New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-09
Beat Church and Mathey,
Who Put Out Murray
and Williams.
FAST LAWN TENNIS
MARKS THE MATCHES
Harvard Man Not Up to Top
Form and Drives Many Balls
in the Net.
Bv FRED HAWTHORNE.

ana Debn Mdtney, lHt HieliVPVi'ta "a -
champions, yesterday in the final round
Of the annual invitation lawn tennis
tournament on the turf courts OF the
Country Club OF Westchester. Behr
and his partner won in straight sets al
"a. %.
II was the opinion of those gathered
about the stretch of turf that the bet
ter team won, and won handily, too,
through cleaner, harder hitting. by su-
periority in working for openings and
by individual brillancy.
The surprise of the day came in the
semi-fna round of the doubles, whe 1
Church and Mathey defeated r. Norris
Williams, I'd. and K. Lindley Murray in
three-set match that bristled with
action. Tie metropolitan pair won az
IS, Cd. Ga.
In the other half Of the semi-fn1l
round Pell and Behr defeated \. y.
Niles and A. S. Dabney, the Boston
pair, at 60, 6 4.
The singles began after the doubles
had been completed, and in the first
round three matches were finished.
Gustave +. Touchard. the national in
door champion, defeated Watson ".
Washburn, his partner in the doubles.
at 6 4. ); y. W. Niles defeated
Raymond d. Little, at 6-l, 60, and
william A. Larned took the measure
of George l.. Wrenn, jr., by the same
score.
Williams a Bit Unsteady.
To those who paid close attention
TO the work of Williams and Murray
in their match against Church and
Mathew II seemed that the Harvard
man showed signs Of being far from
his best form. Some of his shots
were marvels OF their kind. but they
were not made frequently enough TO
inspire confidence.
Distressing lapses occurred when
the player ranked second only TO Maui
rice F.. Mclaughlin shot the ball into
the net. Williams did not appear able
to keep his game at top speed and un-
consciously let down, sometimes at
critical periods OF the match.
There is said 10 be a reason for this
falling off in the Harvard mans lawn
tennis. He has just been graduated.
after taking a full four-year course in
three. and close application to his
studies is said to have had its effect
on his physical condition. 1t is be-
lieved that from now on, however,
Williams will round into his best
form.
Although not so hard hitting as Muir
ray and Williams, Church and Mathey
eXcelled in court covering and in their
rock-bound steadness. They had fire.
guent recourse TO lobs, sending the
ball in twisting spirals TO deep court
and it was upon these craftily played
shots that the brilliancy and dash OF
Williams and Murray came TO grief.
The metropolitan champions are
skilled in their method of handling
smashes. and they kept returning the
ball in the form Of lobs until the Cali
fornian and his partner, smashing with
great force. began 10 land their shots
either in the net or feet beyond the
court boundaries. Mathey earned
many points by his lightning fast chop
strokes TO the side courts, and Church
was marvel at finding openings.
Murray continued to play the brand
of lawn tennis that has earned him
many admirers among those who have
the successful defence of the Davis
Cup in mind. His service was as deaa
ly and his work overhead as effective
as they have been since he came East,
and he played faster in the concluding
games Of the match than at the start,
but il was not to be day of victory
for the youthful pair. and after taking
the first set at IS, they lost the next
two and the match, at Cd, "a.
Pell and Behr always held the upper
hand against Niles and Dabney, put
ting more sting into their shots, cover
ing the court with greater speed. and
showing more accuracy in placing.
Niles Not in Top Form.
Niles did not show as we'll as he had
passing shots down the side lines did
not materialize as often as usual. He
and Dabney could not do much against
the severe bombardment from the
racquets Of the opposing pair, although
they fought stubbornly to the end.
Excitement ran high when the final
match was staged. BY far the largest
crowd OF the week turned out, with
women in the majority, and many i'm
promptu tea parties were held on the
lawn.
Pell and Behr, working as a unit and
playing every stroke with all the I'm
they possessed, took the first three
games in a row, with Behr playing a
leading part in the spirited attack. His
court covering was of the best, aId
once at the net he quickly snuifed out
the attempts OF Church and Mathey to
carr passing shots.
By indulging in lobbing for the rest
o. the set the metropolitan champions
managed to bring the games score mp
t. 4-5. but Behr and Pell steadied
4 81 /,
loss Of only one point.
BY concerted team work and BY leap
ing and plunging for every ball the
losing pair managed TO pull out the
fourth and sixth games in the second
set. but that was their limit. and Pell
and Behr took the last game after
deuce had been called once, and with II
the match.
Behr's work throughout the tourna-
ment has attracted favorable attention
Of the Davis Cup committee because
Of its brlliancy. In his last match the
former internationslist fairly outdid
himself. No ball was too swift or too
we'll placed for him, it seemed, and he
easily dominated the court.
Behr is at his best just now, and at
his best the Middle States champion is
CT likely Davis Cup timber.
The summaries and point score fol-
low:
FIRST SET.
Pts GINS
Poi' aud Bchr .......t5ti42at 80 6
church and Mathey - 324l434G 10
SECOND SET.
PclI and Behr.......t 7t41 90 81
Church and Mathey q ) ! . 3-"6
Westchestcr Invitation doubles tscml-nnal
round Karl II. Behr and Theodore Roosc-
welt Pcll defeated y. ". Niles and a. =.
Dabn.y. CO. 6-f; George Myer church
and Dean Mathcy defeated II. Norris VIII