The Championship of the World for 1919 at Wimbledon was anxiously
awaited. Who would stand forth as the shining light of that
meeting? Gerald Patterson, the "Australian Hurricane," as the
press called him, came through a notable field and successfully
challenged Norman Brookes for the title. Gobert and Kingscote
fell before him, and the press hailed him as a player of
transcendent powers.
The Australian team of Brookes, Patterson, R. V. Thomas, and
Randolph Lycett journeyed home to the Antipodes by way of America
to compete in the American Championship. Meanwhile R. N.
Williams, W. M. Johnston, and Maurice E. M'Loughlin were
demobilized, and were again on the courts. The American
Championships assumed an importance equal to that of the
Wimbledon event.
The Australian team of Brookes and Patterson successfully
challenged the American title-holders in doubles, Vincent
Richards and myself, after defeating the best teams in America,
including W. M. Johnston and C. J. Griffin, the former champions.
Speculation was rife as to Patterson's ability to triumph in the
Singles Championship, and public interest ran high.
The Singles Championship proved a notable triumph for W. M.
Johnston, who won a decisive, clear-cut, and deserved victory
from a field never equalled in the history of tennis. Johnston
defeated Patterson in a marvellous 5-set struggle, while Brookes
lost to me in four sets. M'Loughlin went down to Williams in a
match that showed the famous Comet but a faint shadow of his
former self.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104