New-York tribune., 1918-08-25
Coming Struggle for Title
Arouses Discussion
Chances Favor New
Champion
By Fred Hawthorne

has been creaCng more or less havoc
among American lawn tennis players
since his first visit to this country in
1918. who be thinks will win the ma
nousl championship on the courts Of
the West Side Tenis Club at Forest
Wills next week, the chances are that
Mr.. Kumagae would smile delightfully."-
and name Robert Lindley Murray, Will
IAN T. Tilden, I'd, Beals Wright, Har-
old Throckmorton or some other star
omong the leading men of the Ameri-
can courts.
But everybody does not share this
comfortable feeling, when the fate of
Americas championship laurels at the
net game is discussed. You will find
many peroons, and among them com
netent and conservative critics OF the
game. who believe that kumagae him
self looms up as the most dangerous
bidder for the high honors that have
been won in previous years by players
like Maurice Mclaughlin, Lieutenant
Richard Norris Williams, I'd, and Will
lam NJ. Johnston, to mention the most
recent holders.
nersons who confidently predict that tha
star Of the Far East Will find spectacu
lar, net-storming. smashing Murray or
Tilden the stumbling blocks on his
quest for the title. Or it may be. of
course. that some player not now con-
sidered to have more than an outside
chance Of reaping the highest honors
will be the man to lay the little
japanese low.
A Week Will Tell
The absorbing question will be an
swered satisfactorily and in detail by
the time the sun sets week from to-
morrow, for on that day the final round
match for the championship will be
played. according to the schedule as
outlined by the tournament committee.
The chances are all in favor of new
champion being hailed this year. Lieu
tenant Williams is battling with the
Hun on the far-fung battle line of
France; George Myers Church, who de-
feated Kumagae in the national in 1916,
is lieutenant in the aviation service
and now stationed in Texas, from
where he sent word last week that he
would be unable to compete, and Nc
Loughlin and Johnston. ensigns in the
navy, are not expected to appear on the
West Side courts, although Johnston
may yet make stand in defence of
Americas court prestige.
Murray has never yet won the ma
tiona title, although last year he won
the national "patriotic" singles from
fine field. Neither Kumagae nor Til
den has earned the champions
crown, and it is not considered in the
range of the possible that the veterans
who will compete are capable of wad
ing through the big field Of younger
players that will oppose their path to
the final round.
The large field, overtopping the one
that started in the "patriotic' tourna-
ment last year, and the exceptional
quality of the draw, come as welcome
surprise to followers of the game. In
TACT. the showing is little short Of re-
markable when we consider the condi-
tions under which the tourney IS being
held this year.
Test for kumagae
HKumagae should come through and
win the championship there would be
none to begrudge him the honors, for
he would have earned them without a
doubt. With men like Lindley Murray
and Tlden in the fight, however, it
seems that the man from the Far East
will have to raise his game to greater
heights than he has yet shown TO capt
ure the blue ribbon event OF the Amer
lean courts. Whether kumagae can do
that remains TO be seen.
The fact that all the gate receipts
taken in at the West Side Tennis Club
during he week of play are to be turned
over to the War and Navy Depart
ments Training Camp Activities Fund.
to purchase athletic equipment and
Smokes" for the men In service, Is
certain 70 attract fine attendance on
each day OF the tourney.
Those who we're fortunate enough to
witness the final round match for the
national doub,ec championship on the
Iongwood Crick,t Club courts q week
ago Saturday, when Vincent Richards
and William T. Tilden, I'd, defeated
Frede, ick B. Alexander and Beals c.
WvIrft in five keenly fought sets. will
be discussing tie remarkable shown,
Of TIE sixteen ye4r-old Richards for
months to ccrc.
The schoolboy vindicated all the
pra.ses Of his ctrrt virtues that he
crit cs have surg IN the last two years
In thaI mach, and nc also refuted the
carpings OF some others who nave
shown g tendency OF late to belittle
the quality OF the coming generation
Of American court stars
One Of our contemporaries had oc-
easlon couple OF weeks ago in a
lengthy description Of The junior play
ers vi the East to Lewail the lack Of
real elass among the youths who hav'
come ~ the top within the last year,
and declared that the- quality Of play
had been Praised toe highly and that
they lacked good judgment on the
court
In rcbuttal we offer Richards, the
boy who astounded the gallery at Long
wocd ny one thing more than any
thing else during his play for the
championship that he won-namely ~,
coart reneralship of the highest quail
ty v hen the brilliant Tilden wav-
cred al times In this match it was
Richards who proved himself the cool,
re calculating. the imperturbable tao
tician.
His was no wild hitting, reckless,
grandstand" game, distinguished by
'ne customary all-consuming fire Of
youth that sacrifces discretion and ac-
surscy In the irresistible desire to
kil!' every ball that comes over the
mel. No; on the contrary, the Yonkers
scnooiboy was on par with those vet
gran ternationalists. Alexander and
nnrlght, when II came to court craft.
sePerp placing, change Of pace and a
wonderfully keen eye for the openings,
eoapied with ability TO take instant ad-
san,age 81 holes in the opposing de-
..snee, were features In Richards's game
that day.
NE stand on our original estimate Of
young Elcnardz nam alo TIM, bo Ia IN 10