Omaha daily bee., 1910-05-01
BIG SEASON FOR TENNIS
Indications Point to Unusual Follow
ing for the Game.
FOREIGN PLAYERS TO COME
European Racquet slSirmishers VIII
Compete for HonOrs on American
COurts-CIRy Court Influ-
ence Good.


Courts-CIsy Court Influ-
ence Good.
NEW YORK, April 9O.-Even the most
pessimlstic Of lawn tennis players-and
there are always a few at this time OF
the year-are willing to join with the
optimlsts in agreeing that the coming sea-
son on the American courts promises to
be the most representative that this coun-
try has ever experienced. The signs Of ma
terial progress are writ so large that he
who runs may read. Fundamentally, the
remarkable increase in the championship
and tournament schedule list affords the
best indication az to the growth of the
sport Then there is the promise OF a
visit from famous foreign players, an ex-
celent prospect as to the Davis interna-
tional cup team, drawing from the top
class men, and the stimulation Of another
skirmsh by the brilliant California WELD
ers Of the racquet upon eastern courts
Indeed, the program that the officials of
the United States National association
have mapped out is most inspiring one
Carried to completion with a zeal that may
be expected, the standard Of the American
game is surely destined to reach lofty
place which will broaden the scope OF
lawn tennis in a manner hitherto unknown
in this country.
To revert to a matter of history for
brief moment, the effect of the discussion
as to the clay court championship of the
United States, pushed to successful Issue
by the enthusiasm OF DR.. p. B. Hawk and
western players, has been far-reaching In
its working for the good Of the game Of
| hnFn a
fact that lawn tennis has become national.
Spirit was aroused that heretofore had
slumbered and a rivalry has become en-
gendered between tho east, the Pacific
coast and the middle west representatives
that is bound to develop host Of men Of
championship caliber.
The second visit Of the players from the
Pacific coast sounds the note Of this
rivalry The institution Of such great
tournament as the Ardsley casino has
planned strengthens the general belief that
eastern men realize that the time has come
when they must look well to their laurels
| IL they intend to maintain their time-hon-
ored supremacy. There is no question as
to the interest created in this section OF
the country by the ant ouncement that the
wonderful pair of Californians Maurice f.
McLoughlin and Melville II. Long, are
coming east early this season to play
through all Of the important tournaments
| on turf right up to the national champion
ship at the casino at Newport, r. l. They
| learned the ways of the eastern cracks last
! YEAR and the fact that they reached the
finals causes them to believe that they can
take the honors back to the Pacific coast,
the same as have Miss May Sutton and
her prototype, Miss Hazel Hotchkiss. Then,
~, or
the Davis international challenge cup, to
Australia, has given them world OF con-
| fidence.
The two Callfornians are in for some
hard work. Anthony F. Wilding. the great
Australian, is to play in this country also
and, OF course, that means at Newport.
Possibly the English cup team of chal-
| lengers may be there also, for it is pretty
certain at present that the team named by
England will cross the Atlantic ocean
again to try the ties for the blue ribbon
of the courts with the Americans in this
country, IL the ties are played outside Of
| Australia.
| All this goes TO show that William A.
Iarned the national champion in singles,
and Frederick B. Alexander and Harold II.
Hackett, the doubles holders, are in for
the trial of their lives. 1t is freely pre-
dicted at this time that Larned is due for
defeat this year. The hope is that one
of the younger Americans may save the
title from the foreign invasion, for 1t is
admittedly to be a hard struggle.
Taking all Of these things into account,
the schedule for the season in the easts
and especially In and around New York,
has been shaped toward affording all OF
the top-notch men splendid championship
| k,,r To he nearly
five weeks of competitions on turf leading
up to Newport. This is more than ever
before The need of It was felt, however
II WAS first pointed out by Frederick b.
| Alexander, the internatonallst, who is a
| leading spirit Of the West Side club and
the Ardsley Casino, located at Ardsley-on-
Hudson. He has labored to have the
eighteen grass courts of the West Side
club. near Van Cortlandt park, put in the
best of condition, and there the Famous
metropolitan championship will be decided
early in June. From those courts the
PLAYERS will move to Ardsley. There Is a
new championship on the list. To attract
SUCH men as William A. Larned Robert
d wrenn, Raymond D. Little, Beals T.
Wright. William ]. Clothier Harold II.
uaekett Theodore Roosevelt Pen Karl
II Behr. Wallace r, Johnson, Robert lie
Roy and a host OF others, the array Oh
prizes for this tournament is to eclipse
the value Of the gold and silver plate Of
fered at Newport.
Following Ardsley comes the Middle
states, at Orange, N. j.; then the New
York state, at the Crescent Athletic clun
At Bav Ridge. Already the Crescent lead
ers are preparing to overtop their phen-
omenal tournament last year, and that
cIub will be a strong factor in lawn ten
mis- this season. The internationals may
even be decided there, on the historic turf
where the peerless Doherty brothers and
, Dr. Johsua PIN made their great stand fol-
the cup several years ago Next In order
, comes the preparatory week on the velvety
turf OF the aristocratic Meadow club al
t Southampton, l., l., from which the weld
, ers OF the racquet move on to Newport.