Evening star., 1900-08-09
Americans Successful Over English
men in First Days Play.
CLOSING DAY At BRI TON
Fitz and Rubin Knock Off Training
and Are Ready for the Fray.
GENERAL REVIEW OF SPORTS

At the end of the first days play In the
| international tennis tournament at Long
wood. Mass. yesterday the American team
lacked only one point of the three neces-
I'sary to keep the Davis bowl in this coun-
try for the ensuing year.
|; NJ. D. Whitman, champion of America In
singles. and D. F. Davis, his rival for
highest tennis honors during the last two
years. both beat their English opponents,
A. w. Gore and E. D. Black. decisively.
The American players, though both more
than ten years younger than the visitors.
far excelled them in generalship and in
fineness and variety OF strokes The En-
glishmen both forced their game from the
start, in the hope Of firing out their op-
ponents, but the latter played steadily
throughout and finished In fine form. In
both matches the service was the factor
which contributed most to the defeat of the
visiting players. Gore and Black declared
last evening that one who was unfa-
miliar with their service could win from
Whitman or Davis. This service is some
thing which the American players have
cultivated this season. The stroke Is ex-
tremely high and swift and the cut is SO
marked that it is almost impossible to
judge the bound.
Gore is the greatest baseline player in
England yet Whitman followed the same
o. 6-3. 1t is no exaggeratfon to say that
Whitman had his opponent at his mercy
all through the match. but the Englishman
showed great pluck and played every point
to the death
Gore played from the baseline through
out, and his terrific side drive just over
the net was an admirable feature of the
play. He used the short cross court stroke
very little and scarcely attempted a vol
ley during the match. Although Whitman
played much from the baseline, he occa-
sionally ran to the net and smashed or
cross courted for a critical point 1t was
this aggressive head work and the variety
of his strokes that enabled him to beat the
Englfshman so deciSively.
Davis match with Black was much more
closely contested. and the result was in
doubt up to the last stroke. 1t was bril-
liant tennis on the part of both players
but Davis displayed by far the better gen
eralship His varied strokes were never
before seen to such advantage. Frequent
ly he followed up a terrific smash with the
easiest little stroke imaginable, which at
times quite nonplussed his opponent His
service was even more effectively than
Williams. In the first set he secured four
service aces, and Black was continually
pocketed in his efforts to return the serv-
ice. In the back-hand stroke Black was
clearly superior to Davis. The former
played very fast game from the start.
with the intention evidently of playing
Davis off his feet. Davis. however. play
ed a steady match. and finished apparent
ly none the worse for the hard pace.
The match in doubles between Ward and
Davis and Black and Barrett are being
played this afternoon. and If the American
champions win the cup will remain on this
side for another year. The result of yes
terday's matches in singles has increased
the confidence felt in the American pair.
and the odds are easily 3 to 2 In their
favor. The final matches in singles. Whit
man Black and Davis VS.. Gore. will
be played tomorrow, even though Ward
and Davis win the doubles today.