LAWN TENNIS TITLE IN DOUBT

The question of who is the premier lawn tennis player of the United States is one open to much discussion. A well known player, whose name has not been announced, has prepared a list which while not official, may be interesting for purposes of comparison. R. N. Williams, 2d, '16, and W. M. Washburn '15 both find places among the first ten. The Transcript quotes as follows:

Williams is certainly the only logical number 2 if he is not to be number 1. At Newport he defeated Fottrell, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. He took the measure of Behr at 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 8-6. Williams also triumphed over William M. Johnston 9-7, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Dabney at 6-3, 6-4, 6-1. But despite his splendid victory at Seabright the season recorded three serious reversals for Williams, as he was beaten in the Davis cup matches by Wilding, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3; and Brookes, 6-1, 6-2, 8-10, 6-3. Then at the time he should have displayed his greatest strength, Church mastered him for the intercollegiate honors after four sets, at 8-6, 9-7, 4-6, 7-5.

The record of Murray, the wonderful Leland Stanford boy, who flashed on the season, beginning with the defeat of Frederick B. Alexander, Karl Behr, and Walter Merrill Hall, all in one day, at Sleepy Hollow, seems to secure for him a niche at number 3. Behr beat Murray at Newport, 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. On the other hand, Murray won at Southampton; he stood as runner-up to the New York State championship and McLoughlin; he won the New England championship, and the metropolitan title in achieving which he defeated Alexander for the second time, and Washburn.

Behr, whose playing was good in that he was always up among the stars at the finish, is considered as entitled to the number 4 position on the list. Clothier is rated at number 5; Church at number 6; Johnston at number 7; W. M. Washburn '15 at number 8; Fottrell at number 9; and Pell at number 10.