The Washington herald., 1921-12-25
AMERICANS STILL
RANK SUPREME
M,LAWN TENNIS
Defense of Davis Cup and
Play of Tilden Big
gest Features.
By FRED HAWTHORNE.

There were three outstanding
features in the season Of lawn ten
mis- during the year just closed
First was the successful defense Of
the Davis cup by the United
States second. the retaining OF the
worlds hard and turf court singles
championships by william 7. TIL
den %. of Philadelphis. ana third
was the notable return 70 the
heights OF Mrs. Nolis Bturstedt
Mallory. who not only retained her
national singles title. winning Il
for the sixth time. but also defeat
ed Mile. Suzanne Lenelen. Of
France. the worlds champion. IN
the national tourney at Forest
Kills.
Second only 70 these features IN
Importance was the remarkable
rise in the tennis world of Vincent
Richards. an lS-year-old student in
Fordham University. Paired with
Tilden. Richards won the national
championship doubles at Longwood
and forced his way into the "hrst
ten" In the singles, by virtue Of his
amazing tournament record during
1921.
Tilden. williams and Rumsrse
were among those who fell before
| the skill Of the young wizard or
the courts. and in the national
singles tournament on the courts
~ the Germantown Cricket Club. OF
! Philadelphia. Richards forced Will
lam NJ. Johnston. Of California. into
desperately fought hve-set match
before bowling in defeat.
II was the japanese team Or
Ichiya Kumagae and Zenze Shin
idzu that came through the Davis
cup preliminary matches 10 face
the United States in the challenge
round at the West side Tenn
Club. and although in one or tup
Instances the little orientals mad.
the issue close. there was nevc-
any real doubt as TO the final out
come.
Japan made Pine showing.
Tilden. Johnston and williams
representing the United ststes.
played with such speed and skill IS
to establish the superiority Of the
American game over all the rest
Of the world. Australasia. after
losing TO Japan in the final round.
made a fine showing in the mems
national singles and in the East
West matches In Chicago J. q. An
derson defeated Tilden in 1--WE
set match and proved his rirht a.
be ranked close to the leaders In
International tennis.
Mrs. Mallory. after suffering de-
feat at the hands OF Mile. LenClen
in the French hard-court cha rion-
ship at St Cloud. and also being
defeated for the worlds turf-court
bo,or. 80 O-Er,hI.dn, e., rure ra-
turned TO this country and won
every important match in the East.
not a single defeat marring her uu-
rivalled record. Entering the ma
tional tourney at Forest Hills IN
August Mrs. Mallory was not
among the three or four Erestest
players In this country who were
figured a. Mile. LenElen's most
formidable opponents in America s
defense OF the cup.
Yet. after making her way
through the preliminary rounds.
the defending national title-holder
faced the French girl before a tire
mendous gallery. The frst set wa
hard fought on both sides before
Mrs. Mallory finally won. after
playing the greatest tennis OF her
brilliant career. Her determine
tion to conquer her bitterest rival
backed up by relentless aggressive
ness and burning speed. formed =
combination too great for Mile
Lenglen to overcome. and the lat
ter. who was suffering from indis-
position throughout went down
quickly before Mrs. Mallory at the
start ~ the second set defsulting
after the first game.