the art of lawn tennis(网球的艺术)-第24节
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5…3 and 30…all； but the last…minute jinx that pursued the tournament fell
upon him； for Norton came to life and； playing sensational tennis； pulled
out the match and earned the right to me in the challenge round。
Then the jinx arose again and this time Babe Norton was the victim。
Such a match as that challenge round produced！ I went on the court
feeling far from well and very much run down。 Babe was on the crest but
very nervous。 He ran away with the first two sets with great ease。 The
third set I improved。 Babe； after dropping three games； decided to let it go。
The fourth set found the crowd excited and rather noisy。 Norton became
annoyed because he felt I was bothered； and he blew up。 He simply threw
away the fourth set from sheer nerves。
The fifth set was terrible。 Norton had come to earth and was playing
well while I for the first time in the match had some control of the ball。
Norton finally led at 4…5 and 30…40 on my service； with the championship
one point away。
We had a long rally。 Desperately I hit down the line。 I was so certain
my shot was going out I started for the net to shake hands。 The ball fell on
the line and Babe in the excitement of the moment put his return out by
inches。 It was a life and fortunately for me I seized my chance and
succeeded in pulling out the match and retaining the championship。
Norton deserved to win； for nothing but luck saved me as I walked to the
net； thinking my shot was out。 Norton is the youngest man to have won the
All Comers Singles。 He is just 21。
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The championships had two sad moments。 One was the absence of J。
C。 Parke； due to retirement from singles。 The other was the retirement of A。
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
