Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-20
NATIONAL Tennis
TITLE IS Being
CONTESTED
Newport Tournament Com
: menced Yesterday - Nc
loughlin the Favorite

The Newport tournament, on the re-
suit OF which hangs the American
lawn tennis championship, opened yes
terday. Probably this years play on
the historic courts is attracting more
attention than the battle of any for
mer season. owing TO the fact that
the form forecasters have William A.
I4arned figured TO fail in his attempt
to retain championship honors for
1912. This Is the first year that the
new rule requiring the title-holder to
play through the tournament has been
In effect, and this, II Is thought, will
be TO the old masters disadvantage.
Honolulu has special interest in
the tournament owing to the entry
OF Maurice Mclaughlin, who. because
OF his extended visits here with Davis
. cup teams, is known and liked by all
Rhe local raequet-wfelders. Both Nc.
I1oughlin and Larned were here last
winter, and even then the talk OF a
meeting between them In the national
event was all absorbing :.
On the brink of the annual strug-
gle for the American championships
Eastern players are willing to. admit
that, this year. the green court hon.
ors I'm both singles and doNbles will
assuredly go to California. McLough-
lin IL picked to win the singles with
no great trouble, and there Is no team
In the East which stands the slightest
chance OF successfully facing Nc
LoughIin and Bundy.
New Rule Wins.
The rules for the tournament at the
Casino have been reyoiutionized for
this years tournaments. Persistent
agitation has succeeded in abolishing
the old order Of things under which /
the champions stood ont and waited
until the rival ali corners had demon
strated the player
Soa Bill" Larned. who has held the
premier title this many a day, will
ave to play through with the rest Of |
hem II he cares to hold his honors.
Il Ii possible that Harmed viii lay |
down his racquet and the title and
leave the youngsters to fight It out /
among themselves, aitheuth no word
70 this effect has y yet teached the
mid Pacific.
But suppose sLAfneds does play
through; granted that he could come
out, of the final tie In the top Of con-
dition, has he anything on the Cali
fornian?f Mclaughlin has proved he
has the speed of the slower Eastern
courts, and II ID questioned II Larned,
again relying upon low ground
strokes, would be able to "get to" Nc.
Loughlin this time. Il
Changes Tricky. = SIS -
The transition from the hard courts
of the Pacific Coast, where the ball 4
bounds high, and speed, strength and
ahe agility of every stroke count for
more than the surface skill which de-
cided sets here, certainly puts heavy
on the Western players. But
they have worked II down by dashing.
steady, persistent play. The laurels /
already won this season prove the
merit OF their mettle.
II victory goes to the Californians
the venue of the great games may
pass from the Newport Casino, ia
nous for its many great meetings. The
agitation In favor of Chicago as the
scene OF play will be given an ire
sistible impulse. And it does look
very much as IL the Californians are
going to have, not exactly a walkoyer,
bit victory is almost assured from /,
the moment the players face one an
other. II