New-York tribune., 1922-09-17

wanted to run Johnston to the limit
ana the challenger only when his
ground strokes had opened wide the
gaps, in his rivals court.
Illden made it plain that he was in
tent upon bombarding Johnston's back
hand from first to last, and he con-
tinued pecking away at that point all
through the match. In the first two
sets the Californian was not troubled
oy these tactics, returning the ball
safely in majority Of cases, and occa-
sionally having the better of the en-.
changes. for he, too, paid much atten-
tlon to Tilden's left side. But in the
latter half of the struggle, when weari-
ness had laid it's hand upon him, John
ston began to lose control of his
strokes, and his back hand was the
first thing to falter.
trailing at loe to two in the set
score, Tilden gave flash of what was
coming by breaking through Johnston
at the start of the third set and then
making it 20 by winning on his own
serlce, starting with scorching ace
that the Californian never got within
reaching distance of as the ball cata-
pulled by him. The champion was
moving at impressive speed now, estab-
fishing lead of ID as he broke
through Johnston for the second time
in the fifth game.
The little challenger surprised every
body by breaking through the cham
plon's service in the sixth game, once
catching Tilden out of position at the
net by, tossing deftly over the cham
pion's head. Tilden raced back for the
ball, but it dropped an inch from the
base line, with low, unplayable bound.
johnston took the game on the next
point when the champion made a dou-
BILE fault, but Tilden clinched the set
by winning the next two games, the
feature of his play here being mar
velous back-hand volley for place
ment ace Of Johnston's tremendous
overland volley.
A Typical Tilden Shot
To make the shot, the Philadelphia
had to take the ball behind his back.
A typical Tilden shot, and one that
must have shaken Johnston's nerve,
coming as it did at the end of a brill
liant exchange that the Californian
seemed to have won.
The last game was fought on to
deuce" twice before Tilden won it.
Johnston was beginning to weaken on
his backhand, under the whip-lash re-
turns that Tilden ATTACKED with, and
turns that Tilden attacked with, and
other sizzling service ace.
The champion got a great greeting
"hen he trotted confidently off the
court Tor the ten minute rest interval,
and he was back again, smiling and
serene, five minutes before the time
was up Johnston did not return until
the scheduled minute of his re-appear-
ance, and as he eRtered the arena,
Tilden greeted him on the court with
playful pat on the back.
Johnton was in deadly earnest. how
ever, realizing that to win he must win
quickly, He began with the service
and won easily as he forced Tilden into
tour successive errors. He raised a
great wave of cheers by breaking
through his opponent in the second
game, ending with perfectly hit over
hand volley for placement ace. An
exhausting struggle followed in the
third game, with Johnston the winner
after deuce" had been called four
times, Tilden sending his last two re-
turns into the net.
new element of power mad sur
passing speed entered into his play and
the story of his march through those
next six games, for the set and the
squaring OF the match, is a story of
aina@iHg snotS, ripping from his
racquet in quick succession, and fast
weakening Johnston. In the fifth game,
which saw Johnston broken through. i
could sense the passing of the initia !.
tive from the challenger to the cham
pion. That battered back-hand was
failing repeatedly now, and as his
strength waned, Johnston was falling
down even on "sitters" at the net. and
Tllden scared high in his lofty flights
of tennis genius.