Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-31
Johnston Proves He Is
Playing Great Came by
? Victory Ouer Brilliant
Philadelphia Youth
By SPICX HALL

Westside Tennis Club, Forest Hills,
l.. l.. Aug. 81.
yvHAT William NJ. Johnston, the sin
i giles champion of the United States
and London. is not overtennised was
proyed conclusively yesterday in the
Arst round of the national tournament,
when he defeated Carl Fischer, of the
Cynwyd Club, Philadelphia.
Beatinc Fischer would not necessarily
mean great deal for Johnston, but it
did happen to mean lot because the
Young University Of Pennsylvania
player put up by far the best contest
that he has played this season, and he
has been going well all summer.
In the final set Johnston was forced
70 the limit to win at 1913. The little
Californian had to use all of the tricks in
his racquet cover to get away with that
set and at that he had the advantage
fou- times in the last game before he
could get Fischer to drop the deciding
point.
Fischer Shows Well
Fischer's stand against Johnston
marked the high point in his tennis ca
reer. He is still young, and this is the
first time that he has entered the ma
tional tournament. bat 1t is not the
last. He is destined TO play very
large part in competitions for the ma
tional title in the near future.
The Philadelphia lad has virtually
everything that is needed in the way of
has all the sting needed to make him
q winner, and when he gets his second
delivery down little better he will be
able to hold up his end in this depart
ment with the rest of them.
Against Johnston yesterday Fischer
shot over four service aces in the final
set which whizzed through, the court
far out of the champions reach. He
was not able to play his usual net game
against Johnston for the same reason
that Tilden couldn't do it last year in
the finals.
The reason is that Johnston's drives
are so powerful and well placed that no
man can play consistently at the net
against him. His passing shots seem
to be even better this year than they
we're last, and that's saying about all
that can be said on the subject.
Regular General
Carl Fischer showed that he Is a
regular general on the courts by not
trying to play the net game. If he had
attempted that he would not have made
any showing at all, but as it was he
was the central figure of big gallery
that gave him many big hands when he
kept driving on even terms with John
ston.
During the latter part of the match
Fischer's drives had almost as much
kick to them as his opponents. This
applies to both his fore and back hand.
He also handled Johnston's stringing
service in great style. He went up and
took the ball on the rise driving it
with fine direction as n rule into the
corners, making the champion do a
lot of hustling to get into position to
make his sizzling shots.
fischer's game cannot be given too
much praise. At first he realized that
he was playing champion, but as
soon as this feeling wore off he began
tearing right into the fray taking the
offensive at every opportunity and the
best part of it was that he never let up
In his speedy tactics after he once got
over his tendency to cautiousness
Johnston was rather badly used up
IN the match. This was due to com
hination Of hot day and match in
which he met man that did not ocn-
cede him anything