Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-24
WILL MURRAY
BEAT KUMAGAE?
MANY Believe Coast Star
Will Win Greenwich
Tourney
TO PLAY AT GREENWICH
By PAUL PREP


The announcement that r. Lindley |
Murray. the sensational tennis player
from California would be among the |
leading stars who Will compete in the .
annual invitation tournament OF the |
Greenwich Field Club. OF Greenwich
Conn. which begins this Friday, mas
caused the followers Of the sport to COM
nent as 20 whether Murray Will be
capable of preventing 1chiya kumasae
from annexing the national singles titse
kumagae arrived in this country last
Saturday in time to successfully deteno
his title Of champion of New York state.
Murray is the only American among
the first ten who is not enlisted In the
army or navy, but he la doing just as
important work as chemist In NUM-
tion plant He has been very busy with
his work and played little tennis TINS
year. Such was the case last year. nut
| 1t didn't prevent him from winning the
national patriotic singles championship
| when Kumagae frst invaded this
! country in 1916 he was the sensation OF
the day and defeated many of the lead
| ing PLAYERS Of this country. He met
! Murray on two occasions. one Of which
was in the semtinal round of the Sea
bright invitation tourney, ana lost both
times Since that <ime. however. Kun,a-
sae had made remarkable Improvement
and Murray will have to be at his best
to defeat him.
Started Play on Dirt Courts
Kumasae learned to play on dirt
| courts in Japan. The tennis ball as we
| know it here was hard to get and as
result rubber balls about half as large
again as the ball we are accustomed to
| were used This ball had a much higher
bounce and was livelier than the Amer-
can ball. 1t took him about A month
to accustom himself to the change in
equipment but once he had solved the
difficulty he began to NOV down the
American players in manner which
seemed to indicate that he was headed
straight for the national championship.
kumagae plays back court game ex-
clusively. His forehand and backhand
drives are considered steadier than any
other players who are in the game. He
is as accurate as they come and plays
the lines with great success The only
way to defeat him is through the me-
dium Of a determined net attack.
His stroke ls unlike that used by any
player now in the game. He is left
handed. He starts his stroke from with
In six inches of the ground and from
we'll behind
, The racquet rises rapidly and a great
amount OF drop is given the ball. His
|, backhand il founded on the same prin-
c'pe. and both shots are equally de-
pendahle. His service might be de-
? scribed as weak nd his net play Ia far
below par. as Is his overhead work. His
p success Ia due to the steadiness OF his
, forehand and backhand drives and to
2 his uncanny intuition Of knowing where
! his opponent IL about to place the ball
He makes fewer errors than any other
. hrat- class player and by his steadiness
= and accuracy is easily entitled to his
. place In the first ten. He ia ranked
r seventh at the present time and, with
:. the rest of the first ten in service has a
wonderful chance of winning the ma
,ionals this year.
3 New Courts at Upton
There ia joy among the tennis fans
at Camp Upton. as yesterday two court
were opened on the land adjoining the
Is OF e. headqua arters. Even since the
Ra inbow Division was 1uartered there
many boys have requested that accom-
noda lions be provided so that they could
indulge in their favorite sport.
Owing to more pressing matters. the
knights Of Columbus were unable 10
get around the question OF tennis courts
until two weeks ago, and the work has
been rushed to get the ground adjacent
to the X OF G headquarters leveled for
the racquet pastime.
There are many good tennis players
among the soldiers now stationed at the
camp and many exciting matches are
sure to develop starting with those to-
/. day. The large porch will provide a
= corking spot from which to observe the
|" boys In action
= All the necessary paraphernalia has
4 been provided by the * OF c. for tennis
play and regarding the loaning OF ma
S terials--the rule will be the now world
renowned X. Of c. slogan. "Everybod!
| welcomp-eyeryt hing free