Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-08-30
Williams at First Favored,
but Slight Coast Boys
Form against Patterson
Causes Experts to Hedge
OTHER STARS IN LINE
BY sPiCK HALL

PhvurrH out how Gerald Il. Patterson
would reach the finals In the national
tournament. meeting Brookes. Tilden or
Williams. along came young Johnston
out Of the West and ruined everything.
This same Johnston. one Of our four
former champions still in the running
for The national title, treated the big
VISITING Australian In a very unclubby
manner. In short, he sent the British
rhnmnion to the locker room with de-
feat depicted on every feature. a beaten
titleholder. who failed to live up to the
c~nectations of his many admirers on
this and the other side of the water.
Patterson's defeat was not due to
any letdown on his own mart. He played
the game yesterday Just as every one
rrnectcd he would. He proved for the
third successive time that he has n
heart that cannot be shaken.
The manner in which the hefty Anzac
STAYED off defeat time after time when
the gallery was certain that the end had
como was wonderful to behold. and he
deserves nothing but the highest praise
that can be heaped upon tennis player.
Johnston the Answer
If Patterson was up to form phys
ically and Mt the top of his game. then
why was he beaten? you might ask.
The answer is. William NJ. Johnston,
Of California.
Johnston never played better match
In all his brilliant career, and it might
be added that he had to in order to win.
To beat the mighty Patterson johnson
had to ascend to heights of tennis and
physical endurance that he never before
had reached. But he was equal to the
occasion.
Although visibly worn by the terrible
mental and physical strain of five close
rrueling sets. Johnston was game to
the finish. and not once did he show any
signs of faltering in his attack.
While on the subject of attack it is
well to mention that both Johnston and
Patterson. from first to the last, were
on the offensive. Neither man tried
to win points on the errors of his oppo-
poncnt. both probably realizing that
It was impossible.
All the points were won after each
had pursued forcing tactics. Both
strovc to reach the net whenever 1t was
possible and it was the man at the
net who usually won the point, although
there were a number Of exceptions when
the player in the back court forced an
opening and drove by for a passing
placement. In this respect Johnston
was better than Patterson.
Driving Power There '
Although Johnston Is a slight youth,
bis driving power was fully equal to
that Of his brawnier opponent. There
probably never was a match before
when both players put everything they
had on their drives nine times out of
ten. Occasionally one or the other
would be forced to lob. but the tossing
game did not prove winning one to
either. for both killed with deadly
effect from the net to the base line.
When Dick Williams displayed such
splendid comeback of form against
Richards and Willis Davis, to say
nothing of his victory over the Austria
Han, r. V. Thomas. yesterday, 1t was
generally conceded that he was In un-
beatable form. Now Johnston looms up
as unbeatable.
So here we have the old irresistible
force pitted against the impenetrable
barrier, a Logical absurdity. to be sure.
but a situation which describes the
present tennis status as accurately as 1t
can be depicted.
Other Barriers ...l ...
This sizing up of the relative strength
of Williams and johnston would be all
right but for one thing-there are a
few other stars yet in the running. who
hamper the mental processes Of the
dopester to such an extent. that he lands
nowhere after beginning at the same
place. -
With Tilden. Brookes, McLoughiin
and Murraysstill hanging on there is no
telling what the end will be. Let every
one choose for himself for there is very
little anywhere along the line to draw a
distinction between the individuals OF
this tennis constellation.
Judging by the play so far, Johnston
should beat r. Lin Murray today. But
Of course Johnston's match yesterday
may prevent his reaching such dizzy
heights, while Murray's easy win over
Connie Doyle may tune him up to just
the proper pitch to display today what
Johnston displayed yesterday.
Brookes VS.. Tilden
Either Brookes or Tilden will be
among the missing tonight for further
consideration Of the ultimate winner.
The forty two year old Australian will
meet the rangy young philadelphia
this afternoon and one must be effaced
from the winning list. Tilden Is the
favorite, but 1t is never safe to predict
a defeat for Brookes. ~
The crafty antipodean has come
forth a winner too many times after he
was all but beaten. The fact is, he
did that very thing yesterday. He went
into the match with Charles 8. Gar
land, the young Pittsburgher, believing
that he would have an easy time. He
didn't have an easy time in the first two
sets, because Garland didn't give him
a chance TO run around much. Garland
Just took the first pair of sets in such
short order that Brookes and the gal
lery gasped.
But the old man came back. He
steadied as only he can in the face OF
what seemed sure defeat and gradually
reeled of game after game by his skill
full placements. until he had annexed the
three final sets and the match.
Tildon's Close Call
What Tildeh did yesterday did not
boost his stock for the championship.
He managed to beat Ichiya Kumagae,
the FIVE and "A hall foot Jap, but Il
was Only after the battle Of his life In