LAWN TENNIS.

Evening Star, Issue 14526, 30 November 1910, Page 3

LAWN TENNIS.

LONDON COVERED-COURT CHAMPIONSHIPS. [From Our Special Correspondent.] LONDON, October 21. • Anthony Wilding's stock of tennis cups | received an important addition this week, when the New Zealander won the Gentlei men's Singles Covered-courts Championship [ of London, and with M. J. G. Ritchie for his partner annexed also the Gentlemen's Doubles. Wilding's victory in the Singles was looked upon as a certainty by almost everybody, but in the course of the,tournament he gave hie supporters a couple of frights, and narrowly escaped defeat. Twice his opponents seemed to have his measure, but Wilding's resource and generalship are allied to a match-playing temperament of the finest quality, which enables him to give of his best when things look blackest against him. Time was when tennis critics openly suggested that Wilding could only produce his best form when he was winning, but his performances at Wimbledon, when ho won the All-England Championship, and at Queen's Club in the covered-courts tourney, form a very complete refutation of that theory. If Wilding ever did lack " heart" he is certainly not wanting therein to-dav. There are, in fact, few men among the leading players who can be counted upon to rise to the occasion like Wilding invariably jdoee. - To i use an. expressive billiard

1 ’ phrase, the Now Zealander is “ a ripping player in the pit.” Wilding had a narrow escape from defeat in the very first round of the Singles on Monday, in which he met Kenneth Powell. The latter did not in the least fancy his chances against the New Zealander, for he was feeling very stiff and sore, as a result of playing Rugby football on tho previous Saturday on hard ground. Finding Wilding rather off his game, however, lie gained confidence and his play developed so much strength that he capI tured the first two sets, and led 3—l in i the third. Just at this point, however, I Wilding began to come along, much in the , same way as he did at Wimbledon against ; Beals Wright, who also led him two sets, but was eventually defeated. By killing I well and showing a nice pass Wilding drew level, two sets all. In the final he looked to be winning easily, reaching 4—l. Then Powell made a magnificent recovery. Ho contested every stroke, and made it 4 all. However, Wilding was not in the least disturbed, and his fine temperament, allied to excellent judgment, stamina, and resource, enabled him to pull off the match by three sots to two and 27 games to 25, the scores being 7—9, 2—6, 6—3, 6—3, 6 4 in his favor. On the morrow Wilding had a really easy victim in F. Good, whom he beat in three straight sets, only allowing his opponent to capture 2 games out of the 20 played. On Wednesday he appeared to have a much tougher proposition on hand in the person of his old friend and oft-tried doubles partner M. J. G. Ritchie. Ritchie was in good practice, and it "was thought likely that ho could thoroughly extend the champion. It turned out exactly the reverse. Ritchie was handsomely beaten in straight sets. Wild big played exceptionally well; Ritchie only found his game in the'last set. The champion showed excellent tennis. Ho came up on the right shots, drove steadily and strongly, and made few mistakes. Ritchie tried to play his opponent from tho back of the court, and failed, besides which he served no fewer than nine double faults. Ritchie won the first game off Wilding’s service, but this was destined to be his only success. He made several fine passes, but Wilding, ran out at 6—l. The second set took the same course. Ritchie made a big effort to capture the opening game, deuce being called six times. Wikb ing triumphed repeatedly. In the third set Wilding reached s—l. Thou Ritchie recovered somewhat. Going up more, he snatched the fourth game off-Wilding's service, and then took his own service game. ” Three all ” evoked a cordial cheer for Ritchie, but Wilding proceeded to lead again at 5—3, and finally outpointed his opponent by o—4, thus winning by the handsome margin of three sets to love and 18 games to 6. On Thursday Wilding had another soft thing on hand, his opponent (F. if. Warburg) being altogether outmatched. Wilding took things very easily, and this enabled his rival to make a moderately good D?o w, but in the end the chxmpion triumphed in three straight sets, tho scores reading 6—2, 6—l, 6—5 in his favor. On tho same day Wilding and Ritchie opened the Doubles account with a victory over A. H. Lowe and I’. M. Davson. The latter couple were right out of it to begin with, but partially recovered in tho third set, when, aided by some weakness on tho part of Ritchie, they went to 4—2. The champions purled up, and made it 5 all. OIF Davson .s service Wilding made some good shots, and the champions led at 6 —5 Wilding then finished off the mutch with Ins sonfice, every return of it being faulty. —Wilding Hard Pressed.