Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09
TINE OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT THAT

NHE OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT THAT
l. will be held in this city beginning on Fri
day next promises to be one Of the most nota-
BILE events of the kind that has ever been known
in the history Of tennis in this part of the
country. Owing largely to the energy and per-
sevrence of Mr.. Thomas P. Borden q number
Of the leading tennis players Of the country
have entered for the tournament and the prizes
offered are as handsome if not hapdsomer than
those played for at the open tournament last
fall That is saying a good deal for the
prizes, but any one can see that they are
handsome who stops a moment before the
windows of Harris 4 Shafer, where they are
displayed. With the best players in the country
contending for really attractive and costly
prizes 1t Is quite evident that those who attend
the tournament next Friday on the grounds of
the Bachelor Club will witness an unusually
line exhibition of tennis. The local players
will contribute their best efforts to this exhi-
bitlon. As far as winning the prizes are con-
cerned they are not in it. 1t would be unreal
sonable to expect anything else, since they will
be called upon to meet the best players in the
country. But in spite of the hopeless prospect
which confronts them far the prizes are
concerned Washington will be largely repre-
sented in the tournament.
LEARNING FROM DEFEAT.
The players here early realized the important
truth that the only way to make progress in
the game is to play with experts. Although
defeated they found that they had received
more benefit by the knowledge gained of
methods Of playing than if they had won the
prizes. 1t is expected that there will be some
twenty entries in the singles made by the local
players and some six doubles will also
represent this city. The city players
are not in very good trim. In the
first place they have not been able to
Is that the general average of playing is below
the standard of last year. The coming week
must be devoted to faithful practice if the
players expect to make a decent record for
themselves in the tournament. Just now the
character of the play seen at the courts of the
Bachelor Club, is in the expressive language of
one of the racquet handlers rotten" There
has been no systematic practice on the part of
any one player and the result is seen in the
games.
MAY MAKE GOOD RECORD.
There is, Of course, no prospect that any
Washington player will stand much show for
the prizes offered in the singles, but it is gen.
orally thought that there is a chance of making
a good record in the doubles Some are conf
dent enough to predict that it will be possible
to retain the second prize in doubles in this
city. With this in view there has been q good
deal of discussion among the players as to the
best double team that can be made up from the
available material No definite action has yet
been reached, it is stated, although all are anx-
ious for the credit of tennis here that the
best possible doubles will be arranged. Just
now the arrangement Of the leading doubles is
as follows: Mr.. McCawley is playing with Mr..
Davidson and Mr.. Borden with Mr.. Woodward.
The Peter brothers will play together as usual
and SO will the Willoughby brothers. MIR. R.
B. Goodfellow, who is not in good form, owing
to lack of practice, is playing with Mr.. w. b.
Chiffon, young player of promise Mr.. Simms
will play with Mr.. Cronin. These are the
doubles at present, and whether there will be
changes and new combinations made before
the tournament is uncertain. At any rate the
players are willing to make every effort to Sc
cure this result.
NIB. o. 8. CAMPBELL.
large share of the popular interest in the
tournament will naturally center on Mr.. o. s.
Campbell, the champion tennis player OF this