New-York tribune., 1919-08-17

liz a
and Vincent Richards, of New Yo
championship.
By winning this afternoon Brookes
and Patterson are believed to have ac-
,omplished the hardest part of their
task in the great attempt to take the
American doubles championship back
with them to Australia. Johnston and
Griffin were generally regarded as the
very best team this country can pro-
suce at the present time, and with their
defeat in straight sets it does not seem
that Americas chances are very bright
for retaining the title.
Should the Australians win Monday
!, will be the first time that our doubles
title has been won by q foreign pair
since 1908, when the famous Doherty
brothers, Reginald F. and Hugh Law
renee, having already won the honors
in 1902. successfully defended them at
Newport.
Brookes Plays Best Game
The match to- day did not bring forth
the highest flights of lawn tennis, with
possible exception in the case of the
veteran Brookes. Had it not been for
his mastery work al through the
gruellng struggle, Johnston and Griffin
would almost certainly have won.
Brookes was tiring fast in the last set.
and could the Californians have won
that their chances for stopping the
foreign invasion would have increased
enormously.
Johnston and Griffin led in the first
set at games to 7, with Griffin serv-
-
furious rallies IN a long deuce game
the Australians pulled the game out,
scuaring the match.
Again, in the second set, the little
Californians, fighting hard, ran into a
lead of Sd on games, with Johnston
having the service in the tenth.
Brookes and Patterson took the first
two points when Brookes scored on
dazzling full volley across forecourt,
and Johnston made a costly double
fault on the next. Patterson was caught
with the ball at his feet when Griffin
volleyed sharply on the next point and
netted his return, making the score
l5-90.
The pudgy Griffin electrified the
crowd at this stage by scoring two
wonderful placement aces in success
sion for the next two points, first stick
lDg LNe DG4I GOWU dllGlSOu d4lSv anu
on the next catching the young Aus
tralian out Of position by shooting the
return TO Patterson's feet as the latter
came charging down the court.
This made the score 40-30 on points,
and the crowd of 5000 persons gath
cred about the courts could not hold
Itself m restraint any longer. A tremen-
dous wave o. applause swept down from
the serrled rows of seats and onto the
courts Everybody felt confident that,
could the CALIFORNIA; take that next
point. and with it the set. the match
would go to the younger pair.
A Lightning Rally
But it was not to be. Brookes, who
had saved the situation for Australia
a score of times before, stepped into
the breach again. A lightning fast
rally from mid-court took place to be
finished when Brookes slipped in close
to the net, and, angling his shot Won
derfully, sent the ball shooting almost
parallel 20 the net and so far to the
side Of the court that Johnston could
not get his racquet on the ball. 1t was
a remarkable shot, brought off at d
most critical point, and the gallery was
not slow IN paying tribute to the man
who had made it.
Patterson made it deuce again by
sending his return of service far out
Of court with his peculiar high back
hand stroke which was vulnerable
spot in the Australian team throughout
the match But then it was Johnston s
turn TO falter and he drove into the
net once, and, trying to volley one Of
Brookes's soft, short, drop volleys
down the court centre, failed to "dig"
the ball up, and again it found the net.
Brookes himself lost the next point,
sending his return into the net as
Griffin played the ball directly to his
feet. Deuce again, but on the next
point Griffin popped UP a short lob and
the cyclonic Patterson, rushing in
terrific speed. There was no return
Ing the shot, and the Australians took
the game on the next point, when
Johnston drove out of court. The
games stood at Sail and once more
the Americans had been turned back
just when it seemed they had worked
INTO winning stride
The games went to 6-all, with
Patterson and Griffin both winning on
service, and then Brookes was broken
through for the third time during .he
match. The Californians found the
veterans service easy to "stroke" most
Of the time. Johnston. particularly.
ripping back his returns with great
speed. Brookes contributed to his own
downfall here by sending forehand
drives into the net twice
Johnston and Griffin led at Is on
games, with Johnston holding the ser
vice. Now or never was the time, the
gallery thought, and there was gen
eral leaning toward in the seats. Pat
terson dropped the first point by driv-
ing his return of service out at the
side OF the court but he made amends
later by scoring on beautiful vollev
down the centre, with Johnston and