— On Friday, in the semi-finals of the Singles, Wilding gave his friends another scare. Ho had to meet P. M. Davson, who was go nervous that everybody imagu.ed Wilding would have practically a walk°vcr._ And playing well within himself, the Now Zealander smothered his opponent in tho first two sets, winning them at 6—2, 6—o respecth cly. Ho stood 2—l in tho third set, when, quite suddenly, Davson made a real effort" to stem the" tide of defeat. Lovsaking his futile base-line tactics, he went up on his sen-ice, and volleying, placing, and driving well won three games in succession. Heartened by tho cheers that greeted bis splendid recovery, Davson never lost his hold on tho game, and finally won the set by 6to 5. There was great excitement in the next set, for Davson began to press Wild ing verv severely. With his agility, effective service, and volleying powers he gave Wilding an immense amount of trouble, and once got within two strokes of tho set. This was in tho fourteenth game, when he led 7—6 and 30—Jove. Wilding reasserted himself, and then was within a stroke of winning the sixteenth game. Davson won this, but was outplayed and beaten in tho twenty-fourth game, tho match going to Wilding, tho score in whose favor was 6 6—o, 3—6, 13—11. On tho same day Wilding and Ritchie entered the third round of tho Doubles by beating Boucher and Warman in straight sets at 6—2, 6—l, 6—2. On Saturday Wilding had not a great deaf of difficulty in winning the final against A. H. Lowe, who was for the best part of tho time in purely defensive mood. Occasionally Lowe's peculiar service bothered tho New Zealander, bpt tho Englishman scarcely over attempted to drive home any advantage which ho might have secured by going up to the net, and Wilding's ha’d and well-placed driving secured him the first two sols at 6—2, 6—l. In the third Lowe made more use of aggressive tactics, but Wilding continued to hold the upper hand, and won Hie set and championship at 6—3. Later Wilding and his partner entered the fourth round of tho Gentlemen’s Doubles by virtue of defeating Gwynne Evans and R. S. Barnes by throe sets to one, the scores in their favor being 6—2, 6—4, 4—6, 75. It was a fine match, but tho vanquished made a much better show than they would have done had Ritchie’s play Been up to his standard. —Still Unbeaten.—• On Monday Wilding and Ritchie mot tho Gorman pair Rahe and Kleinschrotli in the final of the Doubles. Queen's Club was crowded to see this match. Wilding and Ritchie, who won the All England Doubles at Wimbledon Just year, hav# never been beaten in partnership, and hopes ran high that the Germans would “make them go all tho way.” But these hopes were doomed to ho disappointed. Instead of a close match, Wilding and Ritchie won as they'pleased. The occasion seemed to unnerve Rahe. who was completely off his game. Wilding was serenely confident throughout, and Ritchie giving him adequate support, thecoupie triumphed in the easiest fashion in loss than half an hour. In tho first set Wilding led off by winning on his service, while Rahe, who twice served double faults, lost his. The third game went to the Germans off Ritchie’s service. Kleinschrotli managed to take his service game, making it two all. Then Rahe became very erratic, whilst Ritchie and Wilding settled down to an excellent display, and ran out at 6—2. In tho second set Kleinechroth made several brilliant shots, but becoming disheartened by his partner’s repeated failures the pair drifted from bad to worse, and Ritchie and Wilding succeeded at 6—o. At the commencement of the third sot Rahe and Kleinechroth made something of a fight, but subsequently fell away, and the issue was speedily settled, the match and tho championship going to Wilding and his partner by three sets to love and 18 games to 4.