Official Organ of the United States National Lawn Tennis Association 



REVIEWING THE INTERNATIONAL. 



The Dwight F. Davis International Trophy 

 remains in England. The superior steadi- 

 ness of the English players triumphed over 

 greater American brilliancy. Our showing 

 was not so good as all the followers of the 

 game on this side of the water had reason 

 to expect. Though game lights were made 

 for several matches, and at least three times 

 we had a bully chance to win, we were 

 beaten out by failures at critical times to 

 come tip to the mark. Earned failed mis- 

 erably against Smith, and after the cup was 

 lost, Clothier, who was substituted for Ward, 

 fell an easy victim before the second English 

 string. Both these matches we counted on 

 winning, and should have won, with Ward 

 and Larned at the top of their game. Elad 

 we won them we might have been well 

 satisfied with our record in losing the other 

 three matches against the wonderful Dohertys 

 by the close scores by which we were beaten. 

 There is nothing now to do but wait an- 

 other year, send over another team, and try 

 again. 



Looking back it appears as though the 

 men attempted too much on the other side. 

 They were off their game when they started 

 play in the International, and the fact that 

 they got through the preliminaries without 

 the loss of a match is little consolation. 

 The opposing players, barring Brookes, were 

 of no class. 



The default of Belgium brought the Ameri- 

 cans against France in the opening tie. The 

 selections of players resulted in the choice 

 of Holcombe Ward and William J. Clothier 

 for the singles against MM. Decougis and 

 Germot, and of Holcombe Ward and Beals 

 C. Wright in the doubles against the two 

 French players. The draw for the first day 

 brought Ward against Germot and Clothier 

 against Decougis. 



While the conditions of play were all that 

 could be desired, neither of the American 

 players showed anything like the tennis they 

 are capable of playing. Fortunately they did 

 not have to display top form to win, and 

 were able to carry off the two matches in 

 straight sets without ever being in danger, 

 although both players missed several com- 

 paratively easy chances.. 



W r ard's service was so puzzling to Germot 

 that he had the Frenchman off his game 

 continually. Never did his opponent suc- 

 cessfully solve the twist imparted to the 

 ball by the American, and it was always 

 safe to count on aces when it came our turn 

 to serve. Had it not been for this there 

 might have been trouble for the American 

 champion. At times his short passing stroke 

 got the ball past Germot with brilliancy ; 

 but for consistency, aside from service, the 

 Frenchman did rather the better work. 



Ward worked up the court very effectual- 

 ly and was close to the net most of the 

 time. On the contrary, M. Germot was kept 

 at the base line pretty consistently. Twice 

 during the match he was able to reach the 

 net and show some strength, but his rallies 

 were short and only four times in the first 

 two sets were deuce games played. 



The first set went to Ward by a score of 

 6-2. Each man scored on his own service, 

 and Ward on his third. In the sixth game 

 Ward volleyed effectively, and Germot scored 

 a double fault that lost all chance for a 

 rally. The seventh went to the American, 

 and the eighth he won brilliantly by a clever 

 backhand stroke. 



The second set was a repetition of the 

 first, save that three services were inter- 

 changed before Ward's volleying turned the 

 tide his way. In the final set the American 

 showed something of his true form and by 

 wonderful cross-court work and accurate 

 placing took the set 6-1. 



Clothier had a somewhat harder time 

 against Decougis. The better of the French 

 pair, Decougis in the first two sets made the 

 score two all, three all, four all, but lost 

 the ninth game at love each time. He then 

 seemed to lose heart, and the tenth game 

 was easy for Clothier both times. 



In the deciding set, Clothier seemed to 

 gain confidence as Decougis lost mastery 

 of his stroke. With the score three all, 

 Clothier worked him for a double out, which 

 he followed by missing an easy chance, and 

 the American won the sixth game he needed 

 without an effort. 



When Ward and Wright faced the French- 

 men in the doubles they were even more 

 ct sea than when playing singly.. W'ard's 



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