The San Francisco call., 1905-06-17
WELD RACKETS
IN PRACTICE

Although several tennis tournaments
are scheduled for this month. the princi-
pal topic of discussion among the cracks
is the annual State championship tourna-
ment. which will be played. as usual, on
the San Rafael courts in July. Play win
commence on Friday, the 30th inst. The
championship match will be played on the
will not be here to defend, so both the
title and the cup will go to the tourna-
ment winner.
For the first time in the history of ten
mis- on the coast the preliminary rounds
of a big championship tournament will
consist of two out of three set matches.
This change is welcome one and will do
much for the game. In the past players
have suffered greatly from having to play
two five-set matches a day in the heat
that prevails at San Rafael in July. This
has always played havoc with the form
of the contestants, and in many instances
the cleverest player has not carried on
the honors. In these matches stamina
has counted for fully as much as skill,
but in future the best player should win.
Many a player has gone into his second
match tired out and in no condition to
play a. hard game. With the matches two
sets out OF three the players should be at
all times in condition to play their best
games.
The coming tournament. like that for
the San Francisco championship, will be
woefully lacking in class. Never before
have there been so few really champion
ship class players as there are at present.
True, there are many promising young
players, who will In time take the places
left vacant by the Hardys and Whitneys.
but it will not be for several years. Play
ers like Gardner, James, Long, Griffin,
Foley and Adams will all develop into
first-cass men, but at present the cham
pionship class is almost myth. Murdock
has played tennis that entities him to
rank in this class, but his defeat at the
hands of Gardner shows his play is not
always up to the standard.
Murdock has decided to enter the July
tournament. and is going into 1t deter
mined to win. He will be in much better
shape than he was in the San Francisco
championship tournament. and if he is at
his best should win without any trouble
Baker will not compete, and the only
men considered to have much of chance
to beat Murdock are Gardner and James,.
Gardner is the San Francisco champion
and recently defeated Murdock in clever
style. There are some who figure that
Gardner will repeat, but the majority ex-
pect to see Murdock regain his lost
laurels. James did not compete in the
tournament last month and may upset
and, like Gardner, may reach the top in
one jump. He has won several small
tournaments, but has never carried of
the honors in championship event.
Several interesting tournaments will be
played to-day and tomorrow on the pub
lie courts at the park. The juveniles and
the ladies will have an inning to-day
The former will meet in handicap sin
giles tourney and the latter in a handicap
doubles. The doubles event will be for
the Olds cup and should prove unusually
interesting because of the fact that the
trophies have been won twice by two of
the oontending teams. If Miss Wegener
and Mrs. Watson or Miss Vodden and
Miss Meyer score victory they will
come into permanent possession of the
trophies.
Some clever tennis will be played at
the park tomorrow. The semi-finals and
finals of the tournament for first class
players will be decided. The contestants
will be Clarence Griffin and Harold Ga
briel and George Baker and Fred Adams
Baker is expected to win. but both Ad-
ans and the winner of the Griffin-Gab briei
match will make it interesting for him
The last named players should furnish
an interesting exhibition. Adams Is a
young player who is coming to the front
rapidly. and is expected to make a good
showing against Baker. The semi finals
will be played in the morning and the
finals in the afternoon.