The sun., 1919-06-22
GROWTH SLIGHT IN
TENNIS DOUBLES
Team Game Fails to Keep
Pace With Advance in
American Singles.
MORE INTEREST LATELY
New Rules for Playing Of Ma
tional Journeys Attract
Attention Of Players.
MORE INTEREST LATELY

With the phenomenal growth Of tennis
during the last year. It would naturally
be expected that every branch Of tho
game would improve. Tennis players.
however. have had their doubts about
that as far as tho doubles game Is con-
cerned. They have been satisfied to
accept II for granted that the game
would grow among the boys and the
juniors and that there would be de-
c'ded Improvement in the women's game.
The possibility, however. that strong
doubles teams would be built out was
not no certain
In other years, there have been booms
| in tennis, not nearly SO big as the pres
Ont one, but big enough for their times.
Through all OF these, however. the
American doubles game did not progress
as levers Of the game wanted It to. 1t
will be remembered that in 1914, Amer
lea lost the Davis cup. after Maurice e.
Mclaughlin. the Californian Comet, won
his matches in singles from, Norman E.
Drookes. the great Australian player.
and stronger partner. the late An
| thony F. Wilding. due tqAthe fact that
Mclaughlin and Thomas c. Bundy, sup
posedly ,he strongest doubles team IN
the country at that time, were no match
for Brookes and wiiding.
Few Strong Doubles Teams:
| There have boon comp rativsiy f.w
sircng doubles teams In the HISTORY of
| rernls in this country. Among the teams
that stand out In American tennis are
| r. D. Sears and J. Dwight They won
the American championship five times.
Then there was Dwight F. David and
| Holcombe Ward, who won the title three
| times. Ward and Beals c. Wright later
formed combination which won three
championships. Then came Fred b.
Alexander and Harold H. Hackett. who
were national champions four times. Nc
| ISoughlin and Bundy were doubles kings
for three successive years and were SUI
perseded by William NJ. Johnston and
Clarence J. Griffin. This latter pair
looked like one of the strongest COM
birations in the history of the game.
but their activities were suspended by
the war.
With only one Of the sectional doubles
championships completed-the Middle
Atlantic. played at Columbia Country
Club recently. however-players through
out the country are turning their atten-
ton to these events. Under the rules
adopted at the last annual meeting OF
United States National Lawn Tennis
Association, the doubles championship
Of the country at the Longwood Cricket
Club the week of August II will be
open only to teams which have won
sectional events
This action was advised at the meet
ing Of the executive committee held in
Chicago at the last clay court cham
ptonship when delegates from the Mid
die West urged a return TO the sectional
basis for the doubles. instead of the
open tournament, which had been es-
tablished in the belief that It would
broaden the interest in this branch
of tennis. Quite the contrary opin-
Ion was expressed. for J. B. Adoue
of Texas, Ward C. Burton OF Minneapo-
lis. MINI. c. Drummond Jones of st.
Louis. Mo. L. Harry waidner of Chi
cago. Ill, all members of the commit
tee. declared that in their localities the
sectional system was far more attrae-
tive TO the players.
Adopt Rules for Play.
On their recommendation committee
was named which reported at the an
nual meeting the following rules:
l. To be eligible for competition in
the national doubles championship, a
team must first have won a current
sectional doubles championship.
2. Each member of a sectional doubles
team must be member in good stand
ing Of a club in good standing. belong
Ing directly or indirectly to the U. s.
n. L. T. A. Any team or player who
has won R sectional doubles champion
ship Is Ineligible Tor play in other cur
rent sectional doubles championships.
3. The place for holding the national
doubles championship shall be decided
at the annual meeting. Each duly ac-
credited section shall be entitled to a
doubles championship.
4. In the national doubles champion
ship the teams shall be bracketed by the
usual draw. The winning team shall
have the right to challenge the cham
pions, and the challenge round shall be
a part OF this Tournament. The winners
OF the challenge shall became the ma.
tional doubles champions.
Their adoption means that the win
. ners of the sectional doubles tourna-
ments thereby qualify for the national
1 championship. The sectional events are
J open to any team that have not won In
. other sections, irrespective OF residence
Medals for the winners of these tourna-
, ments are given by the u. s. n. L. T. A.
As a result OF this change, a complete
J schedule of sectional championships was
3 established. with the exception of the
intermountain section. The dates fol-
low: May So-Columbia Country Club
Middle Atlantic; June 23-Orange Lawr
Tennis Club Middle States; July A.
| Long l1edCn, July ~
Minnetonka Yacht Club. Northwestern
, July 2l-Cleveiand Associated Tennis
, Clubs, Tri-State; July 2l-Asheville
, Country Club, Southern July 21-Long-
, wood Cricket Club, New England: July
2s-Dallas Tennis Club. Southwestern
a July 2S-Rockhill Tennis Club. Western
: August 4--Tacoma' Lawn Tennis Club
{ Pacific. Northwestern.
n.-AI~.
: Adoption of this plan did away with
. the Eastern doubles formerly played
I with the Longwood singles. and made II
r necessary TO hold the Middle Atlantic
I Middle States and New England cham
pionships as separate events, following
the geographical sections OF the country
as outlined by the constitution OF the
U. s. N. L. T. A.
From the interest already manifested
II Is plain that this scheme appeals to
I the players. for a number OF teams are
making ready to try for the local titles
. and II they win are planning TO play n,
Boston. Word comes from the Coast
that Maurice E. Mclaughlin and Thomas
C. Bundy. former champions. are prac-
Using steadily in the belief that they
can regain their championship form
Ralph Burdick and Walter Hayes OF
Chicago are formidable team. Beal.
c. Wright. who held the title with Hol
combe Ward. also is to make another
try at the championship. and a host o
:. newcomers are active, Consequent,
|, | Tildao and Ui,oap, Dsok