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Background: WITH THE FLAG-WAVING CROWD ROARING AND CHANTING SUPPORT VILAS SWEPT THROUGH THE FIRST SET IN IMMACULATE STYLE. AFTER A COUPLE OF RANGE-FINDING GAMES HE BEGAN TO ATTACK REMORSELESSLY AND DENT COULD FIND NO ANSWER TO HIS POWER AND PRECISION.

THE AUSTRALIAN, SLOW TO FIND HIS TOUGH IN DRY BUT CHILLY CONDITIONS, SLUMPED FORM 2-2 TO LOSE THE FIRST SET 2-6. TWO MORE QUICK SERVICE BREAKS PUT VILLAS 4-1 UP IN THE SECOND SET AND SEEMINGLY WELL ON THE WAY TO AN EASY WIN.

BUT DENT STEADIED HIMSELF AND IMMEDIATELY BROKE VILAS' SERVE, HELD HIS OWN AND DRAMATICALLY BROKE AGAIN TO SQUARE THE SET AT 4-4. HIS BIG FIRST SERVE, SO WAYWARD EARLIER, WAS NOW THUMPING IN, HIS VOLLEYING WAS CRISP AND HIS GROUND SHOTS DEEP AND CLOSE TO THE LINES.

HE HELD HIS OWN SERVICE TO LEAD 5-4 AND CLINCHED THE SECOND SET BY BREAKING VILAS' SERVE FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE TIME.

IN THE THIRD SET VILAS JUMPED OFF INTO A 1-0 LEAD, PRODUCING A PERFECT PASSING SHOT OFF THE BACKHAND TO BREAK DENT'S SERVICE. BUT THE AUSTRALIAN CAME BACK AT ONCE. SQUARED THINGS AT 2-2 AND LED 3-2.

VILAS REFUSED TO BE RATTLED AND MAINTAINED HIS IRON CONCENTRATION DESPITE THE PRESSURE AND THE NOW RATHER ANXIOUS EXHORTATIONS OF HIS OWN FANS.

GAMES MEANT WITH SERVICE UNTIL 5-5 WHEN VILAS PUT IN A SUSTAINED ATTACK TO BREAK DENT AND LEAD 6-5. THE AUSTRALIAN THEN LOST HIS GRIP AND HIT THREE SIMPLE BASELINE DRIVES WELL OUT TO LET THE ARGENTINE THROUGH FOR THE SET AT 7-5.

IN THE FOURTH SET DENT'S RESISTANCE CRUMBLED AND ALTHOUGH VILAS. AFTER LEADING 4-0 AND 5-2. WAVERED TO DROP HIS OWN SERVICE FOR 5-3. HE TOOK DENT'S NEXT SERVICE GAME TO CLINCH THE MATCH.

IN THE SECOND SINGLES AUSTRALIA'S JOHN ALEXANDER WAS PLAYING RICARDO CANO OF ARGENTINA.

GUILLERMO VILAS GAVE ARGENTINA THEIR EXPECTED FLYING START IN THE DAVIS CUP SEMIFINAL AGAINST AUSTRALIA HERE TODAY WHEN HE BEAT PHIL DENT 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 IN THE OPENING SINGLES.

BUT VILAS HAD TO SURVIVE A SPIRITED RALLY BY DENT IN THE MIDDLE SETS OF A MATCH WHICH LASTED ALMOST THREE AND A HALF HOURS BEFORE VICTORY BROUGHT THE WILD ACCLAIM OF 7,000 FANS PACKED INTO THE CENTRE COURT OF THE BUENOS AIRES LAWN TENNIS CLUB.

FINALLY IT WAS VILAS' GREATER STEADINESS COMBINED WITH ERRORS BY DENT AT VITAL POINTS WHICH SWAYED THE MATCH IN FAVOUR OF THE LONG HAIRED ARGENTINE, WHO HAS MAKING HIS FIRST APPEARANCE HERE SINCE TAKING THE U.K. OPEN TITLE FROM JIMMY CONNORS FIVE DAYS AGO.

IT WAS VILAS 41ST CONSECUTIVE VICTORY IN INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION.

IN THE SECOND SINGLES AUSTRALIA'S JOHN ALEXANDER QUICKLY STIFLED THE JOY OF THE CROWD WITH A 6-3, 6-0, 6-0 DEMOLITION OF ARGENTINE NUMBER TWO RICARDO CANO TO LEVEL THE TIE AT ONE MATCH ALL.

ALEXANDER ATTACKED THE NET AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY AND HIS POWERFUL SERVE AND VOLLEY GAME WAS ALTOGETHER TOO MUCH FOR THE YOUNG ARGENTINE.

THE MATCH WAS REALLY DECIDED IN THE SECOND GAME OF THE FIRST SET, WITH CANO SERVING AT 0-1. UNDER PRESSURE THROUGHOUT FROM THE SPEEDY ALEXANDER. CANO FOUGHT MIGHTILY TO HOLD HIS SERVE BUT FINALLY LOST A GAME WHICH WENT TO FOUR DEUCES.

THE ARGENTINE PRODUCED A SERIES OF SUPERB PASSING SHOTS TO SAVE VITAL POINTS BUT PROMPTLY SPOILED THINGS FOR HIMSELF BY METTING OF HITTING OUT ON THE NEXT POINT.

FROM THEN ON HIS GAME DETERIORATED AND HIS BREAK OF A LOOSE SERVICE GAME OF ALEXANDER'S TO REDUCE THE DEFICIT TO 5-2, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE THE LAST GAME HE WON IN THE MATCH.