The New York herald., 1921-10-02
Tennis Champions as
Usual Lead in Ranking
William T. Tilden and Mrs. Franklin l. Mallory at Top
Vincent Richards Named Third and Watson M
Washburn Fourth in Herald's List.
BY SAMUEL ). BRookMAN.

Has the task Of the national tennis
ranking committee been simplified by the
amendment decreasing the number of
ranking players from 100 to 20?
Hardly. for II was the first twenty that
always gave The committee all the
trouble. 1t didn't matter much whether
a player in the third, fourth or ninth
ten was placed exactly where he be-
longed or whether he was rated just a
bit too high or just bit too low. but
what storm OF criticism would greet
an unfortunate choice In the flrst or
second ten!
or course, those who criticised the
committee in the last three years placed
the blame where Il did not belong-if in
deed 1t can be called blame-for the
committee had no alternative but to
follow a mathematical system, whereby
a player was allowed SO many points
for victory in a national champion
ship, so many for victory in Sec
tional championship and SO many in an
ordinary tournament depending on who
the men were he beat and the number
OF games won and lost. While In the
main the mathematical method worked
out pretty well, there were always one
or two instances of glaring unfairness-
unintentional of course. purely mathe-
matiIal--and the opposition that re-
suited caused the delegates at the last
annual meeting to abandon the method
and return to the system whereby the
committee members were allowed to use
their Judgment instead Of mere figures
to arrive at their conclusions. There
was nothing the matter with the COM
mittees. The system was wrong.
It must not be inferred. however, that
~. -. -
the report of the ranking committee
some time in December will meet with
unquestioned approval. Far from it.
There will be differences Of opinion
aplenty and the committee will be re-
ferred to by more than one tennis
player or tennis critic as hopeless.
There Is the assurance, however, that
player who deserves q ranking OF
about fifteen will not be found some
where around forty. as happened two
years ago. The differences Of opinion
will concern a matter of one or two
places In the standing.
Inevitable Criticism.
While the committee is busy collect
ing data upon which to base its findings
THE HERALD Is prepared to give it's an.
nual ranking of the first ten men and
women players of the country, based
on a common sense survey OF what the
leading players accomplished in the
really, worth while tournaments of the
year. No doubt considerable fault will
| be found with the order which we
have arrived at, but the criticism will
not be surprising, for. as already in.
| timated, there never has been a tennis
ranking that has found universal favor
| No difficulty in encountered until posi-
| ton three Is reached in the mems list
| William T. Tilden Of course Is at the
top and not soul in tennisdom viii
! dispute his right to be there. In second
place William M. Johnston of Cali
| fornia Is practically a unanimous choice
| Outside of Vincent Richards. who sur
prised and defeated Tilden at Providence
and ZenBo Shimidyu, who came neal
beating him at Forest Hills. no player
| gave the champion as close a tusslt
| this season as did Johnston in the ma
tional championship. Although i'll from
the effects Of an attack OF ptomain'
poisoning the Californian overcame q
| brilliant exhibition on the part of Vim
| cent Richards in the third round or TIT
| tournament and then on the following
| day took one set from Tilden and cam'
! very close to taking two others, only t
| fail when his strength failed him. Witt
the exception Of his match with Watson
M. Washburn at Newport Johnston II
the tournaments leading UP to the ma
tional championships the Seabright
Longwood and Davis cup challeng
round events-looked every bit as bril-
liant as In the years when the American
| title fell to his prowess on the court.
| Now for third place In the ranking
No doubt many viii insist that the plac
belongs to Wallace +. Johnson VIII,
reached the title round In the nationa
championship. Perhaps so, but for tn
benefit OF those who favor the Philadel
pha chop stroke specialist for the place
! 1t may be pointed out that barring vic
tories over Watson M. Washburn an,
James o. Anderson of Australia in TIL
national championship. Johnson accom-
plished little Of note during the season
He was late in getting into competitio,
and his early season record scarcel.
|