The San Francisco call., 1899-09-07
FINE PLAY OF
SUMNER HARDY
AT DEL MONTE
Californian Loses to Dwight Davis
at Tennis, but Shows Ex-
ceIIent Form.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

DEL MONTE, Sept. 6.-The singles
championship tournament between the
Pacific and Atlantic tennis magnates Is
at an end. Out OF sixteen matches played
the Westerners have captured two, both
by the skillful playing of Sumner Hardy
who demonstrated his ability to-day in
no mean fashion. After a gruellinG
match played yesterday afternoon with
Whitman. the champion of the United
States, he forced Dwight Davis, who
ranks second on the list of tennis top
notchers, to extend his prowess in a five
set match. Sumner Hardy has proved
his right to be classed with the best the
country has produced, and nothing but
praise for his clever racket play is heard
at Del Monte tonight.
Davis, although topped by Whitman in
Eastern championship tournaments, is
q harder man for the Westerners in .en-
mis- strife than is the champion himself
His style Of play is different from any
thing TO which they are accustomed. He
is a veritable Trojan, ever on the war
path, and always looking for subjects OF
slaughter. His terrific smashing and mer-
ciless drives won his matches from the
Pacific Coast men before the game had
fairly started.
But II was different in the case OF Sum
ner Hardy. This was the last contest OF
the day and the sole real struggle of the
tournament. Previous to this match
Hardy had disposed of Ward and Wright
the two lesser lights Of the Eastern ten
mis- armament. It was predicted by all
that the battle would be we'll worth see
ing and the court on Winch II was played
was crowded when game was called.
Sumner Hardy began his play with all
the nerve he has demonstrated in the
Pacific Coast tournament. In rapid sue
cession he won the first four games. The
spectators stood aghast and were left IN
mental whirl. for Davis had not lost a
single set in his other three matches with
George Whitney, Sam Hardy and Robert
n Whitney.
Then came the expected change. Davis
won the following game. The sixth game
was for Hardy, the seventh for Davis and
the eighth was the Westerner's, bringing
the set with it. Hardys playing was
superb-Just enough aggression and pre-
those cleaVing smashes that worked such
havoc with all Hardy's confreres. Davis
vas, distressed at the result, but he came
pack to the fight with a vigor that won
MIN the two next Sets-6-4, IS
With two sets against him, Sumner
Hardy, fortified by the wise counsel of
his friends and a determination to do
something, played as he has never PLAYED
before. Davis could not find his returns
and was passed repeatedly on the lines
Not game did the Fastener get in this
of all the coast contingent
BY this time Davis was footsore, and
he took the full advantage of the time
allowed before the final set. Every cir
cumStance and condition pointed to a
winning by Hardy, but it was not to be-
He lost his pace Davis regained the old
dash and vigorous style and the young
man from Oakland was defeated bv a
score Of 81. 1t was the real contest of
the tournament and evoked all the latent
enthusiasm in the guests who had been
fondly waittnp two long days for
chance 70 display it.
Sam Hardy comes in for great
amount of praise. In his match with
W Nhitman, when two easy sets were regis
tered against him. he switched tracks and
forced some unpleasant medicine down
the throat Of the champion Of his coun-
try. Hardy won the set, e. but lost the
next by the same score This was the
hardest drubbing Champion Whitman re-
celved during the entire tournament.
IN the morning Sumner Hardy beat
Ward three straight setS-6-3, 60 s.
an evident surprise, but Hardy was in
form and his nerve was with him.
The great surprise of the tournament
as far as Westerners were concerned
was the easy manner IN which George
Whitney, the Pacific Coast champion
was defeated by all the Easterners
Whitney is certainly not playing in form.
and his work yesterday and to-day
showed it. The tennis seen to-day on the
Del Monte courts was so far superior to
anything that has ever been played in
California that there is no comparison
Yesterday was the nervous test for the
local racket-wielders, as their PLAYING in
the final matches showed.
Tomorrow morning the doubles cham
pionship will begin, in which Wright and
Whitman, and Davis and Ward the lat
ter the doubles champions of America,
will enter. This should prove more sue
cessful than the singles, as these two
teams are more evenly matched with
the Whitney and Hardy brothers than
are the individual players in singles
The scores of the games to-day are:
Mornng-Wrght beat Sam Hardy Ga
6-l Sc.
Davis beat R. n. Whitney So, 60, 6-1
Sumner Hardy beat Ward, 6-3, Co. 6-3
Whitman beat George whitney. 6-1, So 60.
Afternoon games-Whitman beat Sam Hardy.
6-l so 2-6 60.
Wright beat R. n. Whitney, so. s-s. s-2.
Ward beat George Whitney, 6-2 6-l 6-1
Davis beat Sumner Hardy, 2-6, Ga, 6-S
0-6 6-l.