THE TENNIS CHAMPION

Hokitika Guardian, 27 November 1920, Page 1

THE TENNIS CHAMPION

PATTERSON'S 'pLfNJON OF

'TILDEN

Tlie ex-worjd’s lawn tennis cliainpion, G. JPaterson, who has ?‘$ u i r “® a . to Australia after an unsuccessful mission to >Vimblodon in defence of his title, lias commenced fits preparations for a second meeting \vit)i liis vonquishpr, "W . T. Tilden, who will be the mainstay of the American team that ,hn ; s •Australia’s right to hold tho P; Cup and title of “champion nation.” Commenting on his defeat at .Wimbledon, Patterson told a representative of am ’ “Ago.” that’from an international standpoint tjie challenge match for the world’s championship' was a poor game, though -there was no gainsaying the >ltiUl~ and thoroughness of his .opponent's versatile and somewhat discon-certing-methods.- how the match compared with the, 1.919 'challenge contest, Patterson said that he did not acquit himself ns well as in his match against Norman Jlroojtes in the pieiicius year, and did not reach the same standard of excellence. “I certainly did not play as well at Wimbledon as j am playing this afternoon,’’ said Patterson, after encounters with P. 'O’Hara Wood and R. W. Heath. “I .have copied Tilden’s footwork and body swing in wliat I consider a ’ more powerful ' and more certain delivery of the service, which also improves the effectiveness of overhead Worlt in smashing the ‘Abators.’ Tilden lias been dubbed in his on n country ‘America’s best bet’ for the forthcoming Davis Gup contests. Ho certainly is our most dangerous opponent, and with W. H. Johnston—a more dependable if less brilliant player —wilk make a formidable' pair that will tax all the resources of Norman Brookes and Australia’s next best to \4ard off defeat in defending the ‘champion nation’ title.: Tilden is a star plajei with meteoric moments, but is not the wonder he is acclaimed in the American Press. He had a tough tussle in the eliminating matches at Wimbledon to get the better of Randolph Lycett—a Victorian player’ not reckoned a topnoteher in singles in Australia though undoubtedly a brilliant doubles player. Tilden only scraped home in this match at 7-5, 4-6, 6-5, 7-5. He had even a closer call in tlie match he won against Kingscote at 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 5-t, 6-3,. and in the. semi-final round the Japanese player Shimidzu extended him to 6-4, 6-4, 13-11, before acknowledging defeat.

“Tilden stands over 6ft, and weighs jllst. He has great mobility and a fine equipment, of winning strokes, but is occasionally unsafe off the ground. He can impart considerable drag to the ball, and hits very hard on the forehand. At the net his reach and mobility enable him to volley in brilliant style. His first service is usually very fast and straight, while the second, which comes after a pause with startling suddenness, both 'jumps’ and breaks. He lias discarded stereotyped methods in ‘mixing’ his game, and is not lacking in enterprise in his at times spectacular overhead work.”