Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-11
Tennis At NEWPORT
HALTED BY RAIN
Norris Williams Scheduled to
Meet Billy Johnston This
Afternoon

Newport. X. l.. Aug. 11.-Rgin pre-
vented any Of the matches in the annual
invitation lawn tennis tournament from
being played this morning. but 1t was
hoped by the committee that they could
get several started early in the after
noon.
| The feature match scheduled for to-
day was between Il. \. Williams, I'd,
Boston. and William NJ. Johnston
California, both members of the Davis
Cup team. Willis Davis was scheduled
to play g. G.. Gamer and Peck Griffin
was booked to clash with Watson NJ
| Wnshburn. recent winner Of the Sea =
bright tournament.
"Tilden has not come" Those were
the words one heard most frequently
| this morning. whenever little groups of
tennis players gathered In the Casino,
while the skies swept.
1t is true. Tilden. Of philadelphia
the man who won the worlds singles
championship at Wimbledon few
wee ks ago. will not compete. either in
singles or, doubles this week. big
Bill slipped quietly out of New York.
soon. after landing from England on
| the Imperator and went to stay with
relatives in Pennsylvania. so the adul-
alton of tennis followers at Newport is
not to be his. and that is undoubtedly
what big Bill desires. lie will.
| however. take the courts at LongwOod
next Monday, when he and Chuck
Garland compete in the national doubles
championship tourney.
But If Tildcn failed us here. William
NJ. Johnston, of California. the won
derful little national champion, did not.
Johnston. still lurching on his sea legs.
played his two singles matches yester-
day and survived the ordeal. even
though Nathaniel W. Niles, of Boston.
pressed him closely in the second round.
| The Californian first took the measure
of G. X. Shaw. of Providence. by a
Yscorc of 6-1. SO. and then triumphed
over Niles at 81. SO. 6-1.
Niles was right at ethe top of his
game. driving splcnSidly. volleying
strongly with fine control and covering
his court with great speed. The
Sostonian has always been a good
workman on the court and his playing
form is excellent. Therefore. when he
took the first set and then ran into n
lead of 5-3 on games in the second.
after breaking through JohnSton's serv .
ice in the eighth game. matters looked
bad for the champion.
But here Is where the Californian
showed his mettle. With Niles needing
only two points for the match. John.
ston began to fight with the old,
characteristic courage that as made his
name known wherever lawn tennis IL
played. Both men engaged in driving
duels from deep court. waiting the op-
portunity to go in for the net and
finish off the points by smash or a
volley.
Johnston finally won after deuce"
had been touched three times, scoring
with two slashing overland vol''ys down
the side line as Niles tried to intercept
the flying ball. Niles still held the
lead at ) to / on games. but he was
never dangerous from that moment on.
this apparently marking the limit OF
his bid for honors. Johnston won four
out of the next Ave games giving him
the set at SO and sQuaring the match.
The champion, whose stroking in the
early stages had been bit uncertain,
was now going at great clip, his
famous forehand drive ripping through
! Niles court with tremendous speed and
pace. The ball came into court 50 fast
that Niles could hardly get his racquet
on it, as a consequence the Bostonian :
defense crumbled badly and he could
win only one game. the fifth. in the
| last set before Johnston had battered
ont the victory.
Today Johnston will face his old
rival. Richard Norris Williams. I'd
! formerly of Philadelphia. but now OF
| Boston. in the third round. the win
ucr to come through to the semitinal