The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1922-09-09
DAVIS DOWNS NILES
IN five SET TUSSLE
Californian Flashes 1919 Form
and Wins. 2-6, 6-3, 20, 6-3,
GA, at Germantown.
FAYORITES TUNING UP
Tilden, Johnston and Patter-
son Take Things Easy in
First Round Tits.
ny SAMUEL }. BRooKMAN.

BY SAMUEL J. BROOK MAN.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. SIT was not
the title contenders but the lesser
lights who furnished the thrills in the
opening round OF the national tennis
championship at the Germantown
Cricket Club to-day. The seeding"
of the draw having made it possible
for the Tildens, the Johnstons, the
Pattersons and others of top rank to
travel along leisurely without any dam
ger of defeat, they contented them
selves with tuning UP their strokes.
They were in a decidedly charitable
mood in the matter of yielding games
and in nearly every case gave their
opponents plenty of encouragement.
But in a large percentage of the
other tussles it was quite different.
very far some exceptionally hard fought
and spectacular matches had developed
and the gallery that came early and
remained until almost dark found OPP
portunities galore to wax enthusiastic.
Seldom has an initial day furnished so
many extra set and extra game con-
tests: seldom has the caliber of tennis
been so uniformly top notch.
Standing out prominently among the
matches that were staged within the
grandstand area were two that went
the limit of five sets. In one of them
Nathaniel w. Niles of Boston, MEM
Der OF the select first ten went down
to defeat by a score of 2-6, 6-3. 2-6.
6--3. ca at the hands of Willis Davis
of California. who after n season of
strangely mediocre tennis, suddenly
found himself and flashed by far his
best exhibition in years. the finest he
has shown since the Southampton
tournament of 1919. when he accom-
plished the defeat of Norman E.
Brookes of Australia.
Spanish Star I'm Feature.
The other spectacular thrill came at
the close of day and ended in a triumph
for Jose Alonzo of Spain over Fred
erick c. Anderson by score of 3-6.
s-6. GIL, TO, rs. In each case the
eventual winner failed to impress in
the early stages; in each case once the
rivals had struck their best stride the
tide shifted frequently az the contest
neared its completion, and those who
looked on We're held tense and expectant
until the final stroke. Both matches
were chock full Of all that goes to
make tennis spectacular; remarkable
~ecoveries. speed of stroke. abundant
volleying and smashing and sensational
spurts.
Davss service in his match with
Niles was swapping and sizzling with
all its old time break and power. 1t
was under excellent control. too. and
II stood him in good stead In the last
two sets particularly. 1t was service
coupled with his superior stamina that
turned the tussle in the Cal!fornians
favor
While his strength lasted Niles. With
lis clever playing and maneuvering and
lis somewhat better control. held the
upper hand. He won two OF the first
three sets and with rest ten min
utes following the chances of his ul-
innate success looked bright. But, the
whirlwind pace that the Californian had
forced him to maintain had taken more
out OF the Bos.onians store of energy
than Davis's and the latter. sensing the
fact that his best hope lay In fncreas-
Ing the pace. IL possible. attacked
furiously in the fourth and fifth sets,
stormed the net, drove deep and hard
and wore his man down. His service
grew devastating and he scored after
acc in some of the important games.
Toward the end Miles spurted and
threatened seriously for a brief spell,
but found his strength lacking to carry
through.
Jose Alonzos victory was accomplished
after he had been completely outplayed
for two sets by the tall, hard hitting
Fred Anderson. Had the latter been
able to sustain the speed and accuracy
that were his In the early half OF the
iratch the Spanish Davis cup player
would have gone down to defeat In
straight sets. Anderson, however, either
grew careless or over cautious just a,
time when the Spanish player launched
determined attack in an effort to pre-
vent straight set defeat Whatever the
cause his control slumped. and from
the middle OF the third set on Alonzo
outguessed and outplayed him.
Anderson bobbed UP with rousing
rally In the final set after his opponent
had run into an apparently insurmount-
able lead OF SO In games. Throwing
all caution to the winds at last and
stroking az though he realized that h.
had everything 10 gain and nothing q
lose, the Brooklyn youth had the gal
lcry thrilled as he fought uphill game
after game to tie 5--all He waa
going 80 wei that IL seemed as though
nothing could stop him. Alonzo seemed
70 have shot his bolt. The lattet
stcadied just In time. however, and al
though Anderson pressed him hard the
Spaniard took the eleventh and twelfth
games for the set and match at 7--5.
ShImfxu Defeats wesbrooIx.
Next in interest to the contests de.
cided on the grandstand turf was the
one IN which Shimzu defeated Walter
Wcsbrook OF Detroit in three sparkling
sets. The Western youth gave a great
account OF himself against the Japanese
internationalst. who as usual was re-
markable in his court covering and a
genius In finding his openings. In every
one OF the three sets Wesbrook came
from behind after Shlmizu had taken a
lead OF 80 and drew up to even terms.
but II required An extraordinary effort
on the youngsters part each time and
Shimizu came TO the front again when
ever Weshrook slackened In speed and
control. The score was Cd. 7--5, Ga.
Rill Tiidon. playing through cham
pIon, tried out his entire stroke assert
ment in defeating Alex Thaycr. Go.
60, 6--2. Another member of the
Trayer family sydney Thayer took n