New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-03
Defeats Mrs. Williams, Of
California, in Two
Straight Sets
By FRED HAWTHORNE

BY FRED HAWTHORNE
Sea Bright, n. j., Aug. at is not
often that lawn tennis tournaments IN
the summer are Immediately preceded
nv a hail storm, but such was the case
on the turf courts of the Sea Bright
Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club this
afternoon when the Red Cross tourney
got under way. /
Robert Moore, the professional AZ
the club, had marshalled his assistants
and started to mark out the courts
when the skies grew black a gaze oi
wind swept up and hailstones as large
AZ the late Diamond Jim Bradys dis-
monds began TO fall. Moore and
NJ. benchmen withstood the heavenly
.braunel for a minute or two and then
A.d for the protection Of the CLUB
house. The worst was soon over. how
ever, and fresh start was made AZ
grooming the courts.
The feature match Of the afternoon
saw the first meeting in the East be-
tween Miss Molla Bjurstedt, national
womsn champion, and Mrs. Robert Il.
williams, of California, who arrived
IN the Atlantic seaboard this week TO
participate in the Red Cross ambu-
lance section matches.
Norwegian in Trim.
The Californian was no match for
the champion to-day, yielding by a
score Of 81, "a, but it would not
be fair to Judge her play by this after
moons match, for she has not yet be-
come acclimated or accustomed to the
turf courts.
Miss Bjurstedt was radiant and con-
fdent before the match. for swastlka
pin similar TO the one she has worn IN
all her matches in this country adorned
hsr sweater. II was not the original
which she lost last week, but dupli.
cate that was made TO order. The girl
from the North, while still regretting
the loss of her talisman, believes the
new one will act as a good omen in her
future matches. It did this afternoon
al least.
There were several thrilling matches
in the mems round robin doubles, the
team of Frederick c. lnman and Lyle
=. Mahsn winning two matches and
coming through the opening day. OF
NAV without a defeat. In their trst
match they took the measure Of Theo-
dore Roosevelt, Pell and Bernon 5.
Prentice at SO, GO, "a, and later
wen from Frederick B. Alexander and
Elliott H. Binzen by score of 81
6-3.
The latter pair won a match from
Howard A. Plummer and Holcombe
Ward, the veteran and former SIX
times holder of the national doubles
title with Beals Wright and Dwight
F. Davis. the score being 6-3, Ga in
the remaining event of the day.
Pell and Prentice defeated Ward and
Plummer at So, Ga. Ward, the
originator of the American twist ser
vice, brought off some brilliant voiley,,
ing shots from mid-court, but his speed
has practically all departed and his
service is no longer the deadly weapon
ii was twenty years ago or more.
Mahan's great height was large
factor in the success of his team. No
matter how often Alexander and BinZen
sought to drive the tall player back
from the net, Mahan generally man
aged 70 reach up and get his racquet
on the ball and send IL crashing back
for the point. lnman's low volleys
were dazzling and many times he nm
ished of the points by shooting returns
a. sharp angles across the court or
straight down the side alleys.
Some Splendid Smashing
Young Binzen, the national junior
champion, did some splendid smashing
of lobs in the match against Ward and
Plummer, while Alexander's court gen.
eralship in tricking the opposing pair
out of position by deep lobbing or
sudden change Of pace was feature Of
the contest.
In spite Of the threatening weather
there was a good sized gallery in the
stands when Miss Bjurstedt and Mrs.
Williams took the court. The national
champion started the service with
double fault, but eventually took the
opening game, after the points had
gone twice 70 deuce. Both girls pre-
Of the court in the early stages OF the
match, but in the second set they went
70 the net quite frequently to finish
OF the points on the full yolley.
II did not take Miss Bjurstedt long
to discover q weakness in Mrs. Will
ismss deep backhand, and once she
had laid bare this vulnerable spot the
Champion maintained a relentless at
tack to this point. The Californian
won the third game in the first set, but
that was all she could do, for Miss
Bjurstedt was driving hard and &C
curately and scoring with ease on
passing shots that Mrs. Williams was
powerless TO meet.
In the second set Mrs. Williams
played faster and with more confidence,
going for the net position more fire.
qusntly than before. This proved
dangerous experiment, however, for the
champion was in excellent control OF
her passing strokes and shot the ball
through the openings with rare skill.
Several long driving rallies from
deep court enlivened the match in this
set But after Miss Bjurstedt had
run into a lead OF az on games. Mrs.
Williams started a brilliant session
from Just inside the service court and