New-York tribune., 1919-04-05
Youth Ast0unds Realm Of The Racquet
By Making Winning Dash TO The Heights
Thrilling Five-Sct Struggle
Crowns a New Champion
al Indoor Tennis
BY Fred Hawthorne

Vincent Richards, the siXteenyear-
old boy from the University Heights
Tennis Club, performed the most amaz-
ing feat in the history of lawn tennis
yesterday by winning the national in
door singles and doubles titles at the
7th Regiment Armory.
In the singles he defeated William
T. Tiden I'd, of Philadelphia, national
clay court champion, by score of
3-6. 6-3, 6-S, 6--1, G-4 in the final
round, and two hours later, paired with
Tilden, won the doubles title by de-
feating Frederick b. Alexander and Dr.
William Rosenbaum at 6-A, SIS, 6--2,
2-6, 6-I.
Never before, either in this country
or aboard, has boy of Richards's years
won senior national titles on the courts.
In vanquishing Tilden. the toW-headed
Yonkers youth conquered one OF the
greatest players in the United States at
the present time. Only Robert Llndley
Murray, national champion, was able
to score a victory over the tall Phila-
delphian last season in the final round
Of the national singles at Forest HIS,
+. }. IiiGen was ranked NO. =, next TO
Murray, in the "iirst tan' last season
This will serve to give those who were
not present at yostc rday's match an
idea CT tho task performed by Rich
ards.
Iidcn Most ConGdcnt
There were those present Yesterday
who inclined to the belief thai Tilden
did not take the lnatcn seriously and
;hat he might have won had he tried
his hcet. In my opinion. that IS only
partially true. Tinen undoubtedly telt
th3A lie would win Wheu they began
play. lie WAS the picture Of easy conil-
cencc and von the iiHst set without the
least blt q trouble. Ills shots were
.-oing extremely well and richards
pnc4re4 helpless against tho bonut-
fully placed drives and VcloYs thH1 his
onpclcn. raiNeG through the crUlt.
in the second SIS TiiGtg rraQNhloA'
" let down considerably III bis attacs,
bo,ur apparently Meii satlatft 80 dgup
the set ara 1ni.ao q real match @! IT,
IIo waa slrnply taking chaNcca, az Ed
always does, t, Come fack NASl an IN
bcatable rally toward thc last. nut yc
to-day he plainly oversteppod the
mark.
richards was continually improvinp
as the patch progressed. In the third
set he began to 80 in for tho net
position. and from there Nolicy wiyh
rare precision and orispness, rntl he
held tho lead ct Ii on games, Will
Tildcn nc. showing al his top FORM.
Yet all through The FIRST three set:
one could not escape til convlctlol
that 1ildcn was to WIN. lie WAS W
on his toes, alert, keen. and his p,ac
ing was mcrcilesslv accurate, particN
| larly on his bacilhaud 'c.css-court vol
lcys. Even when Richards had won tbs
second set and was gaining his points
by scintilating volleyinH from mid
court, you had that feeling that !
was simply case of mister and pupi
giving an exhibition: There Woa none
Of the elements of hattie that hat
thrilled in Tildcn's bitter struggle OF
Thursday with Frank Anderson.
The clay court champion testirrc'
himself half way thro,fh tho thir'
set and brought the games - 4-a.i, t'
3 ell and to 6-a!i, with Richard
nghtng hard for every point. The
Aphiladclphian went to the net and sho