New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-02
NILES CAPTURES TITLE
Harvard Player Wins Middle
States Championship.
JOHNSON 4 FAST OPPONENT
Pennsylvania Champion Forces
Victor to Go the Limit in
Gruelling Match.

Harvard's well known lawn tennis play
er, Nathaniel ". Niles, won the Middle
States championship in singles yesterday
afternoon on the turf courts of the Orange
Lawn Tennis Club at Mountain Station,
N J. Four full sets were necessary for
Niles to defeat Wallace F. Johnson, the
Pennsylvania intercollegiate champion, by
the score Of Is, 10, 6-3 and IS. The
match was a royal contest between two
men who understood and, worked the sci
entifc points of stroke and strategy for all
they were worth.
Johnson endured the fast and fatiguing
pace far better than did Niles. The Har-
ward player could not have gone another
set. Even the deuce in the fourth showed
him failing fast; but he made a supreme
effort that brought off some Of the pretti-
est smashing shots Of the match. so that
he won without ever allowing Johnson to
come up closer than to within two points
of the set that would have turned the
tables AS Edward P Larned. the cham
piouship holder. is in Mexico, Niles Sc
cured the title and trophy by his default.
Johnson in this final played a strong
running game. He brought his usual chop
and cut strokes off with certainty. He
was very severe and aggressive, and when
he pulled up and passed Niles after the
latter had led him at 5-3 in the second
set and followed with five times within a
stroke of taking il only to lose it to John
son at 81 the belief was that Niles
would not be able 70 stand out the strain.
Following the set Niles changed to a
heavier racket Then he played superior
lawn tennis. His placing alone. which far
surpassed Johnsons, made it possible for
him to win. for he forced Johnson 10 run
pretty race in the third and fourth sets,
scoring on his errors of direction at being
caught out of position or passing him.
The national champions, Harold H.
Hackett and Frederick B. Alexander. ex-
perienced another walkover into the final
round of the doubles They met the Yale
champion team F. II. Watrous and Reuben
A Holden, jr., IN the semi-hnal. but the
latter were not keyed high enough to with
stand the quick rallies and rapidity Of as
sauIt with which Hackett and Alexander
worked their game, so that the national
pair won, 81, g..
Miss Carrie B. Nelly and Miss Edith E
Rotch won the women's championship in
doubles. The combination of the Chicago
and Boston girls played slashing game
They defeated Miss Eleanor Souther and
Miss Clare Cassell, the latter an English
gil, In straight sets, 6-3. Is. From
their side OF the net both Miss Nelly and
Miss Rotch displayed great skill in their
rallies. and each brought off enough volley
and half volley shots to cause the oppos-
ing pair constant timidity as TO approach
ing the net This afternoon Miss Nicely
is to meet Miss Louise E Hammond in
the challenge match for the woman's
singles championship. which Miss Ham
mond defends.
The summary follows:
Middle States mems championship singles
(inal roundl--Nathaniel w. Niles defeated Wal
lace F. Johnson, Is, 7-e 6-S, Is.
Challenge and championship round-Nathanisl
w. Niles. challenger, defeated Edward P.
Larned, holder. by default.
Mems championship doubles tsecond rounc)-
r. NJ. Wairous and Reuben A. Holden, 1r.. de-