New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-20
Williams, Mclaughlin and
Niles Score Victories in
Newport Tourney.
GRIFFIN KEEPS UP
WINNING STREAK
Williams and WaShburn Beat
pell ard lnman with Ease in
Doubles Match.
~ FRED HAWTHORNE.


,o.ord national champion, and Maurice
r,,,s Mclaughlin, former holder OF
No ,ite will meet on Saturday in tte
ii ,ound of the annual lawn tennis
armament Of the Newport Casino.
Williams. as was forecasted in Trc
r-;bupe this morning, defeated Will
:.r VI Johnston. of California, in one
n The most spectacular matches of the
Journey. while Mclaughlin won ms
nav into the semi-fnal brackets by
heating Wallace +. Johnson, Of Phila-
l,l,bis Both matches went FOUR sets,
,rd IN each case the losing players
.,,r,e3 Of by taking the first set and
hon Welding before superior play
Williams won his match by score OF
G. 10 :. 6 /. 8. and McLoush-
I'm came through at :, 6-4, 50
81
The other two men TO continue III
the running were Clarence ). Grlgs'
Of California. who put out Irving -
Wright. of Boston, at : ., ., l.
and Nathaniel W. Niles, Of Boston
who triumphed over Harry c. Johnson,
Of the Loncwood Cricket Club by
score Of 8, 4 ., 8 l, &, 6-3.
East and West TO Clash.
This leaves the East and the west
each represented h. two players, WIFE
Griffin and Williams meeting to-mor,
row in the upper half OF the dra" ana
Mclaughlin taking on Niles IN th'
lower section. ,,..,,.-,-
Few OF those who watched WllhamS
conquer Johnston will soon forget the
struggle. The first two sets found the
Californian At his best, with "llllains
gradually gaining control OF ne
strokes. but not vet disclosing ms full
strength In the last two. games OF
The second set the national champion
was moving with the surety ana eA-
,ctness of machine. and from tn@'
Point onward always looked the WIZ
ner. while Johu6ton's tremendous
drives that had .crmerly been clear
ing the TOP of the net by only tie
fraction Of an inch, began to strike
the tape with such regularity as TO
disbearten the little Californian.
For Johnston. it was "A case OF speed
from the start II he was 10 win, and
no sooner had Fred Mansfield, the UNI
pirc. mounted the rostrum and an
rourcod. "Nr. Johnston serving" than
the nlavcr from the Golden Gate began
a whirlwind attack He struck at the
ball with vicious strength on his ser
vice and IL was al Williams could
do 10 Get his racquet on the ball and
send MS returns into the net on the
first two shots. The third point went
10 the Californian on a beautiful ser
vice ace. with the national champion
tanning the air as the ball sped by
him and over the back nets.
Johnston's fourth service was re,
turned by Williams with an out,
and the little man from the coast had
taken the first game at love.
The Eastern representative came
near scoring an ace on ms hrSt service
when Johnston just caught the ball on
the tin of his racquet and dropped Il
into the net. The Westerner got the
next one square on his fOrehand, how
ever. and sho. the ball back so swiftly
that Williams, meeting II near MD
court, sent his return three feet out OF
court. Johnston brought of a beau
tiful placement shot with a forehand
drive To- the corner formed by base and
side lines. and so close to Williams
feet that the latter could only stab
wildly al 10.
Stroke Carries Sting.
Il was noticeable at this stage OF
the match that Johnston's stroke car
RED more sting than his opponents,
and this was strikingly illustrated by
the fact that the champion could make
only defensive returns as he attempted
30 hrH oT k.
The econd and third games were
marked up TO Johnston's credit before
Williams managed 10 check him tenn
porsrily by winning the fourth, fifth
and sixth games, bringing the match
even for the first time. The champion
gave a fash Of his true form during
this period, scoring on wonderfully
judged placement shots that had the
Californian charging madly from side
TO side Of has court. Johnston also eX-
perienced a streak of unsteadlness IN
his drives, and sent his returns far
out o. court.
He soon settled down again, however,
and outp.ayed his opponent from the
back Of the court Williams was ex-
periencing difficulty in intercepung
Johnston's speedy ground strokes, and
the ball was being played so low that
the champion never had a chance TO
earn points by smashing, whereas the
Californian treated the few high balls
mat Williams sent him with deadly re-
suits.
The last three games served to show
the visitor at his best, and from the
manner in which he was outplaying
ana outspeeding MIN, 1t looked "a
though the champion was fated to taste
81 Three
brilliant shots for placement, with
Williams being cross courted each time
oy Johnston's full volleys, gave the
Westerner the first set at 6-3.
There was no let-up IN JOhnston's
metz ric attack with the beginning OF
N second set, and he walked away
with the first two games, losing only
one lolnt, and that on his own error.
MS service broke so sharply in the
second game that the champion could
10 no more than strike the ball with
NE wood Of his racquet.
Stands in Ferment.
The stands were buzzing with eX-
element. Was Williams about to bow
e,iore the impetLous rush of the man
from the coast, and was Johnston at
last to fulfil the glowing prophecies
made OF him when he first invaded the
East
But the national title holder was the
coolest person of all concerned and was
playing with just as much confidence
as at the beginning. Once more his
service was going as it had against
earl Behr at Seabright last week, and
johnston had 70 be constantly on the
sert TO escape being aced Williams
began to hit the lines, too, no matter
whether playing of the ground or TAX
leg the ball on the full volley, and the
hlrd and fourth games went 70 him.