LAWN TENNIS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLII, Issue 162, 10 July 1911, Page 5

LAWN TENNIS.

WILDING AfrrtTN CHAMPION. LONDON, July 9. At the tennis ohampionship meeting Wilding beat Hoper Barrett in the challenge round, fc—4, 4 —C, 2 —6, 6—2. Barrett retired. MavrogoTdato -and Mrs. Pearton defeated Doust and' Mrs. Chambers in the final bf the, mixsd doubles, 6—2, 6—4. The famous JiWwv Zealand lavrn tennis player t . Antony • WUding, received what •was perhaps the biggest "biffing" he has had tt> put up" with during his career as a first-class player, at Surbiton last Saturday, writes our London correspondent. He had, so to speak, "waltzed through" the .'first four rounds of the Gentlemen's Singles Championship of Surrey, and. then he' Tan up against C. P. Dixon, with unexpected Dixon had 'been playing very finely during the progress of the tournament, but nobody expected him ■to beat Wilding, even though some people professed —after the fair, pf course—to have eeen signs of staleness in the New Zealander's play in the early rounds. That Dixon on his form -would probably make a very good fight of it was freely admitted, but if there hfed been any betting the odds on Wilding winning the ohampionship would have been fairly liberal. Yet Dixon beat him, and beat Mm fairly, squarely and decisively by 3 sets to 1, and—wonder of wonders—no less than 22 games to 12, the scores being being 7—5, 3—6, 6—o, 6—B against the New Zealander. Dixon was practically "on top * throughout. He disconcerted Wading at the outset with his reverse ; service and clever placing. He led at 3—L Then Wilding made his effort, and led at 5 games to 4. However, Dlxon, by driving and placing splendidly and making judicious advances to the net, captured three games, to win at 7 —5. Wilding seemed more at home in the second set. Dixon began beter, but after leading 3—2, Wilddng outplayed him at 6—3. Set all suggested most interesting developments, but from this point Wilding fell away, Dixon was very much on his game in the third, set, and Wilding, often outmanoeuvxed and discomfited by Ms opponent's kicking service, wave it up with little effort, apparently in the hope of outstaying his rival. But it was not to ibe. Success heartened Dixon considerably. There was no diminution in his pcwer of stroke, and he continued retaking excellent shots from the base line as well .as from halfway. On the other hand Wilding lacked dash and never cared to chat?e the ball. Dixon's success did not end here, for in company with Mrs. Lambert Chambers he annexed the mixed doubles after an entertaining three sets against the Australian, S. N. Doust, and Mrs. Sterry, who retired defeated by 3 sets to 2, the scores being 2—6, 6—3, 7—5 against the Antipodean and his partner.