New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-07-23
Richards 1rounces Williams
fn Semi-Fnaal for Net Title
Junior Champion Wins
o., o.; Will Face Til
denfor Rhode island Gun /
BY Fred Hawthorne

FhONlDENCE., July ". - Vincent
Richards came into his own to-day
when he administered decisive defeat
to Richard Norris Williams I'd, OF Bcs-
ton, former national champion and
Davis Cup player, by score of Go,
GO, in the semi-fnal round of the an
nual Rhode Island State championship
lawn tennis tournament, played on the
championship stretch of turf of the
Agawam Hunt Club.
| In the other semi-fnaI round match
| in the singles William T. Tilden I'd, of
Providence, the worlds champion, de-
feated Watson NJ. Washburn, Of New
York, at CO, e., and thus it comes
to pass that Tilden and Richards, for
mer master and pupil, are to meet
again tomorrow afternoon, with the
championship at stake. Almost a year
ago, in the national championship
tourney at Forest Hills, Tilden van
quished the ighteen-year-o youth in
four-set match
Mrs. Marion Linderstein Jessup, of
Wilmington, Del. won the women's
singles championship this afternoon by
defeating Mrs. Benjamin E. Cole, Of
the Lougwood Cricket Club, by a score
of 6-3, ca in the final round
Tilden and Garland Lose
One of the stunning surprises of the
tournament week came in the defeat
of Tilden and "Chuck" Garland by
Ichiya Kumagae and Zenzo Shin idzu,
%h1
score of Cd, Cd, in the semi-ffnal
round of the doubles. The losers were
fairly outplayed by Itchy" and
Skinny" in match that was featured
by terrific hitting and scintilating VOL
leying duels close to the net
Washburn and Williams gained the
other final round bracket by defeating
Richards and S. Howard Voshell, at
7-5, a. 6-3, after coming from be-
hind, at 1--3, in the last set and run
ming out the last five games in row.
Both Richards and Voshell weakened
badly at this stage, Richards being the
more fragrant in this respect. Wash
burn was particularly good, earning
many points by spectacular drives
across deep court to his opponents
backhand.
Miss Leslie Bancroft and Kumagae
Won their way into the final round of
the mixed doubles by defeating Mrs.
Benjamin E. Cole and Nathaniel ".
Niles. OF Boston, at 6-1, IS, Cd, in
q or1lllantly-played match, while Miss
Edith Slgourney and Tilden defeated
MRS. Jessup and Vincent Richards, at
o--z' lo-S, IN the other bracket.
Richards Plays Keen Game
The match between Richards and
Williams claimed the greater share of
the gallery's interest, partly because
OF Rlchards's youth and partly because
ms brilliant playing of yesterday
against De Turenne led many to be-
Aeve the New York boy would van
qush the No. man of the national
ranking list. Richards was ranked at
No. II last season The result is
the Tilden- Washburn match was taken
for granted, so the feelings of the
thousands in the stands were swayed
principally as the tide of battle rose
and fell between Richards and Will
Jams.
Richards's victory over the inter
nationalist was gained by sound tao
teal Judgment and brilliant stroke
execution. The youngest seemed to have
sensed Williams's weakness right at
the start Of the match, and this be-
came apparent as soon as the New
York player started his service in the
second game.
Williams, if you have noticed, pre-
fers to take the ball we'll away from
his body. His ground stroke and most
OF his volleying shots are made with
an extended arm. Consequently Rich
ards made it his business, parti cularly
when serving, to shoot the ball direct
ly at the former national champion,
and as result Williams was generally
making his shots from a cramped po-
sition.
As is his custom the Boston star
reeled off many dazzling shots for
clean placement aces. He outscored
Richards three to one in this respect,
but his total of errors was an even
three to one as compared with his
opponents, and a majority of these
errors were caused by the New York
youths tactical Judgment
Williams Is Brilliant
Williams started the service and
Richards broke through right at the
start and took the next game for 20.
Ii the third Williams, trailing at To-
40, brought a storm of applause from
the stands by Keeling off four wonder
full placement shots in row Twice
he shot the ball across court at almost
unbelievable angles, once he played a
delicate trap shot that caught Richards
ten feet away and once he sent fore
hand drive sizzling down the side line.
We who were watching began to be-
lieve then that Williams was about to
start one of his meteoric sessions, but
the slender, fair-haired youth on the
other side of the net, refusing to be
fiustered at this sudden show of super
tennis, as cool and imperturbable as
Norman Brookes himself might have
been under similar circumstances, went
along serenely. turning back WiIliams,s