The New York herald., 1921-09-18
TENNIS MATCH Off
With SCORE 8 ALL
Tilden and johnson Playing
Even Game When Rain Halts
Championship Tusslc.
5000 DISAPPOINTED FANS
Match Will Be Played All Over
Again Tomorrow After
noon at 4 O'Clock.
5000 DISAPPOINTED FANS
BY SAMUEL J. BRooKMAN.

Special Deapctch to THE New YORK HERALD.
PHILADELPHIA. Sept. 17.-Sixteen
games Of the national tennis cham
pionship final had been played and
divided evenly between William T.
Tilden I'd and Wallace F. Johnson
when a heavy rainfall drowned out
the tennis picture at the Germantown
Cricket Club this afternoon. The score
stood S-all in the first set and there
was every prospect of thrilling tussle
when the downpour came.
1t had drizzled intermittently all
morning and just before the men took
the court there was q light rain that
delayed the start ten or fifteen min
utes. For long time the tennis COM
mittee debated the advisability of start
ing at I'll, for conditions looked none
too promising. But gallery Of nearly
5000 was on hand and the players
were willing. so the match went on.
After half nour's play came the un-
welcome interruption just as the contest
was growing decidedly interesting. The
men held the courts for about Ave min
utes in the downpour. but II was useless
to continue. The rain persisted without
sign Of letup. and at oclock-three-
quarters OF an hour after the half-the
announcement was made that unless
weather permitted at p. NJ. the match
would be called OF then and played all
over again on Monday, beginning at
p. NJ. Tarpaullns had been spread over
two of three courts within the grand
stand area, and the surface was play
able despite the intensity Of the down.
pour. But shortly before 5 the rain
grew torrential and II was all of.
As far as II went play vas decidedly
close. rllden was not as steady as
usual. but there were Indications that he
was hiding his time Johnsons game. as
usual, was marked by. exceptional accu-
racy, while his chop stroke. doubly et-
fective on damp court. was giving tn.
champion considerable trouble. Just
before the downpour Johnson. havins
broken through Tiiden's service In the
fifteenth game was twice within point
of the set In the sixteenth. but Tilden
steadied in time to pull the game out
Of the Ire.
"a Errors for Champion.
-
showed "a errors for Tilden and 20 for
johnson, and IS earned points for Tildea
to II for his opponent.
Tilden, opening service. was carried TO
deuce points before he could place the
game to his credit. and Johnson on MS
own service evened matters in the next
game. The latter's effective chop stroke
was under perfect control from the start.
and he placed It so we'll That he had
Tilden racing all over the court TO meet
It, Tilden, however, had not warmed up
to his best speed and was content, ap-
parentlv to squirt only when an impor-
tant point was In the balance.
The first break came In the NTH game
and It was Tilden who had to yield ser
vice. The champion contributed thrse
errors on ground strokes. Johnson's ad-
vantage. however, was short lived, for
Tilden broke through In the next game
bringing the score TO Sail. Then the
service battle was resumed. Tilden was
mixing a cannon ball service with slow
high bounding ball. using the former
when the occasion demanded.
Johnson's service looked simplicity It.
self, but. like mis- chop. had considerable
spin, and II was surprising how often
Tilden netted the ball or drove II out
johnson at this stage was manGuvriue
every hit as skilfully as his opponent
and catching the champion out of posi-
ton. Games went to Sail. to 6--1Il
and then TO 7--all before service was
broken through again. II was johnson
who went out in front again. two super1
passing shots giving him the lead al
ST. With the score 40---15 In his
favor In the next game. johnson was
twice within a point OF the set. bu,
failed TO come through with the neces-
snry stroke. Rain fell heavily In the
midst OF the game. and umbrellas spranS
UP like mushrooms all over the stands
while hundreds sought shelter under the
Grand stand. But the players stuck tc
their task until Tilden. steadying re.
markably. took four points In a row and
brought the score to s--all. Then al
hands made beeiine for shelter.
The Point Score.
FIRST SET.
5241244is 5-4y-s
a4a442i4s4I4,a4tsn snsiS, ,;,
Nets. Outs. ments. Aces: Faults
Iosssca. T5lSsn;;: ic ic II Is !
One championship match the rain did
not come soon enough to stop was the
contest for the veterans title. In which
DIR. p. q. Hawk of Philadelphia tri-
umphed easily over DR.. T. w. Stephens
OF Pittsburg. The score was 6--l. 60