TENNIS.

Evening Star, Issue 12926, 14 April 1908, Page 3

TENNIS.

Anthony Wilding's "close season." so far as lawn toruiit is concerned, is a, brief (.lie compared to that enjoyed by most men. Wilding's tennis year opens early and ends late, for the New Zealander is a bird of passage, and if tennis is •"off" in the Old Country he sun ply hies him to some warmer clime to indulge his pen chant for what- has been called, by people who do no; know the demands strenuous lawn tenuis makes on a. man's physique "the curates' game.'' Last week Wilditc was exhibiting his prowess at Monte Carlo', and. as usual, mana.ged to "right among the He won ti K < Singles, and with that brilliant but very erratic player M. G. J. llitchie as partner carried oil' the Doubles, and was onlv beaten in the final round of tho Mixed "Doubles (in which ho was associated with Mdle ])e Madarasz) by that famous phivor H L rioherty and Mi.-.s Liwitlake-Smith 6—l c—s. „J n . t,hc finiil OI " Gentlemen's Singles Hildmg showed very in-and-out forn against the Australian W. V. EavM. The latter, volleyinc: m particularly <rood form caused the score to be called "two sets v i (6 T°'- 26 ' 6 ~^ 5 ' 4 ~ 6K imt the ow Zealandors superior condition told its tale m the deciding sot, ami in that. Eaves failed to score a single game. In the Doubles Wilding and Ritchie had to face in the final those persevering players and G. C. Ball-Greene, who gave the New Zeaknde.r and partner a line game. Wilding was absolutely brilliant at the net, and with Ritchie "erratic the major portion of the scoring was done by the Antipodean. He and Ritchie won the first set ;:.t 6—4. and the next at 6—2. but after a tough tussle Eaves and Greene took the third at 6—4. The- decider was well contested, but Wilding's work at the net was far too good for the opposition] and hr and Ritchie claimed the Doubles championship by three sets to one and 22 games to 15. In the Mixed Doubles Wilding and partner had a fairly easy time of it" until thev met Doherty and Miss Eastlake-Smith iii the semi-final round. " ILL." w;is in fi nr , form, and his partner (who won the Ladies' Singles) seconded his efforts admirably. Mdle De Madarasz plaved very well, but the odds were vastly in favor "of Doherty and Miss Smith, wdio, playing i>p to the top of their form, won two sets off the '. e T e ' (6_ 4- 6—3) and tho championship. \V tidings network was again extremely fine, and with a stronger partner ho would have secured "a triple event." Doherty and Miss Smith won the championship, of which thev were the holders by heating in the final Ritchie and Salisbury (6—2, 6—l), Ritchie being unusually weak and inaccurate in his length