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Ishiya Kumagae Beat Williams, Voshell, Anderson, Hawkes. Lost to Johnston, Tilden, Williams, Richards. Zenzo Shimidzu Beat Wallace Johnson , Anderson, Hawkes, Niles. Wallace Johnson Beat Watson, Washburn, Anderson. Lost to Tilden, Shimidzu . Watson Washburn Beat Williams, Johnston, Voshell. J. O. Anderson of Australia Beat R. N. Williams, Tilden, Hawkes, Lowe.
Twice he defeated me, once in four sets, and once in three, while the two victories that were mine were scored in identically the same number of sets. The most remarkable meeting of two stars was the series of matches between R. L. Murray and Ichija Kumagae during the seasons of 1918 and 1919.
They have won the respect and friendship of all who have met them. Kumagae is the speedier tennis player. He came to America in 1916, the possessor of a wonderful forehand drive and nothing else. Kumagae is left- handed, which made his peculiar shots all the harder to handle. He met with fair success during the year; his crowning triumph was his defeat of W. M. Johnston at Newport in five sets.
Murray barely nosed out the Japanese star at Cleveland in five sets after Kumagae had the match won, only to have Kumagae again defeat him in a terrific match at Newport in August.
Both Shimidzu and Kumagae are marvellous court coverers, and seem absolutely untiring. They are "getters" of almost unbelievable activity, and accurate to a point that seems uncanny. Both men hit to the lines with a certainty that makes it very dangerous to attempt to take the net on anything except a deep forcing shot that hurries them.
Vincent Richards, who is not yet the equal of Murray, scored two clean-cut victories over Kumagae during the same period. Why should Richards worry Kumagae, who is certainly Murray's superior, and yet not cause Murray trouble? The answer lies in this style of game. Richards uses a peculiar chop stroke from the baseline that is very steady.
The latter won three matches to two with J. O. Anderson, the outstanding figure of a well played meeting. The tall Australian defeated both Lowe and Woosnam in the singles and aided in the doubles victory, thus scoring all the points for his team. Meanwhile the Indian team had arrived in America and proceeded to Chicago, where they met the Japanese team of Kumagae and Shimidzu.
Let us look at the records of some of the American players, and a few of our visitors. W. M. Johnston Beat V. Richards 2, Williams , Kumagae, Shimidzu, Roland Roberts, Davis and others. Lost to Washburn, Tilden, Roberts. R. N. Williams 2d. Beat Richards, Shimidzu, Kumagae , Voshell and others. Lost to Johnston , Richards, J. O. Anderson, Kumagae.
Shimidzu and Kumagae took all the singles, but Kumagae was two sets down to Hawkes and one to two down to Anderson. Thus Japan in its first year in Davis Cup competition earned the right to challenge America for the treasured trophy. It was a marvellous meeting of these two teams. Over 40,000 people watched the players in three days.
The Orient has thrust its shadow over the courts in the persons of a small group of remarkable tennis players, particularly Ichija Kumagae and Zenzo Shimidzu, the famous Japanese stars. Kumagae, who for some years reigned supreme in Japan and Honolulu, has lived in America for the past three years. Shimidzu is a product of Calcutta, where he has lived for some years.
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