GREAT TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 48, 25 August 1925, Page 6

GREAT TENNIS

MISS WILLS BEATS MISS* M'KANE x

VERSATILITY AND STRATEGY IN . EVIDENCE.

L (UNITED PRISS ASSOCIATION—COPIRIGHT.) (AUSTRALIAN-NEW ZEALAND CABLE ASSOCIATION.) : (Received 25th August, 2.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, 24th August: : At Forest Hills, for the fourth' time on American courts, Miss M'Kane, Englands' top ranking star, has met defeat at the hands of Miss Helen Wills, this time, in the title match of the Women's National Championship, after a contest full of thrills and requiring extra sets for completion. The score— 3-6, 6-0, 6-2—scarcely tells" the story of the tertnis duel between these two fine players. There was a brilliant start and finish, ( and it was extremely difficult for the gallery of 8000 people to refrain from an enthusiastic demonstra-* tion during the rallies. Miss Wills triumphed in a far different manner than from what was expected. Her drive of terrific force, and her relentless and swift attack were expected to win over the British girl's greater versatility and strategy, but strangely enough the American' girl's powerful drive was consistently in evidence only . during the first ten minutes of the tussle, when she led 3-1. After her first whirlwind _attack Miss Wills's speed, suddenly de"serted her almost' completely, and with it went her control, and Miss M'Kane won five straight games for a 6-3 set. . This setback failed to shake Mi-.a Wills's confidence, but her speed was still missing at the beginning of the second set. She substituted, however 1, resourcefulness and strategy with a change of pace and a change of length, together with steady driving and an occasional stinging shot for an earned point. She was unable to keep Miss M'Kane away from the net, but proved skilful enough to manoeuvre her out of position. It was astonishing how completely the. tide turned, as Miss Wills took six games in a row for a lore set. There was never an instant when Miss Wills was not forced to the limit of her skill, but she continued to hold the upper hand though hard-pressed. In the last few minutes she flashed an early powerful attack again and won her games rather easily.

This is the third national title for this nineteen-year-old Californiah."