New-York tribune., 1922-09-09

PHIL ADELPHIA, Sept. ST
champions Zip singles lawn tennis to-
turf COURT of the Germantown Crie
driving eff .iency of Samuel Collornb
of the tour lament committee the gr
to just about half that number, ;
off the board.
Contrary to general expectation
produced the thrills to-day, but the
vorites came through according to TO
ters easily, with a thought to the gr,
Hut two first round matches stood
out prominently, both because of the
keenness with which the contenders
bsttIed for the points and the sensa-
tional incidents in each Perhaps the
most stirring in these respects was the
encounter between Jose Alfonso. the
Spanish Dayis Cup star, and Fred G.
Anderson, o: Brooklyn. Alfonso won by
a score OF S--e, 3---S, 6--1, 7--5. 7-5,
with both men apparently on the verge
of defeat a. different stages, and both
staging uphill battles that reused the
galleries to repeated salvos of ap-
plause.
After the speedy Spaniard had lost
the first two sets it looked like a quick
triumph for young Anderson, bat
Alsonso, apparently tireless, raised the
speed of his play considerably in the
third set, which ne won easily as
the stfYf pace After they came back
TO the court, following the rest period,
Anderson seemed TO nave recuperated
splendidly and met his opponent half
way in the exchanges at the net. The
foreigner was far quicker in his cover
ing of court, however, and made some
spectacular reeoveries of Anderson's
placed shots. After bringing the
games to sail Anderson faltered a
bit and Alfonso won the last two games
by q spirited attack at the net
positions.
Spanish Star Gets Careless
Flushed by his success, the Spanish
star rushed ahead at q dizzy speed in
The fifth set, completely outplaying his
sival and gaining lead Of SO. Either
Alfonso let down unconsciously imme-
diasely after this, feeling that he had
an overwhelming lead, or his own eff
fo'ts had taxed his strength, for An
iig five games in a row and squaring
tie match.
Slowing down considerably in his
PUSHES to the net, Alfonso was not
cutting off Anderson's returns with
the same success That had formerly
marked his play, and he found it in
creasingly difficult to edge the ball
rsst the tall Brooklynite, who is gifted
S-tth the longest reach of any player
en- the courts. After making this mag
Nificent battle against what appeared
hopeless odds, Anderson was fated to
lose out after all, for Alfonso steadied
Gown when his lead was threatened
and went into lightning rallies at the
aet position like whirlwind, smother
ing Anderson's returns by brilliant
rolleying and winning the last two
games for the set and match.
Tomorrow, against the stonewall de-
fense of William j. Clothier, of Phila-
delphia, former national title holder,
Alonso is liable to encounter even more
serious opposition than Anderson gave
him to-day.
Willis e. Davis, of California, was
the hero of the other match that stood
out above the rest, for in his defeat
of Nathaniel w. Niles, of the Longwood
Cricket Club, by score Of 2-6, 6-3,
rs, 6-3, Ga, the big Pacific Coast
star flashed by far the best tennis he
has shown in the East this season.
Davis, who was ranked just outside
the first ten" last season, has expert
enced a most unfortunate campaign on
the courts this summer, since coming
East and at no time has he been with
in Is of his real form. Niles, ON the
contrary always steady player, ranked
in the FIRST ten" last season and diff
ficult opponent to overcome, has been
playing his normal game, and it was
believed he would take the measure OF
Davis without being forced to his limit
To the surprise OF the gallery, there
fore, Davis, after dropping the open
ing set, squared matters by winning the
second, but Niles again went into the
lead by winning the third, and at that
period looked like the eventual win.
ner Davis was playing streaky ten.
mis-, 1ubbing many shots when Niles
stuck the ball at his feet and also
smashing into the net on short lobs
with which the Longwood man fre.
quently tempted.
Davis in Whirlwind Aattack
Eut after they came back to tho
court to begin the fourth set, Davis
soon showed that he was going to make
a great fight for the honors. His tire.
mendous hit service, always full Of
pace but not always reliable, hao
gained decidedly in accuracy, and this
gave the Californian a definite advan,
tage, for Niles had difficulty in putting
the ball into play when receiving. The
Eastern representative also learned
that it was no longer safe to reply
upon lobs, unless they were exception.
ally deep and we'll placed, for Davis
was handling these shots beautifully
and "killing" with devastating finality
Niles then thought to halt his rival By
driving past him down the side lines, OF
across deep court just as the Califor
nian started TO run in from his base
line, but Davis was going like wildfre
now and cut off Niles's returns by
spectacular yolleys and sizzling grounc
strokes.
After squaring the match by winning
the fourth set, Davis did not make
the mistake Of letting down in his play
and took the fifth set for the matcf
after q stirring struggle, Niles playing