The sun., 1919-09-01
TENNIS TITLE WILL
STAY In AMERICA
All Foreign Players Have
Been Eliminated; Tourney
Looks Like East-West Tilt.
PLAY RESUMES TO-DAY
Johnston Faces Johnson and
Tilden Tries His Hand
Against Williams.
PLAY RESUMES TODAY
ny EUGENE n. o,coNNELL.

ny EUGENE n. O'C0NNELL.
In the playing of the semf-final round
matches In the thirty-eighth annual ma
tional lawn tennis championship tourna-
ment on the courts of the West Side Ten
mis- Club at Forest Hills, L. L.. this af-
fernoon. Of greatest satisfaction to fol-
lowers of lawn tennis IL the fact that
not foreigner win have a look in. Be
cause Australia had sent strong con-
tingent here in Gerald l.. Patterson. Nor
man e. Brookes. Randolph Lycett and
II. v. Thomas many felt that the Ameri-
can cup word 60 to foreign shores. Nor
were the Antipodeans the only players
from foreign shores to be feared. for
Ichiya Kumagae might have brought the
credit to japan and Major r. B. Harran
might have done as much for England.
The fact remains. however. that play
10 now down to the semi-final, practically
the last lap OF the tournament. and none
are left except a couple of Philadel-
phians, William T.. Tilden I'd and Wal
lace +. johnson. former Philadelphia.
now transplanted to Boston, Richard
Norris Williams I'd and william NJ.
Johnston of San Francisco. There are
many New Workers. who believe that the
cup will be safe only II II IL won by
Johnston or Williams, for they are I'M
willing to admit that Philadelphia is In
America.
Patterson will go back to Australia
some of these days with the idea that
there are lot Of tough players in Amer
lea, He competed in three matches and
every one of them went to five sets.
There must be a little sting for the
champion of England to think that he
had to go the full route to beat two
American players and then lose to an
other after 1--WE hard sets. Alexander
and Washburn were the players who fell
before Patterson in five sets, and II was
Johnston who beat the Australian.
Kumagae Out Too.
Kumagae. the Japanese, who might
have carried the championship out Of
the country, also moved out In five set
match, falling before the prowess of TIL
den, and It was Tilden who downed the
redoubtable Brookes of Australia Major
Harran fell by the wayside early In the
tournament. Thomas kept goipg until
he was beaten in four sets by Williams
and Lycett withdrew rather than give
his team mate. Patterson. any extra
work.
There is plenty OF conjecture as 70
who will be the next champion. Ger
tainiy on past performances II locks as
II Johnston and Tilden should come
through to the final round. But past
amateur sport, are Of little more use
than electric fans at the north pole.
Johnston should beat johnson: one can
rot find even a Philadelphia who viii
harangue about that.
But Tilden and Williams in q SENT
final round means something entirely
different. Tilden met Williams this year
in the final round of the Delaware tour
ney for tho championship of that State
and the lanky Philadelphian played rings
around Williams. But there Is no doubt
that Williams has improved wonder
fully in the past couple of weeks and
II Is pretty safe to discount the defeats
that he suffered at the hands of Tilden,
Johnston ana Murray.
TiIden IL Strong.
Tilden was defeated by Johnston II
the final round for the national clay
court championship at Chicago ir rather
impressive style. but Tilden had pre-
viously downed Johnston in the East
West matches at Cincinnati, and after
that had beaten the great little Cali
fornian In the final round at Newport.
AZ Newport Johnston surely had an OF.
day and he has more than made UP for
that defeat by beating the British and
American champions on successive days.
II Johnston can keep up the form he
displayed In beating Patterson and Muir
ray. especially the latter, for he played
better tennis against Murray than no
did against the Antipodean. II will be
almost impossible for either Williams or
! Tilden to beat him. II he has oven the
lsiightest slump, however, either Of these
VIII have no trouble taking his measure.
International Matches Thursday.
Upon the showing made by the play
ers in the semi-flnals will depend very
largely the selection of the team to rep
resent the United States in the match
with Australia. which will follow the
championship. As play In that event
viii begin on Thursday. It is plain that
the performance of the competitors in
to-day's feature events will give a good
line on their present ability.
The schedule for this international
contest calls for four singles and four
doubles matches. In the event that the
score Is tie the sets will be counted to
determine the winner, and II by any
chance these should be tied the games
win be counted. Consequently every
man on each team will feel It necessary
70 play his best, recognizing that the
outcome of the match may hinge on his
own showing.
<Ao tAAio 10 tcdnt IL WOuI0 De
permissible for the United States to use
four or six men. but in view OF the fact
that the team of the Australian Imperial
Forces numbers only four. 1t was con-
eidered better sporting proposition to
limit this country's team to the same
number. Norman z. Brookes, Gerald
L. Patterson, Randolph Lycett and r.
". Thomas will represent Australia,
while among the Americans who are al
most certain to play are William NJ
Johnston and the winner of the r. ~
Williams-W T. Tilden match.
Possibly both these men will be In
cluded. although the committee was a
bit IN doubt last night. recognising the
fact that strong doubles combinations
will be necessary II this country hopes
10 win. Under the circumstances, there
fore, the semi-finals and finals of the
singles will take an added Importance
and their progress will he watched with
the closest attention by the COMMITTEES
which must select the team.
TENNIS FINAL TO-DAY.