Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-23
SANDERSON WINS TOURNEY
Galcsburg Nan Lands Championship in
Tennis Singles.
FARNswoRrH BEATEN BY A VETERAN
Grand Island Player lakes Hard
Fight for the Honor, but HIS
Pluck IL Not Supported by
sumciept strength.


F. r. Sanderson OF Galesburg, Ill, de-
feated Earl Farnsworth Of Grand Island,
Neb., in the final round Of the champion
ship singles In the interstate tennis tour
ney at the Field club Friday evening, after
a long-drawn-ou struggle, the score being,
s-6, Ga. lie, 6-s, 6-1.
The match was the most stubbornly con-
tested Of the tournament, and by winning
II sanderson takes the handsome loving
cup, which was in 1901 the challenge cup,
but which this year goes to the winner for
good and all. He also gets his name on
the big challenge cup, the FIRST one to go
there. Two more such engravings will
give this cup also to Sanderson as a per-
manent possession.
Sanderson's victory over Farnsworth ends
a most notable tournament in singles. In
a field Of forty entries there were no less
than six strong favorites for first honors,
besides other lowering lumlnaries. The
nnal battle was fully up to the standard
which such a fierce campaign deserved as a
hitting close. Five long sets Of forty-two
unusually protracted games took more than
two hours Of steady play. and at the end
Of It both men were nearly played off their
rect, OduueIbOu Utlub q llNblS Nut AltSuSE
and stronger.
sanderson won the match entirely on its
merits, for he systematically pursued
Farnsworth along the only plan which
could bring him victory. This was to
wear the boy out, and he persisted in 1t
throughout the match, with the result de-
sired. The visitor had sized up Farms
worth's strength and weakness, and acted
accordingly. He see-sawed the balls from
the right corner to the left, keeping Farms
worth always on the run. The latter re-
turned almost everything, and won games
and sets. He was cheered to the echo for
his great ground covering. But those who
applauded did not realize that this mar
velous work was beating him sanderson
did not worry about the games. taking one
whenever he we'll could. He lost two sets
at one-sided scores of 3-6, 1-6, while in
pursuance of his plan OF killing Farms
worth OFF, but he did not waver.
sandersOn Strength
Meanwhile sanderson himself took 1t easy
In comparison. Farnsworth, too, was plac-
ing balls magnihcently, but Sanderson re-
fused to work as hard. When a ball was
wide from him he let 1t go without even a
try. People wondered why he passed up
so many points in this way, and thought
It a sign that he was tagged, but the re.
suit justined the means, which seemed
risky.
The match was throughout slow and
scientific. There was none Of the smash
;Is oT chance playing anywhere that char
acterized tennis Of a decade ago. The
two played a much easier ball all the time
than did Parker and Farnsworth. for the
game was largely lobbing. Neither ever
| smashed unless he was at the net with a
sure thing. A spectator said that the play
was Just the style that the stars were play
ing In the east now-careful, speedless and
long-drawn-out. Every point was con-
tested through exchange after exchange.
And that is a condensed explanation OF
how .sanderson beat F~arnsworth, although
the latter by actual count made more points
In the match. Reference to the analysis Of
the match shows that Farnsworth won 14l
points, Sanderson 1873. The two games were
extremely close all around. Sanderson
placed A balls beyond reach of Farnsworth
and the latter placed 43. Sanderson drove
3S into the net, Farnsworth 46. Sanderson
put So balls out Of court, Farnsworth 90.
Sanderson made 1 double fault, Farms
worth 3.
Contest of Endurance.
| n lnIe6-uN6 set mdlCn 10 Duuuu " NC mOIt
or less a contest Of endurance II men are
evenly matched In play. When Sanderson
saw a set going strong against him he let II
go, but In a scientific manner. He just
played the back corners for all there was in
It, and kept Farnsworth running. Thus,
while not effective as to winning actual
games at the time. he was hurting Farms
worth more than the latter's victory was
helping him. Farnsworth, meanwhile, would
playtevery point to the bitter end, no mat
ter what the status OF game or set. He
killed himself trying to win every point in
the match, instead OF letting hard chances
go and saving himself.
Even at that, Farnsworth might possibly
have won had he persistently taken the net.
He is good at that game, and Sanderson's
lobs, usually so Invaluable, we're a little of.
Had Farnsworth smashed them and played
net every possible moment he would have
saved himself and also saved points. But
he early got into the rut Of a back court
game, and kept 1t up most OF the time. Sand
erson would take the net as soon as he
could work up to 1t, and then 1t was a foot
race for Farnsworth from one side to the
other till he could lob his opponents back
again.
That feature OF the game developed Farms
worth's most remarkable work. He not only
returned apparently impossible balls from
the back corners while on the dead run from
side to side, but he returned them perfectly
and placed them perfectly. sanderson him
self was ~astounded. Said he:
II know that l placed ball after ball that
no other man In this tournament nor in the
middle west would have touched. yet Farms
worth not only reached them, but returned
them perfectly"
~sandersOn q Seasoned Veteran.
1t is no scrub player to whom Farsnworth
has sueeumbed Though he has not played
much tennis recently. eight years ago Sand.
erson was a crack in Illinois outside OF Chi
cage, and once won the singles champion
ship In a state tournament at Peoria. Sand
eIson's long experience and perfect head.
work make Il doubtful that Farnswortf
could have beaten him in any way. It was
plain that Sanderson wished the set to &c
Ave sets, and even had Farnsworth moi
played so nicely into his hand, he would