New-York tribune., 1919-12-28
Champion and
Singles Rival
Win Doubles
Holder of Six Titles Takes
Final Match by Oil,
6-3, So, %, %
BY Fred Hawthorne


fully defended his junior singles title
yesterday in the final round Of the an
nual tournament on the board courts
of the 7th Regiment Armory. Richards
defeated Frank T. Anderson, Of Brook
lyn, in a beautifully played FIVE set
match, the sets going at ell, G--3,
81, 6-2, Ga. 1t was almost dupl-
cate Of the final round match these
boys played in the same event last
year, when Richards won the title
Half an hour after being crowned
singles champion Richards paired with
Anderson in the final round of the
doubles, and added another title to his
list by defeating Abraham Bassford 30
and Theodore LIE Gros, at Cd, g.
Cd. Richards now holds six national
titles in lawn tennis-namely national
senior indoor singles and doubles, ma
tional junior singles and doubles, ma
tional outdoor junior and national
mixed doubles-a record never equalled
on the courts before.
Imme diately after the finish of his
two matches the schoolboy marvel told
me that this probably marks his last
appearance on an indoor court. Rich
ards's eyes have suffered greatly as
result of the miserable light in the
big armory, and yesterday, at the
earnest solicitation of Frederick y.
Robinson, editor of "The Medical Re
view Of Reviews" who has been an
interested spectator almost daily at
the tournament, the champion eetinite
~ decided to abandon the indoor game
and devote all his playing to outdoor
courts
Plays Cool-Headed Game
The result of the singles match yes
terday showed that Richards and An
derson are in class by themselves
Try and that Richards is undoubtedly
the superior of Anderson under cll
conditions. board, clay or turf courts.
But the margin is not great one.
Anderson tired in the last two sets
and the nervous strain of the match
told appreciably on him, leading him
into errors Of stroke and tactics that
ruined his chances for national title.
Richards. on the other hand. never
turned hair as the saying is. and
he played with the same imperturbable
bearing from start to finish. He re-
fused to become Mustered when An
derson was clearly outplaying MIN in
the first and third sets, and he showed
the same qualities in the flal stages
Of the match, when victory was in
sight. and he was tinshing off his
points with beautiful voleying and
severe smashing Of Anderson's lobs.
The games in the first set alternated
on service u, 20 Sail, with the points
being Tough. out In brilliant, rapid-fire
rallies at the net Both boys were put
ting all they had into their service
md it was a question which was going
TO faitcr first. The quality of tennis
fact there have been few senior
matches on indoor courts that have
brought forth the same splendid speed
Of play and beauty Of stroke execution.
Both players ang,ed their shots beau
tifully. playing the ball sharply across
fore court and ferretiNg out every pos
sible opening.
Eichards's Double Faults
With the games at Sail in Andcrson's
favor and Richards holding the service
in the ghth game, the first "oreak" in
the delivery came when Richards made
a double-fault on the final point Of the
game and Anderson won, leading at
t. Richards aropped the next game
on Anderson's service bat then the
champion struck an unbeatable streak
of volioying and severe overhead play
ard won three games III row, to lead
at 60.
They went at it hammer and tongs
then, with Richards holding his one
game advantage up to IS on games.
Then he experienced another session OF
erratic service, coupled with faulty
driving. He was trying to shave the
net too closely and was continually
hitting the net cord. Anderson, who
was smotherng Richards's returns by
brilliant work at the net, took the
next three games in row, for the Set
at 1l-9
The point score follows:
FIRST SET
.424a41a45 a45t522s42422 as ii
O4o524Ss s3234462 ,-ss
Richards took the second set with
out difficulty. his whole game tighten
ing up and the shots ripping off his
racquet IN q manner that enthused the
gallery. The point score in this set
follows:
SECOND SGT
A"aspsaa.. h'snasda: 5 t-Is 1-Is (
In the third set Anderson ran into
lead of 81 on games. Once more
Richards caused a stir by starting q
great rally, and this time he held his
form until he had squared the set and
match 1t b-all, games. Then, to the
delight of his followers, Anderson won
the next two games, closing in with
rush at the net and hammer .ng out
his roints by the crispest kind Of vel
leying.
The point score follows:
V'JInh
Points Games
Richards
1o4l a4s42 ST.. Sc
4 3 4 / 5.... 10
After the rest period Richards came
out on the court with lock OF deter
mination on his face that indicated he
had begun TO take more serious view
o. the match. He was up at the net
like flash and it was absolutely hope
less for Anderson TO offer a ball more /
than shoulder high, for Richards Was /
killing" with great severity and ac-
curacy. Lapidly and smoothly the
champion ran away with this set, allow
ing Anderson only the third and sew
enth games. The point score follows:
FOURTH SET
Rcha ~ls---
50 : 4........... 20
Anderson
3 . o........... II =
Anderson led at to in the last
set, but Richards was growing better
all the time and was as fresh as VIXEN
he began. 1t was spendid struggle