New-York tribune., 1919-08-28

American lawn tennis history.
Williams, playing with all his
ards, the national boy champion, b,
Tilden conquered E. F. Thomas. ir..
those who watched these two rate
victors reeled off shots that fairly d;
The Others who are considered
among the serious contenders for the
title now held by r. Lindley Murray
came through the ordeal YESTERDAY
with coiors flying and no decided op-
position, except In the case of William
N. Johnson, of California. champion
of 1915, who was carried to four tortu-
Gus sets at GO, 7-5, 6-S, Ga by
G. A. L. Dionne, local club member
Murray had to fight hard in the last
set OF his match with Dean Mathey be-
fore he could clinch the honors by a
score of 60. I'd, 1O-S
Norman Brookes, the Australian wiz
ard OF the courts. slipped through his
match against young Walter West
brook, of Detroit, by a score of 60,
60 ca, taking the last set after his
opponent held the lead at 4-1 on
games. Those first two sets found
Brookes going with wonderful pre-
cision and smoothness. 1t was prac-
done so softly so delicatcly, and with
SO little apparent effort, that it was
hard to realize the hard hitting West
brook was being borne down to defeat
so swiftly.
Westbrook Fights Gamely
In the last set, Westbrook, who is
a tireless young court coverer, went
after everything the Australian veteran
~ 1lt Hnyz
desperately hard he had to race to get
his racquet on the ball, and he also had
temporary success by lobbing consis-
tently to Brookes. The latter never
smashed the ball on these occasions
with the severity that he once used
but instead he relied upon careful
placing Of his soft returns.
The result was that Westbrook was
able TO return many of the foreigners
sshots during the first four games of
the set, ending the ball crashing back
drives. But just when the crowd stand
ing about the outer court. whore the
match was being played. expected to
see the American youth spring yreat
surprise Brookes frightened up in his
game and began to reel off the games
in the 1rictionless style that had dis
tingulshed his work in the first two
sets.
There was doubtless method in the
Australians tactics in the first half of
the final set, for although Westbrook
was successful in returning his op-
ponent's shots the effort in going after
the skilfully placed shots from the
masters unerring racquet took all Of
Ne.tbrook's reserve powers, and when
Brookes decided to make an end Of
matters he swept through the last five
games almost without an effort.
lchlya Kumagae, of Japan, defeated
Ludlow Nandeventer, OF New Jersey. by
q score of 60, 6-3, 6-3, conhning
deventer attempted TO force the net
position with fine spirit, but the sting
ing drives that Kumagae shot through
the openings, down the side lines and
clear to the base line, made Vande-
venter's a losing battle from the start.
kumagae Displays Skill
The little Japanese put & tremendous
amount of top-spin or his ground
strokes, making the bali hard to handle
OF the soft turf, and he showed SPLEEN
did judgment in following in behind
these forcing shots to finish off the
points by terrific volleying.
This afternoon at 3 o'clock Kumagae
will take on Robert lie Roy, the base
line veteran, in a match that should
provide plenty of stirring deep court
driving rallies. lie Roy it was who
sprang the first big surprise of the
tournament yesterday by vanquishing
Clarence j. Griffin, of California, In a
fve-set battle, the score going at 4-6,
2-6, 6-2, 60, Ga.
This was largely question Of which
man could hold to the steadest driv-
ing from the base line, and lie Roy
who has been playing high class tour
nament tennis for almost a score Of
years. proved his worth in striking
manner. When Griffin led off by TAX
ing the first two sets it seemed fore
gone conclusion that the match was
at his mercy.
But lie Roy never gave up hope
OF the strain in the third set LIE Roy
kept adding pace to his forehand
drives, so that he kept the solid little
Californian on the jump continuously
The New Yorker had splendid control
Of his shots, and he disguised his di-
rection we'll. After taking the thirc
set at 6-2 he simply overwhelmed
Griffin in the fourth, taking the set
at Glove" and squaring the match.
LIE Roy Defeats Griffin
The sudden change in the fortunes
of war must have shaken Grifin's
confidence badly, and, although he at
tempted to s+ave off defeat in the las'
set most valiantly, the steadiness o.
his opponent proved too much of ar
obstacle, and lie Roy took the las
set at Ga for the match.
Maurice E. Mclaughlin, the red
headed idol of the American courts
came through his match against Clyde
Curley by score of 6-2, 6-1, 10
but his work yesterday was not i'm
pressive to those who recalled hl'
cyclonic playing against Brookes II
the Davis Cup matches of 1914:
1t may be that the great Comet
is conserving all his strength for the
greater struggles that face him as th'
tourney nears its end. This Afternoon
at l o'clock he takes the court agalns
Leonard Beekman, the former Prince
ton captain, and / feel that the Cal
NORMAN must show us something mor'
than he has so far in this tourney II ne
eyrr"*s 20 continue his march towar'
the final brackets.
a..y iaA 10 Beekman to earn un
dying fame to-day by taking the meas a
ure of "Red Mac" But, then, Mc
Loughlin will probably come tnrougl
this afternoon with the brand OF law
tennis he showed in the semi-hna
round Of the national doubles at Long