INTERNATIONAL TENNIS.

Evening Star, Issue 12882, 3 August 1906, Page 4

INTERNATIONAL TENNIS.

HOW ENGLAND BEAT AMERICA,

SURPRISES AND SENSATIONS

The following is our London correspondent's account of the finish of the contest for the Dwight-Davis cup: The contest for the Dwight-Davis cup, emblematical of the international lawn tennis championship, which took place at Wimbledon on Friday, Saturday, and Monday. June 15, 16, and 18, resulted in a handsome victory for England, whose three representatives—H. L. and R. F. Doherty and S. H. Smith—proved sufficiently superior to the American representatives to win every match played in loth singles and doubles. America was, it is true, "very unfortunate in losing the services of B. C. Wright, whose hand, cut by the breaking of a coda-water bottle, proved to be so seriously injured that it is questionable whether he will ever bo able to play tennis again. It is idle to speculate what would have happened had Wright been able to assist Holcombe Ward in upholding America's honor. Doubtless, on his best form, he was a better player than Ralph Little (who took his place), especially ,ns a partner for Ward in the doubles. Little has the makings of a grand player, however, and with more experience is likely to prove a thorn in the side of the very best either America or England can produce. Asrainst the Australians (Wilding and. Poidcvin) in the preliminary round of the Davis cup contest Little played only moderately, and it was not until he partnered Ward in the doubles against the Dohertys and tackled H. L. in the final match of the singles that we saw him really justify the reputation he possessed in the States Against Smith in the first of the singles matches he figured as a second-rater. associated with Ward in the doubles he proved .'himself a player of much merit, and opposed to H. L. Doherty in the final match of the contest he gave an exhibition of lawn tennis that will not easily be forgotten by those wlio witnessed it. Even if luck was on England's side, we are not justified in assuming that the Americans would have done better, so far as actual matches were concerned, than they did last year. They were then beaten by five matches to love, and this was the tale against them at Wimbledon this year. The results may be briefly summarised thus: —Singles.— H. L. Doherty beat EL Ward, 3 sets to 0 and 20 came* to 11. S. H. Smith beat R. Little, 3 seta to 0 2 and 28 games to 21. S. H. Smith beat H. Ward, 3 sets to 0 and 18 games to 5. N. L. Doherty beat R. Little, 3 sets to and 18 games to 9. —Doubles.— R. F. and H. L. Doberty beat Ward and Little, 3 sets to 1 and 29 games to 23. Thus, over the whole series, England won by 15 rets to 3 and 112 games to 69, which is a pretty decisive victory for the Old Country. —First Blood to England.— Proceedings opened on Friday with the first of the singles competitions. The ball was opened by S. H. Smith opposing R. D. Little, who learnt what manv more able players ha.ve discovered—namely, that, fit and well, the Gloucester plaver is a very tough proposition to tackle". Little, it must be admitted, played below his form,making a number of bad blunders and frequently hitting the ball out of court. Occasionally he showed some very good overhead work, and when allowed to come up to the net he brought off some effective volleying. Bat, for the most part, Smith kept him busily employed at the back of the court, and by playing to Little's left hand found the American's weak spot. The Englishman's victory by three sets to love and eighteen games to nine just about denoted the relative merits of the contestants.

