New-York tribune., 1918-07-12
S. Schlessiinger
Captures Boys
t ennis tile
Defeats Sheridan Gibney in
Long Battle at Ter
race Club
By Fred Hawthorne

Steve Schlessinger, stocky, sturdy
Afteen-year-old schoolboy Of this city,
won the boys Metropolitan lawn tennis
championship yesterday afternoon on
the clay courts of the Terrace Club. of
Flatbush, by defeating Sheridan Glib
Ney, of Bellerose, Long Island, at 6-3,
O., 4-6, S-7, 6-1, in the final
round of the tournament. Schlessinger
succeeds Vincent Richards as cham
pion, the latter having been compelled
10 default this year because of illness.
In the semi-fnal round of the junior
singles Frank T. Anderson, the sixteen
year old Long Island and North Side
champion, defeated Gerald Emerson, Of
East Orange, in straight sets, winning
at Cd, 6-3. He will meet Cecil Don
aldson, the fourteen-year-ol marvel.
Tor the junior title tomorrow after
noon.
The doubles competition among the
juniors was marked by a large number
Of defaults, but when the final brackets
were filled, it was the two strongest
teams that were left to fight it out
for the championship this afternoon.
Cecil Donaldson and Anderson came
through by defeating R. Clark and n.
Wyckoff at "a, 6-2, in the second
round, and E. Whalen and Donald Tit
terton, in the semi-fnal, by score of
60, 6-1.
Champions Reach Semi-Final
In the lower half Emerson and Har-
old Taylor, the playing through cham
pions, advanced through q default and
then by a victory in the semi-fnal
brackets over Frank Rosenthal and B..
Brownold by score of 6-1, 6-1. The
final for the championship will be
played at 1880 o'clock this afternoon.
Il. It L IL o,,I
Gibney was a thrilling one, and in the
fourth set the ultimate winner was
several times within a point of win
ming, leading at 5-2 on games, only
to lose the set when youEg Glbney
staged sensational uphill battle and
won five games in a row. Gibney uses
both hands on his ground strokes, and
is thus able to take the ball on his
forehand at all times, a decided ad-
vantage against player who plays 8
soft game.
But Schlessinger hits the ball every
time as though he were intent upon
ripping the cover off it, and his speed
made it difficult for Gibney to change
his racquet from right to left hand IN
time to make his returns. In spite of
this, the Long Island lad was so quick
in covering his court and so clever in
his placing close to the lines, that
Schlessinger had his hands full most
Of the way. After bringing the match
fourth set, Gibney wilted in the fifth,
and Schlessinger, making full use of
a miniature copy of Tom Bundys IA
nous reverse twist service, and
volleying game that is rarely seen in
boys tennis, ran straight through to
victory, giving his opponent only one
game.
Anderson proved his right to his po-
sition as finalist by taking the meas
ure of Emerson without at any time
being hard pressed. When he need ed
net end volleyed with beautiful preci-
sion for the finishing shots. Emerson
was hitting the ball hard and some Of
his drives fairly whistled over the net,
but the New Jersey schoolboy was
making too many errors for winning
tennis against player OF Anderson
quality and he did we'll to make the
match as close as he did.
The summaries:
JUNIOR METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP
SINGLES.
Semi-fnal round--Frank T. Anderson de-
feated Gerald Emerson. 6--4, 6--3.
BOYS METROPOLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP
SINGLES.
Final round-Steve Schlessinger defeated
Sheridan Ciibney. 6-3, 6-4. 4-6. 81, e-1.
JUNIOR METROPoLITAN CHAMPIONSHIP
DOU BLES.
First round--Frank Rosenthal and B.
i'rownold won from ID: Agase and |. Jan
dorf by default; R. Clark and n. Wyckon
Won from Clarence Unterberg and l. Rabno-
witz by default.
Second round-Cecil Donaldson and Frank
Anderson defeated Clark and Wyckoh. "a,
6--2 Rosentha and Brownoid won from
Gerald Donaldson. jr.. and Arthur Lynch by
default Harold Taylor and Gerald Emerson
won from I. LIE Gros and partner by de-
fault
Frank Anderson defeated E Whalen and
Donald Titterton e., 6-1; Harold Taylor
and Gerald Emerson defeated Roeenthai and
I5roWnoid, 6--l, I'll.