Evening star., 1953-12-19
Trabert Nears Peak
In Win Over Belgium;
Odds Favor Aussies
By the Associated Press

AS in every year since the
competition was resumed after
the war, the finalists will be the
United States and Australia. In
1889 the last year before the war
interruption, the Americans also
played the Aussies. while the two
years before that it was the
United States VS.. Great Britain.
The United States hasn't been
out of the final since 1886.
Round Begins December 2S.
The challenge round this year
is scheduled for Melbourne on
December %, 20 and 80 and
there's no denying that the
Aussies will be favored to beat
the Yanks for the fourth year in
a row.
Trabert, on his present per-
formance, might defeat any
amateur in the world, but Seixas
still is a question mark. Tony
blasted Brichant all over the
court. This was the crucial
match. 1t was the one the
Americans had to win, for no
one knew if Seixas would i'm
prove over the miserable per-
formance he put up in losing
to Brichant two days before.
The University of Cincinnati
student left no doubt in any
ones mind that he was the mas
ter. He took just SO minutes
to dispose of Brichant, who
seemed bewildered by it all. In
the nine games he served in the
first two sets, Trabert lost only
six points and had four aces.
In the three matches covering
10 sets. he lost his service only
once.
Brichant, a 23-year-old auto
mobile salesman, tried to make
a match of it, but every time
ne got off a good shot, Trabert
would go him just one better.
Brichant won his own service to
start the match, but Trabert
came right back to win his at
love. Brichant won his second
delivery after being down 0-30.
Trabert then won his own by
slammlng home an ace on the
final point. That's how it was
all the way through. Brichant
looked as though he were TAX
ing lessons from a master.
Vic Shows Some improvement.
Seixas, of course, was not un-
der pressure since his match
with Washer was meaningless
insofar as the team winner was
concerned. Also, Washers sore
shoulder had been bothering
him and he didn't seem particu-
larly interested in winning.
Nonetheless, Seixas was eager
to atone for his defeat at the
hands of Brichant and he played
as though it were for the ma
tional championship. He i'm
proved to a degree, but his
strokes still were not those of
the Seixas who won the Wimble-
don championship.
He had trouble with his back
hand and, had Washer been dis
posed to take more advantage.
the Belgian might have made a
closer fight of it. AS it was,
Seixas fell behind, 80, in the
second set before he brought his
game under control to run it out.
The final set went strictly &C
cording to service until Washer
made two errors in the 18th
game with the score at deuce.
Then Seixas won his own de-
livery in the 14th game, although
he had two match points before
he managed to close it out.
<Trabert Nearing Peak.
Needless to say, the American
contingent was pleased.
Trabert said he hadn't reached
what he considered his peak yet.
Il felt fine, but I don't think
I played as we'll as I did at
Forest Hills the past summer" F."
he said. But I'm satisfied and
I think I'm getting there"
Captain Billy Talbert, who
played double himself yesterday
after benching Seixas. said he
thought Vic had shaken his
mental lethargy.
He now knows he has to
get off his launches and play
tennis" Talbert observed. Il
was pleased with his less tenta-
tive nature. That is, instead
of letting the ball play him, he
played the ball. He's not yet
as good as he should be against
Australia, but he's coming along.
Trabert is moving along just
right. He should be tough for
the challenge round"
Harry Hopman, the Australian
captain. didn't seem particularly
happy over Trabert's smashing
play. but when asked for COM
ment. he snapped:
Il have nothing to say. I'm
reserving my comment for my
newspaper column"
Hopman is a sports writer by
profession.
Pierre Geelhand, captain of
the Belgian team, said he ex-
pected the AuSsies to win the
cup. but that it wouldn't be easy
the way Trabert is playing.
Dinny Pals, the Australian
pro who helped coach the Bel
gianS, said the United States had
developed into a one-man team,
with Trabert the only hope of
winning any points.