New-York tribune., 1921-03-27
Tilden Aims
For Precedent
In His Request
Asks English to Permit Him
to Play Through in the
Defense of Net Title

The determination of William T. TIL
den I'd, worlds singles champion, who
will leave for England early in May
for the purpose of defending his title
on the famous center court at Wimble-
don in June, to ask permission to play
through instead of Standing out and
meeting the winner of the tournament
usual proceeding.
Whether Tilden's proposition meets
with success or is turned down by the
English Lawn Tennis Association, we
must admire his personal motive in the
matter. To gain the worlds chief hon
ors himself, Tilden was forced to play
through the greatest field that could be
gathered together at Wimbledon, and
then, in the challenge round. he was
called upon to face Gerald Patterson.
who had remained idle through the
whole week of play.
How "Big Bill" overwhelmed the
Australian whirlwind in that match is
now part of lawn tennis history. Pat
terson went down SO easily before Til
Gems rush that some of the critics who
watched his swift downfall believed he
suffered from lack of practice during
the week.
Personally, I have always doubted
that the man who stood out in these
big tournaments gained any great ad
vantage thereby. The nerves play a
part quite as important as mere physi-
cal fitness when it comes towinning a
tennis championship. AS an illustra-
tion of what mean, look back on the
case of Tilden when he faced William
NJ. Johnston in the final round of the
national championship tourney at For
est Hills, in 1919.
Postponement Causes Defeat
Tilden's work all through the tourna-
ment up to the final round had been
more impressive than Johnston's, and
when he conquered Dick Williams in
round, while Johnston wasforced to
four sets by Wallace Johnson, it was
the prevailing opinion that Tilden'
would win the championship on the fol-
lowing day.
And so he might have done had the
match been played the next day. But
rain forced q postponement OF two
days, and in those two days of idle
ness Tilden's hopes Of the champion
snip WSHt kAAHAMWkAAk. AAS oFSH'~ Ss-S
entire time, I believe, in worrying and
fretting, going over the match, point.
by point, in his mind, while little john
ston dismissed all thoughts Of tennis
from his mind.
It was still raining intermittently
on the day the final round match was
played; in fact, the summer showers
did not cease until few minutes be-
fore the hour scheduled for starting
play. Tilden went to the west SIDE
Tennis Club early that day. Two hours
before the match he was dressed in
his playing clothes, anxious to get into
action. Half dozen times he walked
out on the veranda and looked up st
the sky, fearful lest the rain should
start falling again.
More than once he expressed the wish
to me that Johnston would be on hand
in time. Twenty minutes before the
scheduled starting time Johnston drove
up to the clubhouse, smiling, perfectly
the little giant from California was
carrying Ti1dcn down to decisive de-
feat; winning at 6--.4. Ga, 6-3.
Idleness Hampers Chances
There is no doubt in my mind but
that the two days delay insured Til
deil's defeat in this match. Naturally
of q high h-strung temperament, the
Philadeiphian was on edge the day he
defeated Williams, and in the two days
that followed he fought the court bat
tie with johnson over again and again
in his mind
This indicates that the long period
of idlcness before final or challenge
round match may we'll destroy q play
er's chances of victory when the big
test comes the mere so II the player Ia
rucstion is inc i,nd ta nc aerwors.
Al! through the long week at Wimb.e-