Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-01
Three of the Quartet OF
Worlds Greatest Players
Left in Nationals at For
est Hills Are Qudkers
/. PLAY FINAL TUESDAY
BY SPIKE HALL
STAFF Correspondent Evening Public
ledger

the winner for the American lawn tennis
title is Just as easy as settling the
actors strike. Not until-the final point
has been played tomorrow afternoon can
anything definite be said on the subject
of the 1910 champion This afternoon
there will be two great matches in the
semifnals. In the upper half OF the
draw Wallace F. johnson. of Philadel-
phia. will meet William NJ. Johnston,
California, while in the lower half Will
5 be staged contest that will be the
equal of any finals that ever was played,
y with William T. Tilden, 3D. of Phila-
deiphia. and Richard Norris Williams,
also of the Quaker City, as the prin-
cipals.
with but quartet Of the world S
s greatest left and three of these from
PHILADELPHIA. it might seem an easy
ruess that William Penn is certain to
harbor another titleholder. But it Is
not certain because of the presence OF
that little, sandy haired fighter, Bill
Johnston. who startled the tennis world
by uncrowning the worlds champion.
\ Gerald L. Patterson AS long as 'onn
stop fingers there can be no certainty.
But the odds are with the Phliadei-
phians.
johnson Playing Well
Wallace son played through the
to,,namont the semifnals without
attracting the least notice from anyone.
II is true he had rather lucky posi-
tion in the draw. but the decisive man
ner in which he disposed OF waiter hai,
Saturday means that Billy Johnston VIII
have his hands full in eliminating tne
greatest exponent of the>chop stroke
that tennis has ever known. wallace
Johnsop is playing a better brand OF
tennis this year than he has since he
met Mclaughlin in the finals of the all
comers and all but defeated the Comet.
On that occasion the court was slow
and>~Johnsons chop stroke won hlm
the first two sets, and it was only by
nlaying frantic, net rushing game
that the then great Mac was able to
4 carve out a victory.
OF course, Johnston Is n strong ia
yorite over Wallace Johnson by virtue
of his wins over Patterson and r.. lin
Murray, but at that the Philadelphian
is sure to give the Californian run
4 for his money before the afternoon is
over. ...t
Williams at Top OF Game =.
what" will happen in the Williams
Tilden match is something to speculate
upon. Wil,iams's game has improved
within the last two weeks to such an
extent that many declare his play
!. against Willis Davis was the finest ever
seen on any tennis court: Add to this
the fact that he easily trounced Vincent
Richards. Tilden's protege, defeated
McLoughlin without effort and put r.
w Thomas out of the running and you
have a result that must be discorcerting
to the followers of Bill Tilden.
Williams's game to all appearances
lacks nothing. He was never serving
with more deadly precision and speed
than now; his ground strokes are vir-
s tually perfect and his volleying from
all parts Of the courts, both fore and
back hand, are SO remarkable for their
pace and accuracy that there is no place
to pick flaw in his playing.
Tilden Better Server
Against Williamss wonderful form
we have Bill Tilden's game, which,
though differing in style from his OPP
ponent today, is nevertheless regarded
as the height of perfection when he is
going at top speed Tildens first serv-
fee is far more powerful than Will
liams's, and it might be added that his
second delivery in his match with
\ Brookes was also harder to handle than
snything that Williams has yet dis
a,ayed. Then Tilden seems to have the
hippy faculty of being able to quickly
diagnose his opponents weakness; but,
Of course, the rub in this case is that
Williams mas not shown any weakness.
4 In addition to his other assets. Tilden
can drive and chop with equal facility.
He can rush to the net and yolley with
the best Of them. as he did against
~ Hrookes; he can lob and he can kill
lobs. He seems to play just as well on
a heavy court as on fast one, conse-
qusntly there seems nothing to do in
summing up his strength against Will
liams but to call it draw until the an
swer is given at the finish of their
match this afternoon.
Brookes's One Weakness
If any one ever discovered that
Brookes had weakness, the fact was
not published broadcast. 1t was the
universal opinion of tennis experts that
the veteran Australian, in spite of his
atrocious footwork and failure to con :
form to any of the rules generally ap-
piled to great players, really had no
weakness. But Tilden found one, After
the lean Philadelphian had lost the
first set to Brookes in a vain endeavor
TO beat the Anzac at the driving game,
he suddenly changed his tactics and the
change meant the difference to him be-
tween victory and defeat.
Tildan, realizing that Brookes had
him ON the run, began to chop and
4 drive at the Austfalian's feet. This
brought both men into a series of vol
. leying duels at which 1ilden, in spite
OF his inexperienee, compared with that
Of Brookes, proved the master. But
Tilden did not stop here. On many
occasions he would get Brookes to the
net, forcing him to dig for the low
shots. Then Tilden would cleverly toss
lob into the back court. Brookes
seemed unable to judge these lobs at ali.
He might have stepped back few PAGES
ard killed a number of them, but he
appeared TO think that all of them were
foiug out. The result was that he raced
back, let the ball hit the ground and
then tried 70 either pass Tilden with
drive or 70 make an effective return