The New York herald., 1922-09-03

w. and two more matches to come to-
My one and the challengers two for
lliam Tilden and William Johnston to
!, but let this be said for those who are
her play of such inspired sensational
nra Wood flashed in accomplishing
rilden and Vincent Richards yesterday
TO the last to clinch a victory that
lutely sure to perch on the banner OF
the Americans.
1t was not so much that Patterson
and Wood won that amazed another
great gallery that thronged the stands
at Forest Hills. 1t had been conceded
that the Australians best chance. per-
haps only chance, of finishing ahead was
in the doubles match. But to have the
pair from Down Under" turn the tables
so completely on the team that only four
days ago trounced them in the national
doubles final at Longwood-that was
more than anybody could understand
1t was incredble 1t was astonishing.
1t was enough to make you wonder
what was going to happen next!
Rare Doubles Play.
Without reservation no such brilliant
doubles has been played on an Ameri-
can court this season as Patterson and
Wood showed in coming through TO
their decisive triumph. II was more
than championship doubles. 1t was
super-championshp doubles. and there
Is little question that Tilden and Rich
ards at their best would either have
been beaten or been forced to the limit
of their endurance and skill 10 squeeze
through victorious. But the Austria
n u
Richards at their best yesterday. Far
from II. It was an uncertain. errstic
pair that held the American side Of the
court. pair who fought hard but who
contributed glaring errors to smooth
the path OF the keen. crafty rival COM
bination who for once would not be
denied
1t Is doubtful which of the cup de-
tenders was more sadly lacking In con-
troll whether IL was the eager nineteen
year-old youth. the youngest player who
ever took a court in a Davis cup chal-
lenge round. or the usually dazzling.
proficient Tilden. whose effectiveness and
customary brilliance were rarely in evil
dence. Since there was far more eN-
pected of Tilden than OF Richards, the
conclusion drawn by the majority was
that the national champion, who only the
day before had shown some of his tennis
NlZdTuTN III QtAtdtlIk dANtlSobf was tht
one chiefly 10 blame for the slump OK
the American title holding team. The
fact of the matter is that they wers
both considerably off form, Richards on
his ground strokes, Tilden in more ways
than one.
Some of Tiiden's misses of "sitters"
at the net were not only inexcusabe.
they were incredible. And the difficulty
he had in getting a decisive snot across
g. atr,f oil
to have the crowd wondering what allied
the champion. Had any one had the
audacity 60 predict before the match
that Tilden's earned points in the rallies
would be limited 10 a total of two he
would have been ridiculed out Of the
grounds yet that is exactly the total
that Tilden placed 10 his credit. Only
two shots off his racket that the AUS
tralians could not catch up with Two
In tie FIRST set, none In the second. none
In the third.
TfIden's Attack PucrfIee.
SO puerile an attack might have been
passed unnoticed if an ordinary player
were In Tilden's place, but the fact that
II was Tilden made IL difficult OF COM
prehension. He was not finding his OPEN
ings with anything like his customary
skill. and the answer was that he was
uncertain OF his control from start 70
finish. Instead OF pounding the ball
through he found most OF his shots being
pounded back at him or at Richards for
kills" Richards netted carly and Of
ten, but overhead his tennis flashed brill
liantly. lie nearly always put the bail
away when II came sailing high. and it
was the one feature OF his play that
stood out boldly. Ills voileylng. too. was
fair. not as good as he Is capable q
showing, but satisfactory nevertheless
but on his ground strokes the ball went
travelling into the net at critical juno
lures, and on occasions not so critical
the errors piled up alarming1y.
In sharp contrast was the smooth.
powerful. well controlled game OF the
challenging pair. Patterson was good
hut O'Hara Wood was renarka ble yes
remarkable. nothing short OF that lie
was all over the court retrieving balls
that seemed hopelessly out OF reach.
making amazing returns from all sorts
Of awkward positions. and volleying and
smashing with a finality that the gel5
lery had not been IN the least prepared
for. His maneuvering. his generalshiT
his aiertness in taking advantage ybr
the slightest opening. his control. his aAn-
tlcipation combined to make him stand
out with scintillating prominence from
first TO last
Anticipation that was tho most po-
tent factor Of all Time and again
wood poached on the territory OF his
partner. poached IN way that ordin.
ariIv would be rcga rded as unorthodox
and dangerous. but almost invariably
the little Australian Justified his action
by pouncing on q ball that seemed
headed for an unprotected spot and
slamming Il back FOR an earned point.
lie was not only crafty and alert: he
was decisive. and he rarely missed.
Veteran players who looked on were al
most unanimous in the opinion that no
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