Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-28
TENNIS SURPRISES
Victories of Graves and Me-
Chung Unlocked For.

Yesterdays play in the twenty-third
annual District championship tennis
tourney at the Bachelors courts brought
out any number Of surprises and caused
many OF the wise ones TO get out their
dope sheets and figure things over again
The semi-fnals were reached in the
mems singles and a great many matches
in the mems doubles and mems singles
consultations. were gotten out of the way.
AS the contestants are nearing the final
bracket and the poorer players are being
gradually weedcd out. the play is i'm
proving and yesterdays matches with
out a single exception. brought out tennis
Of an unusually high order.
In the mems singles, three matches
which will have bis bearing on the re-
suit were decided. Louis L. Doyle, after
defeating Herbert Childs in the third
round, 6-l and 60. taking Spencer Cor
b-f; j. X Graves defeating j. Upshur
Moorehead, s. and Cd and Lee Nc
t1ung winning his unfinished match of
Tuesday with J. NJ. Wright. 3-6. 10 and
81.
In the two last named the results came
somewhat as q surprise. It was hardly
thought possible that MctClung could
come out on top in his match with Wright.
a. when play was called Tuesday night
credit, had the second set tied up at
all, and was going like q "house af1re
McClung played the game OF his life yes
terday and deserved victory. He took
the necessary two games which gave him
the second set at the start before Wright
knew what was happening.
In the third and deciding one no proved
the master of the situation at all times.
allowing Wright but one game in the set.
and playing all around the former army
champion. McCiung does not play fast.
dazzling game. and his form is nothing to
sneak of, but what he lacks in these re-
spects he easily makes up In his steadl-
ness and the accurate placements or MS
shots Yesterday he seemed to have every.
shot planned out before it's execution. and
in very few cases did he have a slip-up.
At times Wright played good tennis. sew
eral long rallies of rapid play giving the
gallery opportunities for applause but in
nearly every case McClung got the point
either by some good shot of his OF by a
faulty return of his opponent. This vic
tory places him in the semi-finalS with
" w Mclean as his opponent today.
The result of this match will be watch
ed with much interest, as Mclean plays
a very speedy game, and II Will be case
Of lots Of speed and fair placement abil-
ity against lots of placement ability and
fair speed.
The result Of the j. X. Graves-J Upshur
Moorehead match came as a distinct
surprise, as although Graves had been
playing a consistently winning game in
he was Moorehead's superior. That he
was the better man yesterday there Is
no doubt as is attested by the s.. Cd
score The first set was easily Graves.
but Moorehead came back to certain
extent. in the second and at one time
was leading it. He could not keep up
the good work. however. and Graves,
with his slashing tactics and aggressive
assault, finally gained the decision. TAX
ing the two necessary games after the
score had reached 4-all.
Most interest seemed to be centered in
the match between Spencer Gordon and
Louis ]. Doyle. in the third round. AS
these two have always been rivals, each
had a host of friends on hand, and
each played a clean fast game. In their
last match. the finals in the District
championships OF 1909. Doyle won, but
this was SO long ago that it was given
no weight in figuring out the chances of
the two men. and it was generally agreed
that the men were about equal This
proved to be the case, and a battle roy
al" was the result.
Doyle continued his speedy yet &C
curate style of play. He covered acres
Of ground. was an excellent Judge of
both direction and distance and lost him
self very few points on account of bad
little more sting to it than usual. and his
opponent although able to handle it. was
compelled to be on the alert from start to
finish.
from that OF last and previous years and
after he gets more practice at it he will
be a much harder man to beat. Here
tofore he has been afraid to take any
chances and has been content to play the
bah safe, depending more on faults of
his opponent than anything else. This
year he is playing a fast. aggressive
game, taking lots OF chances and getting
away with a great many of them. He.
is one Of the best of the local contingent,
10 a
fairly strong service, and with the neces
sary practice at his new game he should
be able to give any of the local men
long run for their money.
The veteran p. II. S. Cake after having
played his best game in the early rounds
and defeated several good men, was
eliminated yesterday by John Britton,
6-3 and Ga. He was looked upon as the
probable winner and although he played
his usual brilliant game, Britton proved
to be his master. solving his strong de-
tense by cross counting the ball to the
corners OF the back court just out of
Cakes reach.
The mems doubles brought out some in
teresting matches. This class is much
more popular than the singles because of
the fact that the action is so much quick
er. II is hard to pick the probable win
ners, but on yesterdays form AL Howard
and Fischer. Gordon and Graves and
Britton and Mclean look to be the strong
est pairs, in the order named All of
Howard and Fischer drew byes in the
prelfnlinartes, and won from Capts. Jones
and Pipes in the first round, 6-3 and e..
The teamwork which comes from con-
slant playing together was lacking, but
they did wei could be expected in
that respect, and each showed up we'll
in individual work.
Gordon and Graves had an easy time
of IL in their match with Taylor and
Baird, winning as they pleased and allow
ing their opponents but a single game in
the whole match, the score being Go
and 81.
Britton and Mclean had a little harder
time IN defeating the Leech broth
ers. but it could be seen at a glance that
they were the stronger pair. After taking
the opening set, 81, they started off the
second like they were going to duplicate
the first. but the brothers managed TO
get together and tie things up for a while
at .-all. They couldn't keep up the good
work. however, and We're able to capture
but one game of the next four which
gave their opponents the count, e.. Brit
ton and Mclean showed good teamwork,
covering the court nicely. each being on
hand when needed Should they be able
TO steady down a bit and discontinue TAX
ing such big chances. they have an excel
lent chance at coming out ahead in the
doubles as they are the only pair among
the championship possibilities who have
ever played together before. The winners
of this class will be declared the title
holders Tor 1911 as the Doyle brothers
Will not defend their title this year
Several good matches We're decided in
the mems singles, consultations, but as
they were all in either the preliminary
or first round they are not of much i'm