The morning call., 1891-07-05
AGAIN WITHOUT
A TENNIS PEER.
c. p. Hubbard Fails to Lower
W. Ii. Taylor's COlors,
But Struggles Bravely Against the Odds.
Four Hard-Fought Sets Necessary to
Decide the Question.

The tennis tournament is over and w. IT,
Taylor has once more demonstrated his su-
rerority to the other local players and justi-
fled his right to the title of champion for
another year.
1t was hot at San Rafael yesterday-hot
for the spectators who looked on from the
shelter Of the stands, and hotter for the
players. who were strainng every nerve
under the blazing sun. The heat, in fact,
and the hard work he has done during the
two preceding days thoroughly exhausted
Hubbard. the winner of the All Corners Cup,
and he had to call on all his gameness in the
last set of the match for the championship.
The spectators gathered early and in
| larger numbers than on the two pre-
| ced1ng days, During the progress of the
| champion ship match nearly every available
! seat was hiled, and rows of neatly appointed
! turnOuts were drawn up wherever their oc-
cupants Ould obtain a fair view of the
| game.
The ball was started by C. p. Hubbard
ana Vernon Gray, who finished off the un-
| completed round of the All-COmers' Cup
| competition. The game had been abau-
| doned on the preceding evening with Hub
| bard the winner OF one set by games TO 5,
| and with three games to his credit in the
second to his opponents one game. Grav
| who had made good struggle on the pre-
| cedlng evening seemed out of form, and
Hubbard took the match and the privilege
| of meeting the champion by score of 7-5,
g. 6-1.
The event of the tournament was fixed
Tor o'clock, and the interval was filled up
| by the playing of an impromptu arranged
consolation tournament This was quickly
| carried through, the players being drawn in
| pairs and each match decided by single
set.
The championship match proved better
struggle than was expected, Hubbard max
Ing good fight against his famous ad-
versary. He was decidedly nervous at the
start, and hardly did himself justice in
the first set. But his play improved
later and was up TO the form he has shown
In the earlier part of the tournament.
Taylor, on the other hand, was as cool as
an Iceberg, and the only sign he showed of
the slightest interest in the result was a
habit of pacing back and forth along the
back of the court whenever there was a
pause in the game.
Both players got a tremendous reception
as they appeared on. the court. The pre-
liminaries were quickly settled, ana Tay-
lor, who won the choice of courts, at once
selected the southern one. Then the hum
of conversation died out as Hubbard raised
MS racket 10 serve, and the match for the
championship of 1851 was started. Hub
bard won TIE first two strokes, and applause
came loud and long from the Oakland con-
tIngent But the Lakeside man was over
anxious and, after deuce had been called,
twice in succession.
The next two games were also taken by
Taylor. Hubbard losing two strokes III sue
cession by putting the ball out of court,
and it began to be said that Taylor would
win lone set.
Hubbard. however, showed improved
form in the next game, the hardest fought
OF the set, the score going five times to
deuce before Hubbard won by a hard
smash of great return of Taylor's. The
bu
Taylor by superior placing
Hubbard brought off two of his fayorte
slde-line places in the sixth, winning the
game, the last he was to secure for TAYLOR
placed with great Judgment and took the
next two games with ease, winning the first
set By games TO l.
There. was great struggle for the first
game of the next set, Hubbard winning
after the score had gone to deuce four
times. The second game also took
some time TO decide, but was won
by Taylor, who then ran right out,
securing the last set by one of the
prettiest strokes of the tournament, Rub
bard lo6bed the bali well into the bnek of
court. Taylor at first decided to leave it
alone, but, realizing that it would fall in
court, made dash, and just reaching the
ball, returned it over his shoulder.
The play had so far been disappointing
from spectators point of view. Both con-
testants had played with great caution and
did not seem to care to let themselves out
Taylor had already shown his wonderful
judgment and the precision with which he
seemed to be able TO decide where ball
would fall the instant it left his opponents
racket. His quick eye and rapid decision
were never at fault and he always seemed
to know when not to waste his strength by
irving for balls which were out of reach,
Throughout lie played an almost exclusively
volleylng game and his opponent was not
often able to get ball over his head. His
accurate placing and head-work made any
opening afforded him fatal.
HubDard's service was not as strong as in
the matches he has previously played and
he confined himself for the most part to lob
bing, taking advantage of any opportunity
to smash. One rally was much like its sue
cessor, Hubbard lobbing the bail over the
net and Taylor moving calmly about his
court and volleying the ball back with ap-
parenty little effort until one got an opportu-
nifty to out-maneuyer his opponent or the
other to bring off the Renshaw stroke. Go,
6-l In favor of the champion looked bad for
Hubbard, and more than one additional set
was not looked for. But the unexpected
happened, and cheers and counter. counter
for the two players punctuated the whole
set Each won alternate games until the
score stood three all, and thea Hubbard
added two more and seemed to have the
cinch on the set.
The next two games were won by TAYLOR
Hubbard only scoring one stroke in each.
The score was now games all" and the
sDtItdlOio Ntit WOIh up 70 great Dltcn
Of excitement, the cheers for Hubbard be-
ing drowned in the ''rah, rah, rah, Taylor
OF the California Club men.
Hubbard was playing his last chance and
rose to the occasion. Twice in succession
he Out-maneuveIed Taylor and got in his
favorite strokes, smash and a good side
line place, and then won the set after good
rally by again putting the ball out of reach
Taylor retaliated in the next game with
some fine placing aud won the first two
strokes, but Hubbard played up with great
determination and ran right out, winning
his first set by 7-5.
1t proved to be the only one, for though
the score in the next stood % and after
ward 30 in his favor, the next three games
went to Taylor.
The last game led to a great struggle. al
though Hubbard was plainly PLAYED com
pletey out and leaned weariedly on his
racket whenever he had an opportunity.
Deuce was called eight times before TAYLOR
was declared the victor and chared into the
dressing-r0Om.
The handsome trophies were then pres
ented to the coast champion, w. II. TAYLOR,
and the winner of the All Corners CUP, c.
P. Hubbard, by w. Mayo Newhal, President
OF the California Tennis Association, amid
cheers given for Taylor, Hubbard and the
California Club.