EASTBOURNE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVII, Issue 262, 9 November 1906, Page 2

EASTBOURNE TENNIS TOURNAMENT.

A. F. Wilding added more trophies to Ms already huge pile of lawn tennis p.rizes as a result of the Eastbourne tournament. He won the gentlemen's singles (South of .England Championship) , very comfortably, beating in the semi- , final G. W. Hillyard and smothering R. J. M. MeNair in the last round by three, sets to love and 18 games to 7 (6 —2, 6—3, 6—2). The doubles in which Wilding and H. S". Marrett were partners j provided some exciting tennis in the I final stages: Between the New Zea- , lander and Marrett and Hillyard and A, JH. Riseley (a brother of JSP. L.," the Gloucestershire crack) in tne semi-final it was a terribly close struggle, no less than 60 games being played erie Wilding and Marrett qualified for the final. They lost the first set' at 9—7, and only scraped home in the second at 12 —10. The "rubber" was equally keenly "contested, and finally the New Zealander and hi. partner ran out winners at 12—♦ 10, thus beating their opponents by two sets to one, and 3i games to 29. In the final the winners were opposed by the brothers C. G. and E. R. Allen, a couple who • spend apparently more time on tennis than upon all the other duties of life put together. The brothers played up to the very top of their form and won the first set at 6 —3. Then, however, Wilding and his partner pulled themselves together and by brilliant play won the succeeding two sets at 6—3 each. The Aliens, however, were not done with, and "coming again" they made a great fight of it ere they lost the set at B—6, and with it the match.