New-York tribune., 1919-05-17
Tilden Again
Beats kun1agae
On the Courts
Clay Court Champion
Wins Harlem Singles
at O., GA, Ga
BY Fred Hawthorne


singles championship, defeated Ichiya
Kumagae, Of Japan, yesterday in the
final round of the Harlem Tennis Clubs
annual open singles lawn tennis tour
nament, winning in straight sets at
ca, Cd, 6-4, and for the third time
proving his superiority over the little
man from the Orient. Tilden had previ-
ously won from Kumagae in the national
championship last September, and at
Pinehurst, in the North and South
championship, last month
In each of the three sets yesterday
the clay court champion worked into
an early lead on games, but it was
then that Kumagae played his best
tennis and made bitter, though losing,
fight for the honors. From first to last
it was noticeable that Kumagae played
opponent did, and he was more sue
cessful than usual at the barrier, but
Tildep, when he decided it was time
to show his hand, went to the net him
self for short but brilliant sessions, and
on these occasions he srnothered Ku-
magae with his splendid volleying.
The largest gallery Of the entire
week turned out to see the two cham
pions in action and wonderful and
pleasing to relate full set of COM
petent linesmen, among them Beals
Wright. famous internationalist, was
on the job to call the "outs" and
"faults." Edwin Bry was capable
umpire, the weather was bright, if a
trife chilly for May, and both men
were keyed up to high quality tennis,
so 1t was very successful final round
match that the spectators watched and
applauded.
Jap Shows Improvement
The match served to show that
Kumagae is making great strides in
the net game; his work in this respect
being a vast improvement over any
thing he showed last season. He
finished off his points with fnality
yesterday, when he went to the net,
that surprised the gallery and even
Tilden himself, and there is no doubt
but that before midsummer the
Metropolitan champion will have
further polished up and strengthened
this department Of his game.
1t must not be supposed from this,
however, that Kumagae has not lot
to learn about the art of making q sue
cessful attack at net. Some things
in that position he does we'll, others
only fairly, and still others are dis
tinctly weak
Given chance to "set" himself fol
the shot, Kumagae can "kill" overhead
with plenty of power. He can also dc
his share of volleying, provided the
ball is above his waist line when he
hits it, but at low volleying and al
picking the ball up from his feet, the
Japanese is a long way from the Amer
lean standard, nor is his to be Won
dered at, since he started to acquire the
! knack 80 late in his court career.
Kumagae began the service In each
of the three sets, and in each opening
game, curiously enough, Tilden broke
through to win. He scored games five
times on his opponents service during
the match, while Kumagae performed
a similar feat on three occasions.
The clay court champion took the
first two games in the first set with
out difficulty. He was chopping his re.
turns short into mid-court, and Kuma
gae found it almost impossible to "dig'
the ball up from the heavy surface
court at this stage, Tilden seemingly
satisfied to trade his ground strokes
with Kumagae. and the latter little
timid about going in in the face of the
Philadelphian's tremendous speed.
Beautiful Full Volley Shots
But in the third game Kumagae sud
denly started rushing the net and cut
ting off his opponents returns with
beautifully played full volley shots to
the corners. He won the game on the
final point with tremendous smash to
Tllden's feet. The gallery applauded
land Tilden. smiling broadly, remarked.
! as he began the service on the fourth
game' Funny to see Ichy at the netl"
The clay court titleholder took the
next two games by a spectacular exhi-
bition Of driving and 'cross-court vol
leys. coming to the net with great
speed, and the game read to / against
the Japanese. Then Kumagae proceed
ed to thrill the spectators by his i'm
petuous rushes to the net. Tilden's
backcourt game was not going we'll
enough just then to hold the Oriental s
net attack and Kumagae took the games
by cleanly outplaying his rival, max
ing the score read to 8 in Tilden's
favor
Illden broke a string of his racquet
IN the eighth game, as the result of q
terrific forehand drive, changed bats,
and then won the game. The Philadel-
phlan was forced to take the net to
win the tenth and the set at Cd. In
the ninth game, in going after one of
kumagae's 'cross-court volleys, he had
landed heavily on his injured right leg
and limped perciptibly thereafter, SO
much so that he could not go after
many Of Kumagae's placed shots fo,
several games duration.
The second set found Kumapae
going at an even faster clip, as he
sent his heavily topped drives whist
ling through Tilden's court. He broke
through service in the second game
and won his own, making the score
to !, and then the Philadelphiar
won the fourth and fifth at dove ,
aided by tremendous serving ant
brilliant work at the net. The sixth
was Tilden's after two deuce" point;
had been called, with most OF tn,
work being done at long range. There
AFTER they fought along almost evenly
Iilden winning the tenth and las
game for the set at Ga, after severa
stirring rallies from deep court.