Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28

usually opens at st. Augustine, and then
tournaments occur at periods becoming
mere frequent, ending with the great ALL
corners tournament at the Cosino at New
port.
To win the Ail-comers' II the dream Of
every player who Is styled crack" and
every nerve Is strained and every effort
put forward to enable him to make the
best possible showing at this. the greatest
of all tournaments. For there the fair
daughters OF Americas most exclusive So
ciety gather around the courts and cheer
their favorites on to victory. And there,
1t might be well to add, the youthful player
has universal support, while the veteran
must merit by some brilliant stroke or
return the appreciation Of the spectators.
The tennis season that closed at Newport
last August was certainly one of the many
surprises and disappointments. And for
brilliant tennis, the All-comers tourna-
ment of last year has probably never been
eQualed.
Hobart and His LawfOrd.
The beginning of the season found Clar-
encs Hobart the strong favorite, and
favorite he remained until his crushing
defeat at the hands Of Fred Hovey in
the semi-final round at Newport. Hobarts
style Of play catches the crowd. He il
probably the only crack who uses effec-
lively and exclusively the Lawford stroke.
To make this stroke one must hit the ball
just before It drops to the ground. with q
straight-arm, under-hand stroke. at the
same time drawing up your racket. This
gives the ball q twist, and It passes Just
over the net with terrific force, but instead
OF going out Of court, as q person unac-
customed TO the game imagines 1t will,
the twist drops 1t into the court. In other
i On-ba AalfvaraA
by a pitcher. and the principle is the same.
Hobart vent through the season with but
four defeats against him, three of which
not being entirely merited by his opponents.
Malcolm Chace, Budlong and wrenn, the
present champion. He had also defeated
Fred Hovey several times, but each defeat
showed deuce sets. and Hovey's game I'M
proved while Hobart reached the top-1otch
Of his play even before the double cham
pionship was played in Chicago.
Reference might well be made at this
point TO this double tournament held at
Chicago In July. Hobart and Hovey con-
tested with the pairs from Chicago and the
PACING slope and easily defeated them.
Ihen came the match in which Campbell
endeavored to defend their title and thus
secure the two elegant loving cups offered
by the association for the pair holding the
championship three years. But Hobart and
Hovey played like clockwork and won from
their opponents three sets to one At New
port during the week OF the All-comers' tour
nament these present champions will be
called upon to defend their title, and, IL
they are In the best Of form, there can be
little doubt but that the victory win be
theirs.
Among the Has-Beens.
The All-comers' tournament might well
have been termed q surprise party. and in
1t the prophecies of the knowing ones were
blasted. In the first place. the Hall BROTH
ers, Sam. Chase, the western champion. and
Richard Stevens were quietly laid away on
the shelf among the has beens"and In no
future tournament will they ever be counted
upon as factors. Then the mighty Hobart,
universally selected as the coming cham
pion, was defeated in a great match by
Fred. Hovey. Hovey was then lauded as
the coming champion, no one considering
for moment that Wrenn would cut any
and az a result Hovey was beaten; the All
corners wfnner was Wrenn, and upon
Campbelps refusal to defend his title this
youthful crack became champion Of Amer
lea.
The finest tennis Of the tournament and
the greatest tennis ever played upon the
Casino courts since the days Of Richard
Sears was that Of the Hovey- Hobart match.
| while the game of Hovey was phenomenal
and he defeated Hobart by the score OF
I'd. 60 6-3. Again and again did Hobart
place his beautiful Lawford stroke, but
Hovey at the net with movements as quick
as cat returned every ball and in the end
had Hobart at his mercy Many have
termed Hovey the quickest man on the ten
mis- court and the most brilliant Of Ameri-
cas- cracks, and. undoubtedly. he IL entitled
to all the compliments paid him. But why
did Wrenn defeat him? Why do our cham
pion ball teams go down before the tail
| have neglected to put on their Dating
Clothes" and the latter put UP the most
brilliant Of games, which they are capable
of repeating only at very prolonged inter
vals
The Champions Future.
But the writer would not deteriorate our
champions ability. He Is a remarkable
player. but has risen too quickly, having
| played practically only two seasons, and
| lacks the experience necessary to defend
the championship. Tennis ethics will not
permit him to enter the various tourna.
ments that he may acquire the standard OF
| play which he will so greatly need when
| called upon to defend his title next August
| and the chances are that his glory will be
| short-lived. He was repeatedly beaten last
season in various tournaments and he mar
rowly escaped defeat at the hands Of Marion
Wright, an inferior player, in the All.
But what Of the season before us7 1t was
announced last season that Hovey and Ho-
| bart would play no more. Hovey is now
| engaged in the practice Of law in Boston,
| and Hobart Is in business, so it is unlik. civ
| that either will make the tennis circuit this
season. But Newton Centre, Hovey's home
| Is a tennis town. and doubtless Hovey
will get his hand in before he Is
called upon to defend his title in
] doubles with Hobart. Inasmuch as
the all-comers' tournament occurs the
same week that they must defend their
double championship, both Of these players
may enter, and then let the aspiring cracks
| beware. Haunted by his defeat at the
hands of Wrenn, Hovey will probably play
the game Of his life, and should he win the
| all-comers, as he doubtlessly will, Wrenn
had better look to his laurels.
| Day of Young Players.
There are two young players who will Gu,
quite figure at Newport this season; they
are WAl Larned and Malcolm Chace
Larned's play Is somewhat Of the style O,
Hobart's and in the all-comers he forced
Hobart to play q hve-set match and Their
nearly wrested the honors from the New
| Workers. grasp. Malcolm Chace has been
| termed the boy wonder, inasmuch as he ha,
sons past, and Is now but eighteen years OF
| age He Is q graceful earnest player and
| his defeat of Hobart last year, together with
| his hve-set match with Larned in the all.
| Corners. places him in the first rank
| He easily won the intercollegiate tourna.
| ment at New Haven last fall, 30 he now
| has the honor of being intercollegiate cham.
| pion. and II he continues to improve this
year, as he undoubtedly will his chances
| for success at Newport are very rosy In
| looking over the tennis fixtures for the com.
| ing season one IL Immediately impressed
with the unusually large number OF invita-
| ton tournaments. These events came into
| vogue only q season or two ago and are up.
| held and encouraged by many lovers Of the
game, but others condemn the practice and