Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-05
Tilden'S S Conqueror in Mar
ue!ous Form, Winning
american CroWn by Per-
feet Play at Net
TWO LEGS ON BOWL
By SPICK HALL

Westside Tennis Club. Forest Hills. l..
j.. Sept. 5.
MTHILE lawn tennis followers were
w waiting restlessly today for the in
ternational matches. between the Aus
tralians and Americans. to begin. they
were busily taking post mortems on
the Bill Tiden Billy Johnston match
yesterday. Among those present was
the veteran Frederick B. Alexander
The famous doubles player, who won
many titles with Harold II. Hackett,
declared that Johnston 8 game againsI
TildCn was the acme of mechanical and
mental achievement on tennis court.
Johnston was everywhere that he
should be-" said Alexander "He was
rarely out of position and the few times
that he was caught, he managed, in the
majority Of cases, to make q great get
and resume a position from which he
could volley Tilden off his feet. It was
this perfect volleying from perfect
position that gave Johnston the match
in three sets. He played wonderful
game, in fact I doubt if there was ever
another played as we'll
Alexander knows as much as any
man living about tennis, hence his
words can be regarded as the express
sion of a sage. OF course Tilden, in a
way, was off his game, but il was
Johnston who threw him of, just as he,
Tilden. threw Norris Williams off his.
There has never been seen and is not
likely TO be again such q sustained
brilliant volley attack as the one ex-
hibitcd by Johnston. Tilden's drives
and chops were not easy to handle, but
Johnston made them look easy because
his play was virtually perfect.
Defeated Stars
After playing through the tourna-
ment and eliminating the powerful
Australian. Gerald L. Patterson. beat
ing Wallace Johnson and then beating
Tilden in straight sets. Johnston is en-
titled to more than the American tennis
crown. IIe should be conceded the
worlds champion because the recent
tournament here had on its roster the
names of the greatest players that any
land can produce.
! If Patterson is the official champion
Of the world By virtue of his capture of
the British title. beating Brookes in
the finals at Wimbledon, Johnston 5
claim certainly transcends the Austria
lian's and he should be acclaimed the
tennis monarch of the universe.
! Among other things that caused Bill
Tilden's downfall was his complete col
lapse of judgment. In his other matches
Tilden showed himself to be master
tactician. But yesterday he gave an
exhibition that would place him back in
the ranks il generalship were the only
thing considered. Johnston's game was
80 brilliant at all times that it is doubt
full il Tilden at his best would have
beaten the Californian. At the same
time, If the Philadelphian had played
an offensive game from first to last. in
stead of defensive one, he might have
gotten the cool Johnston off his game
and then have scored enough points to
win. But, as it was, Tilden's aggres-
siveness was only ftful and the fits
were extremely few and far between.
He Can VolIey, Too
When Tilden did rush to the net and
yolley he was almost if not quite as
good as Johnston, but he seemed tO
lose his sense of proportion utterly.
Johnston would dash to the barrier
after returning Tilden's service and
after delivering his own. In this way
he completely dominated the situation
throughout the three short sets. Tilden
surely must have seen that Johnston
was cutting down his fast forehand
drives aud speedy chops for clean points
with his splendid volieying ncverthe
less, the Philadelphian continued tc
plug along from back court and los,
point after point. If Tilden ever be
lieved that Johnston would beat himself
with errors, he should have seen early il
the match that such a thing could moi
happen-at least not yesterday. John
'ston was out there to score points, moi