The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-24
LAIN TENNIS.
Larned Defeated by Nisbet in the somi-Flnal,
OF the Championship.

Larned Defeated by Nisbei In the senii-Final,
OF the Championship.
NEWPORT, Aug. 23.-Larned went down once
more here this morning in the championship
lawn tennis tournament. lie was beaten by
Nisbot, one of the team OF British experts who
are struggling for tho American championship,
after he had the match within his grasp. The
American won the first two scts with ease,
and in the third needed only one stroke for the
match In straight sets. Tho EnRlishman. how
ever, played wonderfully. and his steadiness
finally pulled out of the fire what seemed to he
n hopclcssly lost match. Both OF the players
complained severely OF tho weather and tho
softness OF the championship court, but the poor
conditions seemed TO affect Larned more than
the visitor.
Despite all drawbacks the quality OF the sport
was very high, and as both men are brilliant
players. rather than safe ones. an unusually
large proportion of the points was earned by
passes. Nisbet's severe service and swift ground
strokes seemed little Affected by the soft
ness OF tho turf. while many Of Larned's
drop strokes landed in the not, because
the balls became water-soaked and heavy after
they had been played with a few minutes. The
defeat of the American, it must be admitted,
was partially due to his nervousness at critical
points In the match. One curious feature OF tho
match WAS that Larned scored more games and
more points than his opponent, although his
percentage U l cuTUtu blIOhCo Nub W imam
his usual scores show.
In the first set the server won his game each
time up TO three-all, when the American stopped
the foreigner on the seventh game after deuce
had been called seven times, and then ran out the
set with two ensy games. In the second set Ms
straight. After dropping one more Larned took
the seventh and eighth games and the set, 90,
taking what seemed to DO q winning lead. All
went smooth tor the American in the third set
until five-four had lbccn reached in his favor.
In the games that followed a double fault by
Nisbet gave n lead of 1910 to Larned. with the
Engllshman serving. and on tho next point a
bad decision deprived the American OF his first
chance OF the match.
There was no contention about the ball, how
ever. except for Larneds surprised exclamation
when the decision was made against him. and a
moment later the American player once more
was within a single stroke Of victory. The second
tn net. Larned took tho vantage game after
losing the tenth in this set, but Nishct evencd
% nns tSe s @P s esS sm? : m BotG n. aater a Mere ln pnsh fns
to the net at ever Play, and they came In even
on second services.
When the fourth set began the Establishments
stcadiness in the volleying, that was bound to
occur in thi, style OF tennis, began to tel! on the
the match Three.i, "a. and SO were
f Garsda i" rt ,eGer of Himself shS yI'i'G ior and an the Sp n
bill ns dna HE he pulled lied rce out T. the he next mex .t two
at tve.all in the tenth game. but slipped up,
the match at Two sets ali. Oddly enough. the
Again the Britisher lost The frst and Won
the next three games. AS before, the fifth
game went. to Larned. and then a and
81 were called for the foreigner. Again
Larned rallied for a last stand and won two
games in succession, but rs before he could not
get closer than e.. and the last game went to
Nisbet on two clever volleyed passes, an out and
a netted ball. Larned had lost his nerve for
three or four games in this set nnd recovered II
too late to save the match.
On another court at the time DR.. Eavcs was
beating Leo Ware in the other semi final match
with the greatest of ease. Wares friends had
expected him to make n good showing againsl
the crack English player. but he disa ppointed
them, and was beaten worse than either Pare'
or Budlong. each of whom got a set from the
foreigner. Ware managed to get only six game;
clared that 1t WAS impossible for him to run or
the slippery court.
The two Englishmen, Eaves and Nisbet, will
meet In the final round OF the all-comers to
morrow morning. and the winner will NEE
Champion Bob Wrenn on Wednesday in tn,
challenge match for the American champion
ship. Wrenn has been practicinG steadily fol
the st. George Cricket Club courts, Hoboken
and he is said to. be in the best form
he has ever shown. He reached Newport yes
terday, and practiced this afternoon on tn,
Casino courts with his brother George. Thos,
on the inside feel very confident that he will re
peat his victory OF 1894, when he saved thu
championship for America by beating Goodbody
the Britisher. in the challenge round. Summary
Championship sinEles-Semi.nna round-H. A
DR.. W. V. Eaves heat L. +. Ware. 60. 90. O..
Consolation S!rgles-Semi.hnal round-R. n. THU
Der beat Ralph McKittrick. 30, 6-2. 0-3. Fina
round-c. p. Dodge beat II. D. Thurber. 81, 60.