New-York tribune., 1921-08-28

was so even that it was foolhardy to
hazard guess at this stage as to who
would win the opening set The con-
vlctlon was in my mind, however, that
the winners of this first terrific session
OF play would prove the ultimate win
ners of the championship.
More than once in the second set it
looked as though Williams and Wash
ourn would prove this feeling wrong,
yet IN the end the final result bore me
out. In the eighteenth game. when
Tilden and Richards were leading at
9-8, and 90 on Williams's service.
the coming champions needed only one
point for the set and had three chances
70 make 1T, yet they were foiled by the
skill and daring of Williams. Twice
the former national champion shot over
MS service with such tremendous
speed as to score aces on Tilden and
Richards. Next he came through with
marvellous overland volley to Rich
erds' feet for the point, and then Til
aen smashed out of court, giving the
game to Williams and Washburn.
The tide of battle ebbed and flowed
after this up to the twenty fourth game,
when Tilden and Richards broke
through Washburn at "love," for the
set, at 1911, and a lead that they clung
to with bulldog tenacity to the bitter
end. This and the succeeding set at
1910, we're the two longest sets ever
played in national champion ship
event IN this country.
Williams Plays Well
The second set found the players 60
ing at an almost unbelievabiy fast and
brilliant pace. Williams was standing
up amazingly to his work, by which |
mean that for once, at least, he had
control of his shots and was using
them to the greatest advantage. from
the first game to the last He scored
more earned shots than any man on
the court during the match, more than
twice as many as his partner, while
his errors were just even with those
Of Washburn.
Richards was actually dominating
the court, and for once even the dy-
mamie Tilden was forced into the back
ground. 1t must not be thought that
the worlds champion was failing to
back up his young partner or was not
performing brilliantly. He was doing
magnificent to-day that he simply
could not be equalied.
The junior champion covered his
court with such amazing speed that 1t
was extremely difficult for Williams
and Washburn to place the ball out Of
his reach. Innumerabe times, too,
when the Davis Cup team was hammer
ing vicious smashes into the opposite
court it was Richards, pale, unruffled,
IN perturbablc, who saved the situation
by wonderful lobbing. His volleying,
too, was Of the super tennis quality, as
he raked the other court with knife
like shots that came over at unplayabe
angles across fore-court.
The games went on service in this
set up TO Sail, and then Richards was
broken through for the first and only
time. The junior champion sealed his
own fate in this game by netting an
easy volley close to the net on the final
point.
Washburn Loses Service
Was this slight slip destined to be
the fatal" error Of the day? Would
Williams and Washburn let out an ex-
ira burst Of speed in the rext session
and take the game to square the match,
and then 90 on to victory?
These thoughts were soon dispelled
when Washburn dropped his service in
the twelfth game, due principally to the
remarkable playing Of Richards, who
smothered returns by dazzling volleys
from close to tne net. The battle con-
tinued without the slightest slowing
up BY any Of the four players. In the
twenty second game it was Williams
who dropped his service, and this meant
the loss Of the second set, Tiden and
Richards winning at l2-10.
Williams and Washburn had begun
the match by directing their combined
attack against Richards. They had
maintained these tactics through the
second set, still convinced, it seemed,
that here would be found the weak
spot. And how splcndidly young
Richards baffled them Drawing the
fercest bombardment Of the Davis Cup
team, he fenced With his opponents
with steady skin, and turned them
back in defeat.
The third set was quickly won and
lost. Both Williams and Woshburn
wilted before the mctcoric attack Of
Tlden and Richards, winning only the
second game Of the seven played. The
! final point came when Williams drove
back Of the base line to finish brief
exchange Of drives from backcourt.
Generous in defeat. williams and
Washburn purposcly hung back after
the match until Richards had marched
alone from the inclosurc to the ac
companim imcnt of the cheers Of the thou
sands in the stands.