New-York tribune., 1922-07-05

pion, crushed Francis T. Hunter ur
terday afternoon, in the final round
invitation lawn tennis tournament
Williams reeled off his amazing
shots with such ease, and piled up his
points and games so rapidly that the
minutes from the time the men first
took the court
And afterward. in the locker room,
Hunter still seemed stunned at the
completeness of his defeat. How did
it happen?" he inquired of friend.
And the only thing you could say in
answer to this appeal from Hunter
was that Williams had been playing
really unbeatable tennis. When Dick
defeated Maurice Mclaughlin, in the
final round of the national champion
ship on the center court at Newport, in
1914, he amazed the gallery by the same
display of super-tennis.
1t was his service that formed Will
liams's most formidable attacking
weapon yesterday, if am to pick out
any one concrete example of his win
ming strokes from among such bril-
liant array. During the short three
sets that the match lasted the former
national champion scored q total of ten
actual service aces, but in addition the
speed and uncanny accuracy of his de-
livery forced Hunter into twenty two
errors off service, nineteen nets" and
three "outs."
Hunter Confident at Start
Hunter went out on that court brim-
ming over with confidence, confidence
in his ability to make good showing
at least, and perhaps to do better than
that. Had any one told him that he
would get only three games in the
whole match | doubt that Hunter could
have restrained q hearty laugh of in
credulity, and yet that was the limit
of his success.
Williams used his wire-strung steel
racquet as he has done since last win
ter, and William A. Larned, inventor of
the metal novelty, who stood by the
court and watched Williams riding
rough-shod over the determined Hun
{ ter, remarked after the last point had
been finished off: THAT was absolutely
the fastest tennis, on Williams's part,
that | have ever seem"
This is high praise, indeed, from
& Larned, and while the memory Of Will
llams's wizardry against Mclaughlin
at Newport eight years ago has always
Z impressed me as the highest fight of
+ match, there is small room for argu-
ment that the Longwood player yester-
Z day was SO close to that mark as to
: make the difference negligible.
, A study of the stroke analysis will
show that William piled up a total of
81 earned points and only Al errors, in
: itself an astounding winning percent
age. Hunter, in the mean time, could
get only IL earned points, while his er-
rors totaled 50, an overwhelming mar
gin III favor of Williams.
Rain Falls During Last Set
During the playing of the last set it
started to rain, and the gentle drizzle
had developed into downright shower
in the last four games. Harry C. Mar
tin, chairman of the tournament COM
mittee at Nassau, had fortunately fur
rished the players with what is prob
ably to-day the finest bit of turf in
this country, else the playing surface
must have bothered the fnalists con-
siderably.
: AS it was, however, the court re-
: mained true and firm to the end, and
although naturally the speed of the
ball was slowed up in some degree il
did not affect the brilliance of Will
iams's game in the slightest. He han.
+ died the low bounders with the same
degree of certainty that marked his
handling of the normally acting ball
and his foootwork showed no slacken-
Z ing in speed and perfection.
: 1t was the magic of Williamss play
+, that proved the magnet yesterday The
gallery seemed to feel that drenchng
, by summer rain was of no conse-
Z quence when compared with the deligh,
I of watching the super stroking of the
former national title holder. Provided
J Williams can bring that same brand OF
tennis to Germantown with him next
- September it is difficult to imagine any
man in the world defeating him.
:, Rarely have l seen more coura
geous, stole gallery than that at Mas
! sau yesterday. The women, dressed
in light summer costumes, remained in
: their seats, many without protection OF
! any kind. not only through the play.
8 ing Of the singles match. but also
: through the three sets of the final
{ round doubles match, in which William!
and Watson M. Washburn defeated
Frank T. and Fred C. Anderson by a
score of Ga, 6-3, 6-3.
Williams First to Serve
Williams started the service in tn,
frst set, with f. C. Conlin presiding il
the umpre's chair. Chairman Martin
in keeping with the uniform excellence
of management that had marked hi.
work throughout the tournament, hao
provided full complement of capable
linesmen and everything was run of
according to the tennis Hoyle.
Almost withon an effort Williams
took the first three games His service
proved practically unreturnable, Hun.
ter finding the net eight times and
driving out of court once. in his efforts
to score. The indoor champion scored
his only game in the fourth when he
won his own service, the result of ono
service ace and two "nets" and an
"out" by Williams.
The Davis Cup star reeled off the
next three games with the loss of only
2 points, giving him the set at 6-l
Hunter started service in the second
set and won, but that was his bid, for
Williams ran the next six games in a
row, for the second set.
Hunter was having bit more sue.
cess in handling his opponents re-
turns, yet his position was absolutely
hopeless. Williams was scoring on
dazzling passing shots as Hunter at.
tempted to reach the volleying posi-.
tion, and when the New York PLAYER
sent back his defensive returns, Will
Jams was down on the ball like hawk
SIN mothering it with brilliant volleyine
shots, angled SO acutely that Hunter
was caught far short of position.
Hunter Wins Fourth Game
Tho c{n al. -