Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-14
KOzELUH-R|CHARDS
CLASH |SAWA|TED
Sees Hunter and Himself as
Other Semi-FinaliStS in
National Tourney.
BY WILLIAM T. TILDEN, ID
(Pro Champion Of the World.


TINE lull that has settled over
the amateur tennis world
i while the United States
Davis Cup team is on the
water and the European nations
are resting between the Frer;ch
championships and Wimbledon
allows me an opportunity to
glance at the recent developments
in professional tennis.
It is true that before mention these
I must pay a word of tribute to the
remarkable performance Of Czechoslo-
vekia in eliminst ting Italy from the
Davis Cup The Italians looked almost
certain flnaliSts and possible winners
in the European zone but somehow the
great Italian team faltered.
1 cannot fail to believe that at last
Baron H. L. De Morpurgo, the out
standing italian star, has started to
slip. His defeats by Bella Won Kehrling
of Hungary. and his more recent upset
by Roderick Mcneil of CzechoSlovakia,
point clearly to his decline.
Morpurgo is the mainstay of the
italian team. for Georgia De Stefani
fine player that he is, is still too mex
perienced to carry the burden If Nor
purge fails. 1t locks to me as II Italy's
glorv is passing and that England will
easily reach the interzone final.
Early Date Wise Move.
The decision of the professional as
ISOLATION to hold the National Profess
eional Championship on July at For
est Hills is a very wise move. This
early date will give the event an inn
portance that it is due. A field that
includes Vincent Richards, the defend
ing champion, Karel Kozeluh, the ia
rlous title holder, Frank Hunter,
Howard Kinsey, Emmett Pare, Bobby
Seller, Harvey SnodgraSS. Wood and
myself as we'll as many others, possibly
including several of the great European
professionals, is q tournament which
in class will closely hold its own with
the amateur championship.
My long series of matches against
Kozeluh and my shorter series with
Vincent Richards have given me Won
derful opportunity to compare these
two great stars.
Each is superlative in one branch Of
his game. No one can deny that Rich
ards is the greatest of all volleyerS nor
will any one refute the claim of Karel
Kozeluh to the worlds steadiest de-
Tense and most remarkable court COW
erer. After my long series with these
men have drawn several definite con-
illusions.
Should Be Great Match.
believe that Kozeluh is Richards
superior over a long series of meetings
and that he is definitely superior on
dirt courts at any time. Indoors or on
grass courts, the margin of his supe-
Iiority is far less. Richards is the
greater inherent tennis genius and the
- toi1 vN1a iI7Rn1fiNo
of the match is great enough. Rich
ards might beat Kozeluh any time in q
championship final indoors or on grass,
but 1 cannot see him doing it on dirt.
Nor can 1 see Richards holding
Kozeiuh over q long series on any sur
face, for it requires greater concentra-
ton on tennis over long period than
appeals to Richards. If one were forced
to place the men, would give KoZeIuh
the place of honor over Richards beea1
on record, since he has won "a out OF
80 meetings, and on my personal value
CT their two games, yet in so going l
would always recognize that Mchards
would stand an even chance on grass
AMI indoors in very important match.
The pro-chanmpionship on July
VIII find logical semi-final four in
Kczeluh, Richards. Hunter and myself,
but one must see the big chance Of any
one of these men falling by the way
side, particularly if Albert Berke, Ro-
man Najuch, Martin Plag or others OF
the leading Europeans should enter.
# Kozeluh and Richards should draw
on the same side, which as a player
who would be on the other side, would
greatly appeal to me, YOU will see
terrific battle Richards is grooming
himself carefully for tie championship
md will make a brilliant and quite
possibly successful attempt to defend
his crown.
Kozcluh is most anxious to win TINS
event and re-eStablish his claim to the
world championship. The dark horse
CT the. pro-championShip Is the man
who for years has upset all the seed
ings of the U. S. L. I. A.-Frank
Hunter. His brilliant match, played
with little practice against Vincent
Richards at White Plains, when he LED
the United States champion, %
and go, in the final set, shows how
dangerous Hunter is-and it would not
surprise me to see him prove the SEN
sation of the ro-championship.
At least there is enough uncertainty
in the pro-championship so that from
the second day of the event to the END
the favorites must battle against stern
opposition if they are to hold their
places in the draw.
Watch for the first meeting between
Kozeluh and Richards for the big fire.
works.
(Copyright, 1881. by North American News
paper Alliance, 1ncD