the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第20章
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W。 Gore； the famous veteran； after 30 years a participant in the
championships。
The women's events found an even more unfortunate draw than the
men。 All the strength was in one eight。 Miss Ryan defeated Miss K。
McKane in the first round and Mrs。 Beamish her old rival in the second。
She met Mrs。 Mallory in the third。
For one set Mrs。 Mallory played the finest tennis of her career to that
time and in fact equal even to her play against Suzanne Lenglen in
America。 She ran off six games in ten minutes。 Miss Ryan； cleverly
changing her game； finally broke up the perfection of Mrs。 Mallory's
stroking and just nosed her out in the next two sets。 It was a well deserved
victory。
Miss Ryan easily won the tournament and challenged Mlle。 Lenglen；
but her old jinx in the form of Suzanne again proved too much and she
played far below her best。 The French girl easily retained her title； winning
6…2； 6…0。
The journey of the wandering tennis troupe abroad was far from the
most important development of the year。 The American season was
producing remarkable results。 Every year produces its outstanding figure
and the early months of 1921 saw Vincent Richards looming large on the
tennis horizon。
The first sensation of the year was the decisive defeat inflicted on
Kumagae by young Richards at Amakassin Club； New York。 This was
immediately followed by Kumagae's victory over Dick Williams；
avenging Williams' win at Palm Beach some months before。 Kumagae
scored in the intercity match for the George Myers Church Trophy played
in 1921 in Philadelphia。 The following day Wallace F。 Johnson defeated
Kumagae in one of the most terrific battle of the year。
Vincent Richards went through the season to the middle of July
without sustaining a defeat。 He won five tournaments。
I arrived home from France and England July 12th and journeyed at
once to Providence where I took charge of the Rhode Island State
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Championship at the Agawam Hunt Club。 Zenzo Shimidzu had
accompanied me to America on the Olympic and made his first
tournament appearance two days after landing at Greenwich； Conn。；
before coming to Providence。 He went down to unexpected defeat at the
hands of S。 H。 Voshell。
The Providence tournament held the greatest entry list of any event
except the National Singles itself。 The singles had Shimidzu； Williams；
Richards； C。 S。 Garland； Watson Washburn； S。 H。 Voshell； Samuel Hardy；
N。 W。 Niles； many young Western collegiate stars and myself。 Ichiya
Kumagae arrived to play doubles with Shimidzu in preparation for the
Davis Cup。
Then the fun began。 Shimidzu again fell before the net attack of
Voshell； who was himself defeated by the calm quiet steadiness of
Washburn。 Garland went out at my hands。 Williams faced certain defeat
when Niles led him 4…0 in the final set； but in one of his super…tennis
streaks tore through to victory； only to collapse against Vincent Richards
and suffer a crushing defeat 6…2； 6…2 in the semi…final。 Meanwhile
Washburn had dropped by the wayside to me 6…2； 6…2 and young Richards
and I took up our annual battle。
Youth is cruel。 The world is cruel。 Life is hard。 I know it； for Vinnie；
with care and discretion； quietly led me along the Road of the Has…Beens；
where he deposited me to the tune of 6…1； 6…2； 1…6； 6…0。
Richards； with the scalps of Kumagae； Williams； Voshell and myself
dangling at his belt； seemed destined for the championship itself。 Alas；
pride goeth before a fall。 The fall came to Vinnie suddenly。
The following week was the Longwood Singles。 〃Little Bill〃 Johnston
arrived East； together with the rest of his California team； the day the
event started。 Johnston was the holder of the trophy and was called on to
meet the winner of the tournament in the challenge round。
The tournament was mainly Dick Williams。 He defeated Shimidzu in
the final。 Kumagae was his victim in an earlier round。
Willis E。 Davis； second string of the California team； was
unexpectedly defeated by N。 W。 Niles； who himself went the long road via
Shimidzu。 The little Japanese star scored another important victory when
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he defeated W。 F。 Johnson。
Williams met Johnston in the challenge round with chances bright。
Somehow Little Bill has Dick's number these days and again decisively
defeated him。 Vincent Richards wisely rested the week of Longwood；
preparing for the later events。 I was off in the woods at Camp
Winnipesaukee recuperating from the effects of illness in England。
Newport followed on the heels of Longwood。 Newport should be
called Washburn Week。 Here the judicial Watty methodically placed
Johnston and Williams in the discard on successive days。 It was a notable
performance。
Williams took an awful revenge on Vinnie Richards when the two met
in the third round。 It was Williams' day and he blew the little Yonkers boy
off the court in one of the finest displays of the whole year。 Shimidzu； who
had again scored a victory over Wallace Johnson； was taken suddenly ill
with ptomaine poisoning； the night before he was to meet Williams in the
semi final； and compelled to default。 It robbed him of a chance to gain
revenge for his defeat at Longwood。 Washburn played the best tennis of
his life； in defeating Johnston and Williams； which； coupled with Richards'
crushing defeat； placed Washburn on the Davis Cup team。
A sensational upset occurred in the first round when L。 B。 Rice
defeated W。 E。 Davis。 Rice has made a great improvement this year and
bids fair to go far。
Seabright； the next week； found Little Bill Johnston playing the stellar
role。 Washburn took a week off but Williams and Richards were in the
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。
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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
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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
Germantow
