The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-17
specioI Despdtch to TEE Sun.

CHICAGO. July Height players had
reached the round before the semi-final
this afternoon in the mems singles OF
the annual national clay court cham
pionship lawn tennis tournament on the
courts OF the South Side Tennis Club.
William T. Tilden, the playing through
champion, and Vincent Richards of New
York already had gained their brackets
yesterday, and tomorrow the survivors
OF to-day's test will face one another
In the following order:
Upper half-Axel Craven OF Cali
fornia Tvs. William r. Tilden, I'd, OF
Philadelphia Robert NJ. Kinsey of Cali
fornia VS. Walter Westbrook of Detroit /:
William NJ. Johnston of California VS..
l. II. Waidner of Chicago, and Walter
T. Hayes OF Chicago VS.. Vincent Rich
ards of New York.
The mems doubles went into the
fourth round and the two womens
championship singles got under head
way with about thirty middle West
stars entered.
The match that held the attention Of
the largest gallery to-day was the strug-
gle between Johnston and S. Howard
Voshell of New York a former national
indoor champion. Johnston, giving
striking evidence Of improvement over
the form he showed at Cincinnati last
week. defeated the fastener in three
sets by a score of 60, 3-6, 60, and
he begins to loom up as a probable final
list. He should be able to get past the
veteran Waidner tomorrow, and then
Will be faced either by the sixteen year
old Richards or Hayes, another veteran
who still compaands dangerous game.
Johnston is rounding to by slow
stages By the time the great national
singles tourney begins at Forest Hills
next month his strokes should be going
at their best and his physical condition
should be pretty close to top notch
Voshell played far stronger game
this afternoon than he did during the
East-West team matches last week, but
even so. he was not able to hold the
great Californian on the South Side
courts. The famous Johnston forehand
drive Is beginning to show signs of life
again. Several times to-day the Coast
player sent the ball ploughing through
Voshell's court with tremendous speed
and pace" He also had his volleying
shots tuned up to winning pitch.
smothering his opponents returns with
severe and well controlled overland vol
leys that raked the New Workers. court
fore and aft
A Hard Hitting Match.
It wss a hard hitting. swiftly played
match to-day. in which the points were
won and lost quickly. Severe service, a
rush for the net. an exchange OF drives
from deep courts. and then either a
sharp angled volleyinR shot or a decisive
smash for a kill: that was the usual
sequence of events as Johnston and
Voshell fought out their battle.
The Californian uncovered a weakness
in Voshelrs backhand to-day. and CEN
iva n In 10 al
tack on that point almost from the start.
Voshell attempted to run around the
ball at times. to take II on his forehand.
but Johnston was making his shots so
speedily that the New York player rarely
had a chance to do anything but play the
backhand, and with disastrous results.
After each had broken through service
In the first two games Johnston settled
into his stride and ran into a lead OF
81 and "a on games. and then he
added speed. bit by bit, until he had
the set at GO.
Voshell put forth his greatest efforts
in the second set and for time he was
setting n pace that served to upset
Johnston's game The Fastener put
everything he had into his service and
followed in to the net with a rush. cut
ting on Johnston's returns by splendid
volleying and great work overhead. The
former champion won only the third,
sixth and eighth games before Voshell
had won the set at 6-3. squaring the
match.
In the final session Johnston set him
self 10 work in earnest and went boom
ing along to victory In decisive fashion.
Noshell was not able to stand up against
the aggressive tactics of his opponent
He won only the first and seventh games.
Chicago tennis followers received a Sc
we're shock later IN the afternoon when
Ralph Burdick of the home club lost a
desperately played contested match with
young Westbrook. who recently won the