New-York tribune., 1921-01-07
By Fred Hawthorne

Since the complete triumph Of our
men in the Davis Cup matches in Auck-
land last week, it is not really surpris-
ing that they should repeat their brit
liant work in this lesser tournament,
but the fact that they succeeded again
in defeating Brookes and Patterson
in the doubles is proof positive that
Tilden and Johnston to-day form the
greatest doubles team in the world.
As Tor the singles, it is plain that
neither Johnston, Brookes nor Patter-
son competed in this event, else how
could Washburn reach the final round :?
While he is a sound and highly capable
player, Washburn is not in the same
class with any one of these three, and
it would be too much to expect that
he could force his way into the final
round against such opposition.
We must not take the TildenW ash
burn score seriously, for Tilden could
easily win from Washburn in straight
sets, provided he were on his game and
out TO win. The chances are THAI the
singles draw did not contain much
quality, aside from Tilden and Wosh-
final round without much difficulty.
, Washburn is essentially base line
player, and a very good one, too, but
his low. flat drives could never extend
Tilden to five-set match if the worlds 9
champion decided to force the net posi-
tion and bring his remarkable volley-
'ng ability into play. 1t is probable
that Tilden stayed in the back Of the
court almost entirely, relying upon his
own furious ground strokes TO win for
him. That is a Characteristic OF "Big
Bills game, that he can take the net
position or stick to the back OF the
court, and play winning tennis.
There is nothing to indicate how
close was the doubles match, beyond
the fact it went to four sets, as did
of Brookes and Patterson for the Sec
ond time within a week shows that the
American pair are plainly superior.
Patterson was som ewhat Of q tennis
mystery when he made his first ap-
pearance in this country in 1919. One
day he would play tennis Of the most
sensational and brilliant description
and the next afternoon his game would
be so filled with errors as to be almost
unbelievable in an internationalist. Hia
performances since that time have been
Of the same description.
In the first set of his match against
Tilden in the Davis Cup challenge
round, the Australian was unbeatable
winning dJ 90, anu iICCL dlly SNCtplHS
Tilden off the court. He began to waver
in the second set and in the last two
was utterably unable to cope with the
Philadclphian.
Brookes is still able to travel pace
! in doubles competition that Is equal to
the best, so it must have been Pater-
sons weakness that lost he day for
the Australians. a consistent ham
mering at Pattersons leep backhand
is almost certain to bring results, and
can imagine both Tilden and John
son aiming their most tremendous
ground strokes st the Australians left
hand side.
The American stars are both decid-
cdly quicker on their feet than Brookes
and Patterson; quicker in stroke exc
cution, and also strike Se ball with
greater speed and power, so that it
is likely that these advantages offset
all the skill and court craft Of the
wizard Brookes.
BY the time Tilden. Washburn and
Sam Hardy complete their tennis tour
Of Australia they will probably have
cleaned up about every tennis prize
and title that pokes its head above
ground