New-York tribune., 1920-05-25
Champion Puts
Rival to ROut
In Easy Sets
California Tennis Wizard
Beats Runner.Up at For.
est Hills by 6-l, 90
By Fred Hawthorne

William M. Johnston. of California,
the national singles champion, is the
greatest lawn tennis player in the
world to-day. If there was any wide
spread doubt of this before, it was
dispelled yesterday afternoon, when
johnston went out on the turf courts
of the West Side Tennis Club at For
est Hills, few hours after ending
his journey from California, and pro-
Tilden, End, of Philadel phia, by a
score Of 81, 60.
confess 1T seems almost inconceiv-
able that any man could so completely
overwhelm Iilden, the player who had
defeated R. Norris Williams, End. in
straight sets last riday, but there are
the igures and there was Johnston.
playing with the accuracy of ma
chime, deadly, hard-hitting machine.
I'ldren tried everything he knew, but
ne was not himself; Johnston never
allowed him to work into his best
game. The same fierce, relentless.
driving attack, backed up by a superb
severity of volley and overhead play.
that had crushed Tilden last Septem-
Der, IN the final round of the national
championship tourney at Forest Hills.
literally swept him off the court again
yesterday. 1t was an amazing display
OF the perfection Of tennis on the part
Of Johnston.
The little champion arrived in New
York yesterday morning, accompanied
BY his wife, and after leaving his bag
gage at hotel, went down to Forest
hills, Just to get acclimated," after
his trans s-continental trip. 1t was not
many minutes before Johnston was out
on the courts, .arrayed for battle.
Frederick B. Alexander consented to
warm" the Californian up, and thew
went through couple of sets. no score
being kept.
Champion on Edge
It did not require more than a few
minutes of play to demonstrate that
Johnston was right on edge His shots
were coming off beautifully, and with
a world of speed and pace" Having
worked out the kinks in his muscles,
the national champion, looking as
oronzed and keen as though it were
midsummer, started his match with
Tildcn.
In justice to the latter, it should
be stated that he wore shoes without
spikes Of any kind on the soft, slippery
turf, and this undoubtedly prevented
h'm from covering court with his
usunal remarkable speed. But this
was not enough to explain the tre-
mendous superiority Johnson showed.
used it without stint. His powerful
forehand drive was ripping through
Tllden's court, with cannon ball rs-
loclty, and he followed these forcing
shots into mid-court, from where he
simply smothered everything Tflden
sent back with savage overland volley-
ing shots that sent the ball sizzling
into every unprotected spot-and there
were many.
In the course of the two sets John
ston did not make more than a dozen
errors, in spite of the fact that he was
taking all kinds of chances as he scored
kill after kill" 1t was a wonderful,
an impressive exhibition, and proved
Davis Cup this year rest in capable
hands.
The Johnston-Tilde tussle rather
overshadowed the scheduled feature at
Forest Hills yesterday. namely, the
match between Charles S. Garland, of
Pittsburgh, and Richard Harte, of Bos-
ton, to determine which is better fitted
to Eli the fourth place on the Davis
Cup team.
Garland May Be No. 4.
Garland was triumphant, winning in
straight sets at 6-3, 81, and demon
strating his superiority over the hard
hitting youth from Boston. 1t was
cool, calculating tennis against uncon-
trolled might that won the day There
were times in the second set when
Harte looked dangerous He led at
20 and AZ on games, but each time
Garland, driving with beautiful preci-
sion for passing shots and volleying
without great severity but with almost
unvarying accuracy, pulled even and
eventually came through to win.
Harte's terrific service played little
part in the match, as far as its being
winning shot was concerned. AS a
matter of fact, the Bostonian made Il
total of thirteen double faults in the
two sets, losing four games directly
because Of this weakness. Garland
broke through service nine times and
Harte did the same against Garland
six times, which is commentary
six times, which is commentary enough.
Following this match, the Davis Cup
committee, consisting of Julian S. Ny
rick, Robert D. Wrenn, George T.
Adee, Samuel Hardy. Beals C. Wright
and George W. Wightman, heic a
lengthy conference, for the purpose of
coming to decision as to the fourth
man on the international team. No