1938-10-29 — Page 20

THE CHINA MAIL, OCTOBER 29, 1988.

Jean Borotra's Ninth

DEFEATS D. W. BUTLER FOR COVERED COURTS CHAMPIONSHIP

THE MAGICIAN'S WAND VERY

MUCH IN EVIDENCE

(By AIR MAIL,

London, October 17..

There was indeed a full house at Queen's Club yesterday. Every seat in the stands and galleries was packed, and people sat on the floor all along the side of the court. Everybody was anxious to see whether Jean Borotra-as big a favourite at Queen's as at Wimble- don-could pull off his ninth victory in the covered courts cham- pionship singles, and so add still further to his lead over anyone who had ever won it before.

All through the week Borotra had been playing well, defeating in succession C. M. Jones and M. D. Deloford, though dropping a set to each of them. Now he had to face a third and, perhaps, the best young English player, D. W. Butler.

Opinions varied as to Butler's chance, but the general feeling was that Borotra, even giving away eleven years, would prove the mas- ter. But, in any case, a match be- tween two of the fastest men about a court could not fall to be interest- ing.

Borora won, but not by any means in a hollow fashion: in- deed, there was one time in the third set when it seemed as if he might not win at all. He be- gan at the top of his form,` while Butler could not, except for a few service aces, find his at all, with the result that Borotra won a love set in less than a quarter of an hour, his racket seeming more than ever to possess the qualities of a magician's magnetic wand in attracting the ball tb it wherever its holder might be.

Title

Jean Borotra, the evergreen, won the Queen's Club Covered Courts Title for the ninth consecutive time to establish an all-time record.

British

Rugby Team's Fine Tour

BEST IN S. AFRICA FOR THIRTY YEARS

(By ROWE HARDING).

LONDON, SEPTEMBER 27.

being left over to Monday. In one of these matches Mrs. McKelvie, now returning to the form she seemed to have lost, defeated Miss Harvey, who had had a very heavy week's play. In the other Miss M. C. Scriven, the holder, was opposed by the diminutive Chinese girl, Miss

The Gem Hoahing.

little girl,

THE BRITISH TEAM WHICH HAS BEEN TOURING SOUTH though she fought bravely never gave up trying, could not cope AFRICA IS NOW HOMEWARD BOUND, AFTER A STRENUOUS with the pace of Miss Scriven's | PROGRAMME OF MATCHES WHICH WAS FULFILLED WITH forehead drive, which, from any- INFINITE CREDIT TO THE 29 PLAYERS WHO TOOK PART IN where between the baseline and IT. service line, was hit like lightning into the corners.

and

I must confess I had no great confidence in the team which set out four months ago on the most difficult and arduous of all Rugby Men's Singles-Final: J. Borotra tours. It was by no means representative of the best in British BUTLER RALLIES

beat D. W. Butler, 6-0, 4-6, 6-4, Rugby. How could it be when players like Wooller, Dick, Moran, 6-2.

Cliff Jones, Shaw, and many of the outstanding forwards of last ́ Women's Singles. Semi-final: Mrs. He missed two or three volleys R. D. McKelvie beat Miss E. H. Har season were unable to make the journey? early in the second set, and Butler, vey, 6-3, 6-3; Miss M. C. Scriven with some perfect lobs, went to (holder) beat Miss G. C. Hoahing, 6-1,

62. 2-1. Attacking more vigorously Women's Doubles-Semi-final: Miss than ever, Borotra went to 4-2, E. M. Dearman and Miss J. Ingram though he nearly dropped the sixth beat Miss E. H. Harvey and Miss P. from game after he had been 40-love in O'Connell, 2–6, 6–2, 6–4

The opposition to be met was any British team of the last 30. the strongest in the world. Had years, with 24 matches played;: 17 Points for, 414; not the Springboks team just won, and 7 lost.

a triumphal progress against. 268.

KEY PLAYERS INJURED through New Zealand? Then

three Test there were the handicaps impos- True, two of the it. Then Butler pulled out his best

jed by the nature of the country matches were lost, but having re- brilliant game, took the next game to love

and the climate, long journeys, gard, to the injuries to with four service aces, and, with volleys as brilliant as Borotra's Following his brilliant victory over hard grounds, and trying condi- players like McCrae, Clement, and own, got on terms and went on to Hans Lazak in Germany, it is practitions of altitude and tempera- Jenkins, it was a great, achievement

cally certain that some big English ture.

to win even one Test match against in take the set at 64. Still serving boxing promoter will sign up Walter well he kept in front in the third set Neusel for a series of fights in Eng- All these things, and the melan- a team which was regarded

British South Africa as the best that ever up to 3-2, but after three all drop-land. In the Lazek battle Neusel choly record of -the last ped his service. This proved fatal. showed more cleverness as a boxer, team, stified optimism. Yet Walker's represented the Union.

and made his opponent miss by bob

Conditions at Johnnesburg, the He only won one more game in, the bing and weaving.

side returns with the best record of

venue of the first Test match, are set, Borotra smashing with decisive

notoriously trying for a touring. power, and quite himself again,

team, because of the high altitude. In

that match, too, the British were without Travers, the hooker, and the key man of the side. The British defeat by 26-12 was, therefore, not surprising.

Spurred on by his success, Boro- tra pursued a more energetic at- tack than ever in the fourth set, and was soon 3-love, and, later, 51. Butler had one last flicker in winning his service to love in the seventh game, but Borotra gave him no chances in the next, and went. out, to thunders of applause, with a characteristic forehand volley into the corner. His volleying and overhead work all through had been reminiscent of his very best days; but it was his superior return of service that won him the match Plus, of course, his amazing activity: nobody could hayé dreamt that he had damaged a leg so much in a ski-ing accident last wintar that he had been half upor months. The man, short, is just

miracle.

"GEM", BEATEN

WHITEAWAY'S

FOR"

BLANKETS

ALL WOOL COLOURED BLANKETS,

FINE GRADE WOOL. SIZE 60′′ x 80" Price $10.75 ALL WOOL AIR-CEL BLANKETS,

CHARMING SHADES OF ROSE, GREEN, BLUE,

· GOLD OR CAMEL. SİZE 63" x 84′′ - ALL WOOL WITNEY BLANKETS,

each.

$16.25 each.

OF SUPERIOR QUALITY, ALL WHITE AND WITH CLOSE WHIPPING.

From $13.75 each.

SUPER MERINO WOOL BLANKETS,

IMPOSSIBLE TO BUY BETTER. ENDS BOUND WITH WIDE RIBBON // | ||

$37.50 each.

team

TROPICAL HEAT

The loss of the second. Test match, 8 wwas at Port Elizabeth, by 19- unexpected and disappointing, but apparently the match was played in a tropical heat, which placed the British players,

8, unaccustomed to such conditions, under a grave fis advantage.

The third Test match, at Cape Town, resulted in a British victory [by 19--16; and has been described as the most brilliant, and thrilling game ever played in South Africa. Thay The dazzling speed and of the British passing wa

Only the ehl-anals of the WHITEAWAY, LAIDLAW & CO. LTD. ure of the team's play, which ap

paaled most to the flout