Evening star., 1923-07-08

| attribute this Improvement both
TO the fact that there is far more
winter tennis played than formerly.
due to the increasing number OF
indoor courts. and to the eagernegs
on the part Of rising players to ap-
proach the high standard of play set
by such men as Tilden and Johnston.
1t is really amazing to note the
number of excellent intercollegiate
players and the way they are working
to improve their game. This was
well illustrated in the recent ma
tional intercollegiate championships
In Philadelphia, when nearly every
member of the visiting Oxford.Cam-
bridge team was defeated in the frst
round.
TiIden BETTER Than Ever.
All the tournaments this season
have had record entry lists. even so
small an event as the western Penn
sylvania championships at Pittsburgh
having over $50 entries and, as
said before. the play at these meet
ings has been Of a surprising quality
l consider that Tilden is playing
far finer tennis today than ever be-
fore in his life. The loss of his finger.
far from handlcapping him. seems TO
TO have given him added determine
ton, and II is noticeable that he is
not dropping sets now as he used 10
in his matches with second raters
His match with Fukuda at Bethlehem
was worthy of a national tournament
Both men stroked the ball with tre-
mendous power. and while the Japa-
nese champion was unable to secure
a single game in this first meeting
between the two champions. his play
was nevertheless OF a high order.
After the contest, Tilden told me that
while he does not consider Fukuda
equal to Shimizu at present. he be-
lieves that with more experience the
former will prove himself the better
player.
The real sensation of recent tourna-
ments. however. has been the remark
ably fine play of Manuel Alfonso, the
Spanish champion. His Improvement
over last year is amazing, and is due
this spring with Tilden. Alonzo has.
without extending himself, reached
the final of every tournament in
which he has entered. and though he
has only once carried Tilden to Ave
sets, he has at each meeting forced
the champion to play the very best
tennis of which he is capable.
In his match with Murray at
Buffalo Alfonso drove past the ex-
champion again and again for clean
aces, either forehand or backhand.
and any one who can do this with
Murray at the net is a man of the
very first class.
have always said that after Tilden
Johnston stood in class by himself,
but Alonso's Improvement this season
seems to me to entitle him to be
ranked, if not with Johnston, at least
closely following him. All the ex-
perts are eagerly awaiting Johnston's
return from abroad in order to see
these two brilliant players meet.
Both the middle west and the Pacific
coast viii have a chance to see Alfonso
in action this summer. He has PLAYED
in Chicago and will enter the ma
tional clay court championships at
Indianapolis July 9, after which he is
to tour the Pacific coast with Tilden
and Wiener. Any one who is able to
attend any meeting between Tilden
and Alfonso should not fail to do so. as
the play between these two men is a
revelation of what can be done by
speeding-up the game. and their
matches are always replete with
brilliant rallies and extraordinary re-
coveries from beginning to end
Other entries for the national clay
court meeting will be mostly from
the middle west. Shimizu, who reached
the fnas last year, will be unable to
compete because of the Japanese
Davis cup contests, but some of the
Californians will likely leave the Pa
citic coast championships in time to
enter. Should the Kinseys play, 1 be-
lieve that Alfonso would not lose q set
to either of them, though both rank
among our first ten players. On grass.
however, they might push him closer.
Local Talent to Compete.
All the best local players are en-
tered in both singles and doubles
Burdick and Bastian, present holders
of the doubles title; John Hennessy,
western champion: Walter wesbrook.
Detroit champion. and Walter Hayes,
who for so many years reigned su-
preme in the west. will play
There should be no doubt of Tilden's
winning again. He has held both our
grass and hard court national titles
now Cor three years and seems In no
danger of being dethroned. but with
Alfonso added to the local players
there should be some interesting
matches. If, as I am sure they will.
Tilden and Alfonso meet in the finals.
the middle west will see such tennis
as it has not witnessed for years, as
each of these. two men, both highly
strung, brilliant and dashing. never
fails to play his finest tennis against
the other.
downright 1921