The New York herald., 1921-09-14
Youngster Puts Up Dazzling
Fight in Five Sets in
National.
TILDEN DOWNS SHIMIDZU
Champion Has Easy Time
With Japanese-Williams
Is Victor Too.
BY SAMUEL J. BRooKMAN.

was about to enter. Flashing super
tennis. the eighteen-year-old junior
champion was so close to a triumph
over William NJ. Johnston of California.
one OF the two leading contenders for
the national title. that half of the gal
lery that filled the stand to overfiowing
practically conceded it to him.
For two sets Richards fairly electri-
fed the huge gathering as he tore into
the rallies with delightful zest. as he
raced all over the court oozing speed,
making phenomenal recoverieS, forcing
a whirlwind pace, stroking with decisive
abandon and following one spectacular
shot with another more dazzling and
more daring.
There Is little doubt that victory would
have been Ricnards's had he been able
to sustain the same astonishing speed
for another set. 1t was wonderfully
effective tennis and wonderfully fast,
but apparently trifie too fact to last
II was inevitable that the youth, despite
his strength. would have to slacken
his speed before the match was over,
and so it proved. He had to soften his
attack as the third set opened and had
to be content with the defensive for a
while at the same time gathering his
strength for another supreme effort
which came finally in the fourth set
Approa ching Triumph, He willis.
The crowd fairly hung on every stroke
~ the young marvel OF the cc.Y.e fought
an aroused, determined Johnston to a
standstili. Coming from behind when
the score was 3--5 against him, Rich
nrds won three games in a row and
took the lead. Then, in the next game,
he was three l,oints from victory, but
there his strength failed him. 1t was
as near as he could APPROACH to triumph.
II was now Johnston's turn to reach
exceptional tennis heights-his turn to
open the speed throttle wide and stroke
with tho same daring and decisiveness
that had marked his opponan1's clay
at the start. Richards hn-G - ten
aciously. but the set slipped 0wm his
grasp and Johnston placed IL to his
credit at 81.
The tide had turned and the crowd felt
somehow that the youths last glorious
chance had faded, for Johnston, ever
dependable in a pinch, was gathering
strength and control as fast as Richards
was losing 1t. The last of the five SETS
although interesting to the final point.
was Johnston's by the comfortable mar
Gin of So The score was 2-6. a-6,
J-3. OF. Sc.
The thrills OF the contest may be
cqualled before the national champion
ship. which to-day reached the fourth
round, is over. In fact they may be re-
peated tomorrow when Johnston faces
the playing through champion. William
Il. Tilden, In the all-important match of
the tournament But 1t IS scarcely pos
sble that the thrills will be exceeded.
Runs Over with Excitement.
Compared to the Johnston-Richar rds
treat, the Tilden-ShimidZu contest. which
followed paled to insignihcance. Ex-
element was so intense all through the
big contest that the periodic outbursts
Of applause could not exhaust the pent
up enthusiasm. and II took prolonged
shout and full five minute demonstration
after the match was over to satisfy the
gathering that IL had expressed it's ap-
probation. The applause that followed
Richards off the court must have satis-
lied the youth that his efforts had been
worth making. Johnston, too. received
= vociferous greeting for his piucky up
lin fight. J.
Richards wasted little time as the
match opened in asserting himself. He
ran of with the first three games al
most before the gallery realized that the
contest was on. He was coming up to
The net with amazing speed and was
head smash, volley. ground stroke or
half voliey. and no matter how diff
cult the position--everything the youth
tried went through with a decisiveness
that was surprising.
There was nothing the matter with
Johnston's game. but he was not pre-
pared for 30 startling an offensive on
tho part of his opponent. Whenever
he could catch up with the ball the
Californian stroked II we'll. time and
a gain sending II to Richards's feet, but
The youth came through with a perfect
stroke as he tore In, nearly always
bringing his racquet into play at the
right instant Winning all his service
games and breaking through Johnston's
service twice. once In the second game
and again In the eighth, Richards took
the first set at 6--2.
The gallery confidently looked for the
Californian to take the aggressive in the
second set and check his opponent, but
Richards breezed through just as easily, |
gain taking the first three games.
Johnston rallied for time In the set
and drew up to 3-all. but the youngster |
reached his most dazzling speed again
and won the next three games and the
set very easily.
Johnston ON the Aggressive.
The unexpected turn OF affairs aston |
ished Johnston just as much as IL did
the 10000 In the stands, but he was |
far from beaten. He took the aggressive
as the third set opened Just as Richards
found II necessary TO slacken his ef- |
forts and ne won the set at CD.
Following the ten minute rest Rich |
ards returned to the courts with the |
evident intention Of rcsuming his early |
speed but he found he could not sus- |
tain It He found too that Johnston |
had reached his best stride and was |
passing him as he storrned the net or |
was forcing him into errors by getting |
his customary whiplike sting into his |
forehand drive. But IL johnston was |
determined 20 was Richards, and Il was |
a hammer and tongs battle as the set /
ran into deuce game.
Johnston gaining an early adyaptc "a |
OF two games to 2--lost n as Rich. |
ards rallied and won three OF the next |
-FOUR games. and drew up to s ALI. |
Richards put everything he had into his |
play In tho next few games. His yolIevs
were gems OF crispness and accuracy |
and he brought off some wonderfuI baci |
hand passing shots. but Johnston. call
leg on all his tennis wits. mfxis,r snead
-rd strokes, outmanmuvrcd hir ana
cventunlly took the set after a hard |
fight, at 9--7.
Il was Richnrds's last threat Tho
'ifth set found his speed warning fast and
-ith 1t his control. and the sci and \
oh epdoA tn tt~ C.tir.--s- '>'fN