The fight between Holcombe Ward and H. L. Doherty wm expected to be much closer, for last year the American won the first two sets against our champion and made the British onlooker* shake in their shoes. This time there was no need for apprehension, for Doherty was steady as a rock from the first, and, playing a charming all-round game, he always appeared the master, save for a brief spell in the second set. Ward started badly by playing three times out of court in the finst game, but he made it " one all" by whining the second after deuce had been called twice. Alternately, the men won their service fames up to the sixth, but Ward then lost is service, and Doherty led nt 4—2, subsequently winning the set by 6—2. Ward's best efforts were put forth in the second set, when the cross-court volleying of both players aroused enthusiasm. It was "three all" and "four all." Doherty then led at 5—4, but Ward made it " five all" in a great game, in which deuce was called four times. Doherty led at 6 —5, but Ward, whose placing at this stage was admirable, again levelled matters at "six all." A love game to Doherty made it 7 —5, and thin the champion won a strenuous set at S—6. Doaerty looked a winner all through th" third set. Ward's overhead play was fkr Iroin effective, hut in the third game l;e showed good nil-round form, and "only Ic-r-.t after deuce had been called six times. From tliis point Ward fell away badly, although he made a love game of the seventh, ia which Doherty appeared, taking the last iv. (i Raines, while Ward only scored one j-cint. Tnud the Englishman won handsomely by three sets to love and twenty games to eleven. —A Great Game,— On the form shown by the respective players in these matches, and taking into account the tact that ii. F. Doherty was fit and well to partjuer his brother in the Doubles, the odds on England winning the latter event seemed considerable. But lawn tennis is "a funny game," and Saturday's straggle was a much closer affair than even the scores indicate. Ward ie a great doubles player, as we all know, and with Little backing him up in a manner which surprised those who saw him " downed" so easily by Smith on Friday, the Dohertys had all their work cut out to win by three fc«ts to one and 29 games to 23. The Americans wou the first set in a manner that made the supporters of the " invincible Dohertys" shiver with apprehension. Ward lobbed beautifully, and twisted and twirled all over the court, whilst Little smashed in great style, and repeatedly returned the Doherty smashes with admirable accuracy and ease. The brothers played well, but their opponents were showing brilliant tennis, and well deserved to win the set at 6—3. The second set was "one mass of excitement." America won the first game against H. L. Doherty'e service, and made a love game of the second, Little serving finely. It was subsequently "2 all," and then America led by 3—2, 4—3, and 5—3 The Dohertys pulled up to "5 all," and it was "6 all," "7 all," "8 all" before "R.F.'s" overhead play improved wonderfully, and England led at 19 —9. The last game was intensely exciting. America went to 40—love," and looked like making it "10 all," but the Dohertys, with a magnificent effort, took five strokes off the reel, and won the set at 11—9, the spectators cheering lustily. The Americans, undismayed, put up another fine ft-ht in the third set. The games went alternately with the service up to B—7,8 —7, and then Little lost his service game after "30 all," and the Dohertys took the set at 9—7. In the third game of the fourth and last set deuce was called five times, but the Americans lost it, and were then overplayed to the finish, the Dohertys clinching matters by going out at 6 —l, and winning a fine match with scores of 3 6, 11—9. 9—7. and 6—l. Ward, as has been shown before, failed to stay the full course, and hs collapse in the lat set was sudden and compleie. Little was a bo "baked." whereas the Dohertys were comparatively fresh. —Surprise Packets.— The Englishmen having won the rubber, the final Single* matches played on the Monday did not possess the intertst they would otherwise have had. But they produced some very startling tennis. S. H. Smith was first called unon to face Holcombe Ward, and creatoo tremendous surprise by beating his stfbtle American rival fcv Uutte seU to lore and 18 games to 5.

It was Smith's drive that did it. It is firesixths of his game. He beat Lamed and Clothier last year with it, and it was the chief factor in his reaching the final of the All-comers' Championship competition, wherein Norman Brookes put "paid" to the Gloucester crack's account. On Monday Smith's driving was marvellous in pacefland accuracy, and with it he kept Ward 8h the defensive nearly all the time. The American only won one game in the first two sets, and though he took three at the start of th* third, he was eventually beaten at 6-4. It was the toiost crushing defeat Ward has sustained since he came into prominence as a player. The surprise of the spectators at Ward's downfall was great, but they were truly amazed at what followed in the DohertyLittle match. "H.L." had to play all he knew to avoid defeat at the young American's hands. little, indeed, gave Doberty one of the games of his life. By admirable lawn tennis the American won the first set at 6—3, the champion being less accurate than usual, while Little imparted greater variety with his methods than was the case when he opposed Smith, The second set saw matters reversed, although Little did remarkably well to pull up to 3—6 after being led by s—l. The third set produced a gn'at struggle, Little's ability and pluck arousing much enthusiasm. Doherty led by 4—2, and although subsequently assisted by two lucky net-cord strokes, he lost four of the next six games, and the scores were 6 all. Some exciting rallies then ensued, and Little was loudly cheered on taking two games consecutively and winning the set by B—6. Doherty" played up for all he was worth inthe fourth set, and levelled matters by winuing brilliantly by 6—l, fclms making the match 2 sets* all/ Little made a capital recovery, and up to a certain point had a good prospect of taking the next set and achie « a great triumph. Serving finely and reiui 'ing all Doherty's lolis, he led "by 3—l, and then came the critical game of the match. Little led by 30—love, and it was subsequently deuce, and then vantage to Doherty. Little should have made it deuce again, but he failed with an easy chance of a smash, and instead of leading by 4—l ho ftnly led by 3—2. Doherty won the nest two games, and went to 4—3, and he also won the eighth game after Little had found the net five times and deuce had been called thrice. The champion clinched matters by winning the last game, and with it the set, at 6—3, and the match by 3 sets to 2 and 27 games to 21. At the" close both players I were loudly cheered, the American coming in for a special ovation.