Evening star., 1942-06-14
Clash
Rubber Match
Of Tennis Feud
Leovens, Lynch Yield
In Semis;; Doubles
Final Slated
By LEWIS F. ATCHISON.

bOll ORHOoAtA0h W4I4A tAAS SSoe VA oAbA
of tennis played on the Edgemoor
Clubs courts in some time. defend
ing champion Barney Welsh and
Davey johnson yesterday landed In
the final round of the mems singles
of The Stars City of Washington
tennis tournament.
Welsh turned back Hugh Lynch in
three sets, 60, +6, 6-3, while
johnson, beaten in the first set, I
2-6, came back after a brief inter-
ruption because of rain to hammer
Don Leavens into defeat, 81, 6-3.
1t was a rare performance on
Davey's part and augured well for
a tight, tense duel for the coveted
trophy now held two consecutive
years by the squire of Rockville.
Lynch and Welsh teamed up after
a pause and knocked of Bill Breese
and Willie Patterson in doubles,
6-8, 60. 6I4, to gain the cham
pionship round. But the other semi
final between Johnsen-Leavens and
Buddy Adair- Eddie Miller was post
poned until this afternoon because
of the lateness of the hour.
Welsh and johnson will be first
on the court today at 1:30 to write
another chapter in their colorful
court feud. The remaining doubles
semi-final will be played i'm
mediately after. the winning team
facing Welsh and Lynch in the final
event of the afternoon
Rubber Match Of Feud.
Seldom has Lord Barney's rule
over local tennisdom been as
seriously threatened as 1t appears
to be today. The little coterie of
fans who have chafed under that
rule and hopefully cheered every
body and anybody who appeared to
have a chance of deposing him have
genuine cause to believe his long
reign soon may end. for johnson
displayed championship form
against Leavens.
In two previous meetings, both IN
Middle-Atlantic tournaments, john
sen and Welsh have broken even.
johnson astounted the fans by tax
ing Welsh into camp two years ago
in four sets, but just when every
body figured the thin man had lost
his magic touch and tournament
firecrackers, he bounced back with
an impressive four-set win over
Davey in a renewal of the same
tournament. That was last year.
so today'S match will be the rubber
of the series.
On paper it shapes up as battle
of drop shots as well as stand-up.
knock-down power play. Both en-
ployed this modus operandi with
telling effect yesterday, Welsh max
ing good II of 13 drop shots. while
johnson had at least as many. No
less than seven shots with an un-
common amount Of top-spin hit the
net and spilled over for points for
Davey, several coming at crucial
stages of the match when he need
ed boost.
johnson Forces Action.
But johnson didn't win on luck.
He forced the action throughout.
keeping Leavens strictly on the de-
fensive, and lost as many points on
his own errors as he won on his OPP
ponent's. But the loose -jointed.
ball-murdering lad the fans saw
welding his glorified fly-swatter In
the last six games of the final set
was johnson at his best, and it is
doubtful if Welsh or anybody else
of their class would have been able
to stop him.
The deciding point of the second
set, which went to johnson. 81.
was a backhand, crosscourt shot on
Davey's racket which Leavens ques-
toned. To him it appeared to have
been outside. But Umpire Dewitt
Smith was certain it was good and
so was johnson, so it stood as re.
corded.
In a vengeful mood and stroking
the ball hard and accurately, Leav-
ems ratified off three consecutive.
games in the final set to gain what
appeared TO be an almost insur-
mountable lead. For that brief
period. Johnsen's game went to pot.
He netted numerous easy shots and
appeared to be cracking up. But the
symptoms were misleading. He came
back like a thoroughbred. tossing
caution to the wind to pound Leav-
ems into defeat His chop shots bit
into the moist earth like spent
shells. giving Leavens no chance for
a return, and when he took the net
Don couldn't touch the thunderbolts
that rained on him.
Welsh Overpowers Lynch.
Welsh flashed some of the binding
speed and power he has been saving
for the title round in his first game
with Lynch, exploding three con-
secutive aces under his dismayed op.
ponent'S anxious eye and clinching'
the game with another scorcher
(See TENNIS, Page C-3.)