not accustomed to the high
speed tennis played in the United
States.