New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-03
Japan Loses to
u. S. I'm 2 World
Net Title Tits
Tilden, Defending Davis
Cup, Ends Strain by Raj
lying When Shimidzu Is
Within 2 Points of Victory
Johnston Wins Handily
Nipponese Opposing Tall
Champion Makes Ameri-
can ID ispIay Wizardry
By Fred Hawthorne

America swept the field yesterday
in the first day of play for the Davis
Cup on the turf championship courts
of the West Side Tennis Club at For
est Hills, William T. Tilden I'd, of
Providence, defeating Zenzo Shimidzu,
of Japan, by score of 81, 4-6, 7-5,
6-2, 6-1, and William M Johnston,
of California, conquering Ichiya Kuma-
gae, of Japan, by score of 60,
Cd, 60.
Yes, we swept the field, in truth, but
final victory did not come until this
erratic tennis genius, Tilden, had
stirred the thousands packed in the
stands as tennis galleries have rarely
been stirred before The worlds sin
giles champion faced what looked like
certain defeat in the third set, when
little Shimidzu, with two sets in al \
leading at 5-4 and 30-all in the third,
needed only two points for the match.
But then we saw the typical Tilden,
the same wizard who had pulled out of
hopeless situations SO many times be-
fore by a sudden burst Of added speed
or shot of super that left
lery amazed by the sheer daring of the
effort.
And it came yesterday, this single
stroke of genius. After a vicious drive
to the corner of deep court had made
the score 800 in Tilden's favor.
Shimidzn, in an exchange of drives from
the base line, sent one Of his low fore
hand shots whistling down the side
I line as Tilden came racing for the net.
The worlds champion was caught out
of position, and only desperate meas
ures would save the day for him then,
but he was more than equal to the
demands made upon him.
Taking the flying ball on the full
volley on his backhand, Tilden brought
q tremendous outburst of applause
from the wrought-up gallery by exc
cutting marvellous block-volley, short
and to the side line. Shimidzu, who
had believed the point his and had re-
mained rooted to the base line, saw
the ball fall gently into his court
twenty feet away, but made scarcely a
move to make the return. 1t seemed
as though the little Japanese was too
amazed at the boldness of the saot and
the brilliance of it to recover in time
to try to get up to the ball.
That one stroke really won the match
for Tilden. 1t seemed to inspire him
and urge him on until he was hitting
an. unbeatable streak of tennis. Win
ming that game and squaring the set
at sail, he took the next two games
for the set at 7--5, and that was the
start of the thrilling uphill battle that
was at last to end in Tilden victory.
In the last two sets the champion
was himself again. Confidence showed
in every stroke; there was new power
in his shots and an aggressiveness
that had beer sadly lacking before
Shimidzu, apparently not greatly wor-
ried by the loss of that third set, which
he had come perilously close to win
ming, still maintained his friendly little
smile as ne left for the locker room in
the intermission rest before the start
of the fourth set. He was tired at the
end of the third set, but Tilden was
exhausted, physically and mentally,
CONTINUED on page nlns)