Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-06-06
DAVIS CUP TEAM
! AMERICAS BEST"
Believed Four Just Landed in
England Will Gain
Worlds Honors.
xhere is a general conviction tina

Charles S. Garland who have just
landed In England. the United States
has sent the strongest quartet availa-
BILE for competition in the British
championships and the Davis cup
matches and that they will earn the
International 1aurels.
A study Of the records gives fairly
substantial support to such optimism.
Three Of the men selected play
style of tennis that is still compare
lively unfamiliar on European courts.
JoNnston because Of his consistently
Eyenendous speed off the ground.
Hacked up by volleying Of the highest
Ff6rder; Tilden. by reason of his YER
oatilfty of stroke and unique variety
of pace, and Williams. through the
unequaled audacity of his scheme of
accurate placement. Garland alone
plays what might be called conven-
well rounded that 1t carried him to
the semi-final round at Wimbledon
last summer, almost defeating King
scote. the best man in England.
New to All. But Williams.
OF the three Williams is the only
one with previous experience on a
Davis cup team. He was twice
VIII the victorious challengers of
St1s. and playing in the singles at
Forest Hills in 1914. when the UNI
successful attempt at defense against
inc AuSITdnanS was maze. On the
latter occasion he lost to both Nor
man Brookes and Anthony F. Wilding,
bug In the previous year his record
cobtafned q victory over c. p. Dixon
bf England. which helped bring the
cup to America
Williams did not meet Gerald Pat
eefson or any other of the visiting
Australians last season, but had VIC
Sortes to his credit over Garland,
Willis Davis and Vincent Richards.
among others: and now ranks sixth
In the first ten. His greatest re-
1Andley Murray. who defeated him in
fAh0 4lna1 round at Greenwich, and he
also lost four matches to Tilden, the
last coming in the semi-final round
|0f the national tourney.
pnQuestionably Williams has not
~ returned to the form which he
displayed before his military service
took him out OF the game for two
years. His game Is OF the kind that
cannot be recovered quickly. after
be absolutely right to be effective
against first-class play. Otherwise,
he virtually beats himself. This year
Williams again lost to Tilden in a
Church cup match. but he has twice
defeated 1chiya Kumagae. and in
finctly better than last season. He
has held the national championship
twice. In 1914 and 1916.
Johnston Considered Greatest.
William NJ Johnston. the present
American champion and winner of
the. title also in 1918, is considered by
many, good judges the greatest tennis
after long absence from the game.
in naval service, he won his way
Through one of the strongest fields |
|evef gathered for the all-comers. de-
Heating Paterson, Murray. Wallace
finishing With a straight-set victory |
over Tflden In the finals. He also
|capture6 the national clay court title
at Chicago with Tilden as runner.up,
and lostift s6Iose match at Newport
Johnston defeated Williams in de- |
Tense ofitheILongwood Bowl and took |
1.-THE measure of Brookes in the special |
|internat6ySlo series at Forest Hills. |
He was seen only in practice in the |
against Tilden. which he won at 81. |
80. Indicated wonderful form. and |
were caHkd by Robert D. Wrenn, the |
|one-timei national champion. posi- |
lively the Best tennis / ever saw in
krder than ever before in his bril- |
liant career, and seems to have lost |
nothing Of that infallible steadiness /
which has broken the hearts of so |
many worthy rivals.
Taden Close to Top Honors.
filden, became practically the leader |
OF American tennis during the period |
lowered on the verge Of national hon
Tors. He first played in the all corners
lat Forest Hills in 1916, and was del
feated in the first round by Harold |
n ninn ,d then the junior cham
nut uh ar, ~ T.. i" onetv;H year ne was
|AyAMufIay,, but the match was one of |
the closest, and best Of the entire |
event, which the Buffalo left-hander |
In 1sfs.Ttiden made the unique rec
ord Of goinE through the entire season,
playing through every tournament Of |
|amportance. without a defeat up to the |
3nAl round OF the national champion
shfp. Here Murray was again his |
Nemesis, although Tilden had beaten |
him shortly before at Southampton. |
Last year he once more resEhed the |
finals OF the ali-comers, WITH similar |
record OF early success, his only de- |
feat having been by Johnston at Chi
cago and Kumagae at Niagara, In
spite of losing in straight sets, Tilden
finished with record of two VIC
tories and two defeats against John
ston. and in the total of sets won they
were exactly even. Tilden defeated
Brookes in the national championship.
series and among his other victims
| were Kumagae, Williams and WASH
burn.
with Vincent Richards as a partner.
frilden lost the national doubles cham
pionship to Brookes and Patterson by
q narrow margin. but later defeated
the same pair, in combination with
Johnston. This year he began by win
ming the national indoor champion
ship. although twice defeated by
- IoI.~ - apxA i've hn Wi
triumphed over Williams again in the
Church cup matches and has. in fact,
remained indicated in public COM
petition thus far. Tilden has changed
his game to the extent OF Depending
moro upon hard driving than In the
past. besides improving his backhand
nn4 his lobbing. BY reducing the
number of his routine strokes he
seems to have gained appreciably in
strength.
Garland Is Collegiate Champion.
Garland was ranked eight in Amer
led after very successful season
last year. He won the Southampton
tournament and took two sets from
Brookes before succumbing at Forest
Hills. He lost to Harte at Long
wood, but retrieved himself by VIC
tory over the Bostonian in the special
trial match last month. Garland has
twice been national junior champion,
is the present intercollegiate title
holder and captain OF the Yale tennis
team.
IN the doubles at the Queens Club
and at Wimbledon and. II successful.
viii adhere to this arrangement for
f1s first Of the Davis cup prelimi-
n1ries, which falls on July 8. with
Trance as an opponent. williams
and Garland with combine as a sec
ond pair.