Evening star., 1924-03-09

was good this particular day, almost
as swift as his forehand, and he re-
peatedly passed Tilden, who was fol-
lowing his service to the net. Tho
final set went to ten games and was
productive of some brilliant rallies.
In contrast to this was the dis
appointing showing of Washburn
against Tilden on the following day.
trajectory that he allows too little
margin of safety. and unless he Is
right on his game he puts a great
many balls into the net or else over
shoots the lines Tilden afterward
commented on this weakness in
Washburn's game and said that If his
forehand were as sound as his bac
hand he would be a much more for
mldable opponent.
LIS a Whirlwinh Match.
The great match of the second da%
was that between Murray and Manuel
Alfonso. With two such whirlwind play
ers there was bound to be battle royal
and the eager, excited crowd were given
their fill of thrills. Murray started in
at once at full speed. determined TO
avenge his defeat by the Spaniard last
summer, when the intense heat and the
killing pace forced him to retire in the
middle of the match.
Murray began with such tremendous
! speed that Alfonso was unable to make
any headway until the intensity of the
which Murray won at 6-1. the real
fight began. No human being could keep
up so exhausting a pace as that set BY
Murray. and as he weakened Alfonso
stiffened his own game, and both me-
played remarkable tennis.
Recoveries Are Astounding.
The recoveries made by both player
were astounding and produced the mos
thrilling rallies. Had Murray's strength
held out he would have won in straight
sets, but once he was forced into long
exhausting rallies the tide was bound to
turn The second set which Alfonso won
at 6-3, after trailing at the beginning.
really decided the match. Thereafter it
was merely question of how long Muir
ray could last
The final set. which Alfonso won by
the same score, demonstrated again
what a plucky fighter is the former ma
tional champion, and also showed how
fatal 1t is to depend on volleying and
net play at the expense of sound ground
strokes. Alfonso lacks Murray's trernen-
dous service and volleying ability,
though he is far from deficient in these
respects, but his ground strokes are far
and away better than Murray's, and ne
utilizeS them to gain the net position.
where he finishes many rallies.
Tilden Not at Top Form.
In the final. with Tilden and Alfonso
as opponents, another dramatic match
strained ankle. and had, moreover, fin
ished five-set doubles match only an
hour before. while Alfonso was fresh.
This was unfortunate from the cham
pion's standpoint, but it made the match
a closer one than it otherwise would
have been.
Alfonso won III the fifth set at Ga,
Tilden playing the last two sets purely
on nerve. 1t was a magnificent exhibi-
ton of grit but Alfonso thoroughly de-
served his victory. as he played mag
nificently throughout the match and re-
trieved many balls that seemed out of
reach. The match was, as it always is
between these two, a battle of remark
able driving, with occasional sallies to
the net by each man.
Whoever wins the Buffalo cup even
tually will be proud that it is inscribed
with the names of two such brilliant
champions and fine sportsmen as Tilden
and Alfonso.
Murray, partnered by Arnold Jones.
won the doubles, defeating on the way
Washburn and Davies and Tilden and
Wiener. The play in the doubles in no
way compared to that in the singles.