New-York tribune., 1908-08-30
LARNED RETAINS TITLE
BEATS WRIGHT EAoILI
Yeteron Player Wins Ldzcn Ienn's
Cham paonship for Fourth Time.
rsr Telegraph to The Tribune, ]

IN the list OF na1io1idi
,o-dsy Displaying nasterful control OF 'is oa.-'
s-,a his challenger Beals c. Wright, ex-
.s.r,cson and interrationalist In three sua'e"'
s.ts That Larned should accomplish ihis VIZ -
.,ore of 81 So. Sc teaches an Impressive i'
,hs, With all of the flirting with chop ana new
>,nple6 cut strokes the part OK the Fo"hsef &c
-. -be old hard hitting and sure game
stands supreme. Larned did his work easiis anu
gracefully He laid traps for Wrlsht' aho tue i'
ter went into them, so that he was reiea'euiS
caught Of position =,
M. ,,cto-, marked the fourth holding Of the all
~,-,er., title in singles for Larned. And that at
forty years of age. In a way the match ~aa
,ep..itio- Of HE first winning OF the nue. IN iT''
when on the Casino courts he met ann oeieated
wright IN the final and took the honors by the oe
,,,,,, ,f Malcolm, d. Whitman. The next year
Harmed defended hi. title successfully against Reei-
maid F. Doherty. of the English cup team nut los'
in 1903 to little Hugh J.. poherty He regaanea ms
title last wear by defeating William j. Cotnlef-
The latter had previously taken his championship
nv defeating Wright, who stood in the place o.
challenger to-day
In many wsys the value Of the long apprentice
shin OF twenty wears which Larned has put in on
the courts exempIifed in this challenge Hatch-
Above all else he got the ball back across the nee
safely unless an opening appeared He mao
learned this lesson from that day in August lssZ'
when he appeared runner-up TO Fred H. Hofes-
After the lapse Of year Larned next took the
rlace Of runner-up for three consecutive years
against the pncIishnan Marcus F. Goodbody: Fred
Hovey and Bob wrenn. He failed to land among
the winners again until 1890 when he won tiie
tournament. only to be vanduished by whitman In
the challenge round. and then the peerless Whit
man retired.
Ry his achievement to-day Isarned has equslled
the record of Bob wrenn. four times champion,
which is surpassed only by that Of Richard u.
Sears. who held the title from 1881 10 lss1. IN
elusive.
From tn. opening service. which was wrishts
through the first two Larned was at all times
successful in protecting his court His drives
winged side lines. and his deep drlSlns
Sustained his chop stroke. and twisting service
perfectly IL the third SET that contributed the
cracking tennis There little nurries of VOL
leying each closed up TO the net with Wright
getting into close range under high lobs. Lsrned
kept boring through for placement, while Wright
hotted OF the shots at the net ana sue
ceeded in holding his up S-al1 on games
II hop. nicker-d IN his breast that he was TO win
The championship again. it famed then But the
r.scurcerul Larned opened up a lead that dashed
his chaenEsrs hopes. He concealed his intenflohs
snd so thoroughly nnisled Wright that the latter
dew-n defeat despite play which forced
the deciding games TO deuce
Every condition for the challenge match WAS
ali that could be desired The day was warm and
fsir. without any wind toy with the bail in the
high lobs and slow drives. Then there was an
spprecatipe gallery Of about 1--WE thousand TO
cheer on the players. Lsrneds beginning was so
poor that after the first game. in which he made
three nets as he tried for pass on the side lines
sne ended with out the crowd locked and won
dAred if he in for OF his fiehty exhibitions
But the next game which was Darned's service,
found him going steadily. He took the games
without effort as he shot the ball past his chal-
lenger. occasionally making beautiful lobs 30 the
base line Wright attempted TO gain the net
Only game OF this found the points touch
ing at deuce the left-handed Wright tricked his
opponent by passing him with long shots that Just
dropped down in the corner Of the court But even
then the set ended In nslkover for Issrned az
&
The champion started the service IN the second
set. His forcing Of Wright making that player
yield errors But even the challenger was begin
ming 20 get up to his formidable position the net.
snd on the third game he broke through Lerned's
service for the first time IN the match. He the
game. which gave him temporary lead Of Il.
That was enough for Larned He was not taking
any chances with Wright, and from that TO the
end OF the set each filled with some lob
hing rallies with sensational sets the part OF
Wright both he and Larned fought stubborny
for the place of Vantage at the barrier. Larned
crossed The bali from side side. always true TO
court and holding his challenger up on the de
>ensive, scored five games off the reel and his sec
ond SET. sud in only OF this deciding FIVE did the
points touch deuce
Lsrned lost his second service game the begin
ming Of the third set, and this game and the
second set were the only in which ne faltered
Placing carefully and passing the champion. Wright
at to the front in tli. set at love. The
champion, and the istter's forcing for openings did
do wei earlier in the match Keen for
every advantage, Wright led in the third game at
4o-se when Larned completely outmanoeuvred him
by deep placing and for the game point coming up
10 the net with a rush for a powerful smash. BY
smashing with perfect aim out Of the rallies, Lsrned
to the front at "a Then both men made the
service count
As if possessed almost supernatural intuition.
Wright the mark for Larned's return of his
cf.o o7,,ysSnv
peatedly for cleanly played aces. Out of long
rally In the sixth game. Wright made slow smash
slant 10 the side, while Larned was spread
eagling the base line for a hard return which
amused the gallery and afforded evidence that
Wright steady enough TO be a menace to the
champion.
The twelfth game Of the set Wright scored at love
against the champion The four place shots by
which he il dazzling, for the first two
Larned touched with his racket while the
last he slapped into the net With love game
against him and the set at s-all, Larned awak-
ened 10 what might be in for him. He dupli-
Gated NrigiIt's shots for placement for the IS
vantage game and ther adroitly concealing his po-
sliion work. he won the last point by low pass
along his forehand, and so took the match that
would make him the champion for another year.
The deadly analysis table indicates that it was
the strength Of the champion in his being able TO
win the points when he needed them that sig
n4Iiy defeated the challenger While his service
Wes only the old time fast express he more
successful sustaining Lasfaed won twelve
of his service games and lost only two. Wright.
with his twist which his strength won seven
services and lost eight On earned points la rned
doubled his opponents record by scoring 81 points
10 wriEsts 20. On errors Of nets and outs and
double faults their equal. Larned $
footing "a and Wrights 50.
The table follows:
FIrs,
M4,si;, ',a5nsa, .-............. t;sa -7s-s