New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-11
MURRAY WINNER
OVER KUMAGAE
In FAST MATCH
Church Defeats Davis in
Their Third Match
of Season.
BY JAMES 8. O'NEALE.

| ence j. Grlfnn In the nhais OIL Tue Ne"
York State tennis championship last
month at Utica r. Lindley Murray, In
answer to an assertion that only
first class net attacker could best the
Japanese, replied with the question:
"Yes; and just how many first class
net attackers are there" To-day the
Palo Alto phenom proved that he al
least is one. for he gained his bracket
in the finals of the annual Seabright
| invitation tournament at the expense
of Kumagae The score OF the des-
perately fought match was 6-0, o.
6-3.
The finalist from the other half is
George NJ. Church, who bested his
doubles partner in the Eastern cham
pionship combination, Willis Il. Davis,
Cd. Ga, in their third and deciding
meeting of the season. William NJ.
Johnston and Griffin, national doubles
title holders, came through to the dou-
bles final, while from the other half
the Karl II. Behr-Fred b. Alexander
and Roland Roberts-Harold A. Throck-
morton teams must play to see who is
to face the San Franciscans in the
final. Behr and Alexander. who are
aching for another chance after their
defeat in the recent intersectional
series at Forest Hills, appear certain
to get it.
Previous to his match with Kumagae,
Murray took on young William I. Til
den, Cd, in the morning in the continue.
ton of their unfinished encounter OF
the day before. The Meteor won the
concluding set, Go, making the COM
plete score Go, l2-14, 6-3. Murray,
rested, was too fast for the Philadel-
phian, despite the latter's rifie-ball SER
vice.
Some Great Tennis.
Both the singles sem-fnals provided
tennis that at times went TO supreme
heights, despite unfavorable weather
conditions. A fine mist had settled on
the grass courts, to make them soft
and the bounces low. The sky was
overcast and the air chilly. Condi-
tions, including the officiating, were
distinct handicap to Kumagae, who
nevertheless made a game night and
almost a successful one, for Murray
was a thoroughly tired young man
when his swarthy opponent netted the
last point.
The officiating, or the lack of it, was
the cause of much hostile criticism
despite the fact that the crowd was
quite plainly partial to the American.
Though George T. Adee, president of
the United States National Lawn Ten
ris Association, was in the umpire's
chair, the tournament officials had not
seen fit to provide footfault Judge,
and the unwarned Murray, quite blame
lessly and unconsciously, was mani
testify getting two or three feet advan-
tage in his rushes to the net on his
service.
No Footfault Judge.
Especially in the last set was this
true when the popular indoor champion
gave all his strength in desperate,
understanding rushes for the net,
counting on closing out the match
while his strength lasted The fault
was not with Murray, who is a thor
ough sportsman, but it lies with the
tournament committee, in making the
fcotfault rule joke and in giving
distinct advantage TO a man whose en-
tire game depends upon fast start
for the net position. There was no
footfault judge for the Church-Davis
match either, but each player is net
attacker and neither, therefore, had an
appreciable advantage over the other
Murray typifed the hurry up, whirl-
NlHu lOIGGOull hlltlANGH bdlitN hii-b
Calfornians have so prominently
brought to the fore. Kumagae -ypi-
fed the older order, the steady base
liLc play, although he occasionally
darted for the barrier himself and
scored his points with a neatness not
characteristic of the usual slam bang
American style. Comparison of the
ground strokes of the two men was in
tei esting to the crowd, for Kumagae
tuts more top or overspin en- the ball
than ever mortal before, while Murray
tops his drives perhaps more than any
other American player. The soft turf,
he wever, prevented Kumagae's shots
from being so effective, because the
long, high bound the Jap usually gets
was considerably cut down, while Muir
rays wonderful short voileys, the best
in the country, rose scarcely an men.
II was this shot played with as deli
cate handling as musicians touch,
that won the match.
Keeps Close To Net.
Games in the first set went to 4-all,
5-all, and 6-all, Murray advancing to
tire net at every opportunity under
cover of continual hammering at
Kumagse's backhand. Then kumagae,
by great driving, broke through the
Meteors hump-jump service and took
his own. All through this set kum-
agae scored many points by dropping
his drives at Murray's feet as the
Coast star ran in.
The second and third sets were repi-
titions of the first frame, except that
Murray, who, in all fairness, has not
shown his best form in this tourna-
ment, succeeded in anticipating Kun
cgae's shots better and in blocking off
greater percentage short at the net
Murray, tired from his severe exer-
tons, gave little gasps at every ehort,
which showed how cruelty hard the
shifty little Oriental lefthander was
working the 1.-THE American southpaw.
klmagae became more erratlc tnan
reual in the last set, although his i'm
passive expression, so IN contrast 10
The vehement way in which Americans
Ilay the game, never showed his worry
Church. who is having a great year
on the courts, showed powerful fore
ing game against big Davis, whose
ground strokes, as usual the weak point
in his armor, were not comparable 10
the tall Princetonian's the few times
both PLAYERS were forced to base line
nlav. Davis's terrific bullet delivery
was no more effective than Church's
American twist, because of the differ
ence in ground stroke effectiveness,
and on court covering ability Church
again demonstrated that he has no
superior in the land.
The whole match was serve and dssn
for the net, from which position the
attacker was sometimes dislodged by a
low. clever lob. Davis was within a
point of defeat in the next TO the last
game of the match. his service, but
pulled il out. tie was unable, how
ever, 10 break through Church on the
next game and. in fact, to earn 8
|, sirCle pOint Church played almost