The New York herald., 1922-04-19
EASTERN DAVIS CUP
CANDIDATES IN LEAD
Far Outnumber Western Ten
mis- COntenders for Places
on 1922 Team.
by SAMUEL j. BRooKMAN.

In William T. Tilden and Vincent
Richards. who win be named by the
New York Tennis Association to-day for
the intersectional matches with the Pa
cific coast. and In Lawrence Rice and
Norris Williams the East has four OF
the five leading candidates for the
American Davis cup team OF 1922 II
we were to appraise the chances OF the
top ranking players on the basis of their
showing last season and on what they
have accomplished. we would place Win.
lam T. Tilden first. William NJ. Johnston
of San Francisco second. Vincent Rich
ards third. r. Norris Williams fourth
and Lawrence Rice fifth.
No doubt many will dispute Rice's
right 10 a place so high on the list OF
eligibles. but the fact OF the matter is
that the Longwood star has made
greater strides than any other player In
the last year or so. has moved up from
thirty-fourth position to ninth place in
national ranking in a single bound. has
beaten William T. Tilden once outdoors
| and has extended the worlds champion
to the limit to win indoors has tri-
umphed also over Vincent Richards and
has given r. Norris Williams the hardest
sort of a tussle.
Regarded by all critics who have seer
him in action this year as greatly
improved player. it is only logical to
suppose that Rice has arrived among
the tennis title contenders.
Time May Work Change.
The four months that remain for
Davis cup preparation can work great
changes. however, in the relative stand
ing of the candidates. They probably
will. but If tennis form holds true the
five men named will show the way to
the rest of the eligibles. Other serious
contenders are Wallace F. johnson. who
triumphed over James o. Anderson OF
Australia in the national semi-final last
September Watson NJ. Washburn. mem
Der of the Davis cup team last summer.
and Roland Il. Roberts of San Francisco,
IL he besides to come East for the inn
portant tournaments. Francis L. Hunter
national indoor champion Is also COM
ing along fast but is probably not quite
ready to take his place with the leaders.
William NJ. Johnston looms as the
only Pacific coast player who is likely
to figure as a Davis cup candidate. AL
though he declared last fall that he
was not at all certain of coming East
this year for the important grass court
and title tournaments. the chances are
that the former national champion
will be on hand TO participate in the
try outs and aid in the defense Of the
international trophy. The Californian
despite the fact that he was handi'
capped by Illness all through the tourna-
ment made remarkable bid for the
national singles title last September.
Johnston probably will play No. on
the Pacific coast team in the East-Wes'
matches next month The others will
be chosen from among Roland Roberts
Willis L. Davis. Robert and Howard
kinsey. Phil Neer and Clarence j. Grif-
fin. The intersectional event. by the
way. Is not a national association affair
but is arranged between the two sec
| tional associations-Pacific coast anc
New York. There was no chartered
tennis section in the East six years agc
when team from this section of the
country made the trip to the coast, and
the expense was borne by the West Side
Tennis Club.