New-York tribune., 1918-06-25
About Fifty Players Start
Former Champion Hall
Wins Two Matches

A field Of about fifty players started
play in the thirty-third annual lawn
tennis tournament for tthe Middle
States championship in mems singles
yesterday afternoon on the new clay
courts of the Orange Lawn Tennis
Club, on Ridgewood Road, Mountain
Station, N. ]. The commodious club
house, regarded as one of the hand
soonest owned by any Of the Eastern
clubs, was inspected by the players,
both before and after the matches, and
favorable comment was heard on every
side.
Among those who will strive for the
singles crown, now held by Theodore
Roosevelt Pell, is Walter Merrill Hall,
who held the championship in 1911.
Hall won two matches yesterday and
looks like a probable occupant of
final bracket. In his first match he
defeated Allen C. Bragaw, chairman Of
the tournament committee, by 81 Score
of 6--1. Cd, and in the third round
he swept Carl Russell before him
under a score Of Go, Go. The for
mer title holder was driving at full
speed in both matches, and when he
came up to the net it was to bring off
"kills" with certainty and force.
This tournament is one Of the oldest
fixtures in American lawn tennis, and
from the time that Richard D. Sears
won the championship, back in 1885,
until 1916, when Pell won the title
from Karl Behr, the famous Davis
Cup player, the quality Of tennis has
always been of the highest.
Several Default Matches
A number of defaults marked the
opening day Of the tourney yesterday,
but as the play nears the final brack-
cts the competition should bring out
some fast playing. Pell will defend his
title in the challenge round, meeting
the winner of the tournament.
The mems. doubles tournament will
start this week, with the possibility
that Pell and Behr, holders of the
championship, will defend. These two
have won almost countless honors on
the court and took permanent possess
sion of the challenge cups in 1916, hav-
ing won the title three years in success
sion.
On Wednesday afternoon the wom-
ems championship singles will start,
with Miss Eleanor Goss, runner-up for
the national title at Philadelphia last
week; Miss Helene Pollak, finalist in
the all-comers' at that tournament;
Miss Marie Wagner; former national
indoor champion, and other players of
prominence entered
MIDDLE STATES MEMS CHAMPIONSHIP SIN
Giles
First round--sechiro kashio won from r. Mat
tox by default: Harry Blash defeated c. A. Brown.
81 S-s; ,oAa. p Arnold defeated 1 G. i, Mclean. g
fault: A: II. Kaiser from n. Benedict by de-
fault: Lindsay Durham won from T. c. Corwin. by
default Malcolm colin Scott won from F. c. Bags by
fault: A. Roach jr.. from l.. S. Hobbie. by
default.
Dixon. 81. s--l: #, ". Almendors defeated Nor. W.
man Johnson 6--3, 6-3: r. Argumbcau defeated
w. H. rritchard. 6--3. .6--s: A. Magary won from
Elliott =. Bnzen. by default B.. Arnold defeated
y. S. Moorehead g. 6--4; II. w. Holbrook de-
ioatcd G. Colby, ,s-l. .s--2; q; ". Gilmore de-
featcd DIR. n. Widmer. "a. ca Gerald Emerson
won from r: McBurney. by default; Carl Russell
defeated H. +. Dean As. 60, 6--l: Walter Mer-
rl Hall defeated Allan G. Bragaw. 6-l, Ga.
Third round-Hall defeated Russell. Co. 60.