the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第25节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
competition。
Johnston crushed Richards when the two met； in a display of
aggressive tennis so remarkable that the boy was helpless before it。
Richards was stale and below form； but even if he had been at his best； he
could not have withstood Johnston's attack。 Little Bill followed this up by
sweeping Williams off the court by another marvellous streak of well nigh
perfect tennis。
Southampton and the Women's National Championship conflicted the
next week。 The story of Mrs。 Mallory's sensational triumph and successful
defense of her title is told elsewhere in this book。
91
… Page 92…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
Southampton； as always； proved the goat； for almost all the leading
players took a week's rest before the National Doubles Championship。
The English Davis Cup team； Willis E。 Davis； Vincent Richards and
the Kinsey brothers； Bob and Howard； were the leading stars。 The event
narrowed to Davis and Richards in the finals with no upsets of a startling
nature。 Davis had had a very poor record all year； while Richards boasted
of the finest list of victories of the season。 On the other hand the boy was
over…tennised and stale and it proved his undoing； for after one set； which
he won easily； the sting went out of his game and Davis took the match in
four sets。
The championships were just ahead。 The Doubles held at Longwood
Club； Boston； found several teams closely matched。 Williams and
Washburn； with the Rhode Island State and Newport to their credit； were
the favorites for the title。 〃Little Bill〃 Johnston and W。 E。 Davis and Bob
and Howard Kinsey of California had both pressed them closely。 Vincent
Richards and I teamed together for the first time since N。 E。 Brookes and
G。 L。 Patterson had won the title from us in 1919。 Samuel Hardy and S。 H。
Voshell were a pair of veterans who needed watching。
Williams and Washburn had a close call in the third round when Hardy
and Voshell led 3…1 in the fifth set； but an unfortunate miss of an easy
volley by Hardy and a footfault on game point at 3…4 and 30…40 by Voshell
turned the tide and the favorites were safe。 Johnston and Davis had several
chances in the semi…final but Davis was too uncertain and Bill too anxious
and they tossed away the opportunities。
Vinnie and I met the Kinseys in the semi…final and after chasing their
lobs all over the court for hours and smashing until our backs ached； we
finally pulled out three sequence sets。 I have seldom seen a team work
together more smoothly than the Kinseys。
The final match between Williams and Washburn； Richards and I for
two sets was as sensational and closely contested doubles as ever featured
a national championship。 Our slight superiority in returning service gave
us just enough margin to pull out the first two sets 14…12； 12…10。 Then
Richards went mad。 There is no other way to describe it。 Every time he got
his racquet on a ball it went for a clean placement。 I stood around and
92
… Page 93…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
watched him。 Almost single…handed this remarkable boy won the last set
6…2。
The Davis Cup challenge round stretched itself between the Doubles
and Singles Championship。 There was no work except for us poor hard…
working players who were on the team。 The rest was a blessing to
Richards； who needed it badly； as he was tired and drawn。
Following the American victory in the Davis Cup； the scene shifted to
Philadelphia and the eyes of the tennis world were centered on the
Germantown Cricket Club； where the greatest tournament of all time was
to be held。 Players of seven nations were to compete。 The Davis Cup stars
of England； Australia and Japan added their brilliance to that of all the
leading American players。 Six American champions； W。 A。 Larned； W。 J。
Clothier； R。 N。 Williams； R。 L。 Murray； W。 M。 Johnston； and myself were
entered。
Fate took a hand in the draw and for once I think did so badly that it
settled the 〃blind draw〃 forever。 In one sixteen Johnston； Richards；
Shimidzu； Murray and I were bunched。 The howl of protest from tennis
players and public alike was so loud that the blind draw surely will go by
the board at the coming annual meeting。 Since the foregoing was written；
the prophecy has proved true。 The annual meeting； Feb。 4th； 1922； adopted
the 〃Seeded Draw〃 unanimously。
Every day produced its thrills； but play ran singularly true to form in
most cases。 Illness took a hand in the game； compelling the defaults of R。
L。 Murray； Ichiya Kumagae and W。 A。 Larned。
The early rounds saw but one upset。 Norman Peach； Captain of the
Australasian Davis Cup team； was eliminated by William W。 Ingraham； of
Providence； one of the best junior players in America。 It was a splendid
victory and shows the fruit our junior development system is already
bearing。 Peach had not been well but for all that he played a splendid
game and all credit is due Ingraham for his victory。
The second day's play saw a remarkable match when W。 E。 Davis
defeated C。 V。 Todd of Australia after the latter led him by two sets。 Davis
steadily improved and by rushing the net succeeded in breaking up Todd's
driving game。 Todd unfortunately pulled a muscle in his side that seriously
93
… Page 94…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
hampered him in the fifth set。
Wallace F。 Johnson； playing magnificent tennis； eliminated Watson
Washburn in one of the brainiest； hardest fought matches of the whole
tournament。
Johnson was very steady and outlasted Washburn in the first set； which
he won。 Washburn then took to storming the net and carried off two sets
decisively。 The strain took its toll and he was perceptibly slower when the
fourth set opened。 Johnson ran him from corner to corner； or tossed high
lobs when Washburn took the net。 It proved too much for even Washburn
to stand； and the Philadelphian won the next two sets and with it the match。
Many people considered it a great upset。 Personally I expected it； as I
know how dangerous Johnson may be。
The Johnston…Richards match and my meeting with Shimidzu came on
the third day。 Fully 15；000 people jammed themselves around the court
and yelled； clapped and howled their excitement through the afternoon。 It
was a splendidly behaved gallery but a very enthusiastic one。
Richards； eager to avenge his crushing defeat by Johnston at Seabright；
started with a rush。 〃Little Bill〃 was uncertain and rather nervous。
Richards ran away with the first two sets almost before Johnston realized
what was happening。 The tennis Richards played in these sets was almost
unbeatable。 Johnston nerved himself to his task and held even to 3…all in
the third。 Here he broke through and Richards； I think foolishly； made
little attempt to pull out the set。 The boy staked all on the fourth set。
Johnston led at 5…3 but Richards； playing desperately； pulled up to 6…5 and
was within two points of the match at 30…all on Johnston's service。 It was
his last effort。 Johnston took the game and Richards faded away。 His
strength failed him and the match was Johnston's。
I hit a good streak against Shimidzu and ran away with three straight
sets more or less easily。
Meantime one of the most sensational upsets of the whole tournament
was taking place on an outside court where Stanley W。 Pearson of
Philadelphia was running the legs off N。 W。 Niles of Boston and beating
him in five sets。
〃Little Bill〃 Johnston and I met the next day in what was the deciding
94
… Page 95…
THE ART OF LAWN TENNIS
match of the tournament； even though it was only the fourth round。 Every
available inch of space was jammed by an overflow gallery when we took
the count。 It was a bitter match from the first point。 We were both playing
well。 In the early stages Little Bill had a slight edge； but after one set the
balance shifted and I held the whip hand to the end。
