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 he defeated W. F. Johnson.
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