LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13453, 1 June 1907, Page 8

LAWN TENNIS.

COVERED COURTS CHAMPIONSHIP. Our London correspondent, writing under date April 19, says— the opening of the current, week the covered-court lawn tennis championships, at Queen's Club, West Kensington, began. ' The principal attraction of Monday's match was the contest between M. J. G. Ritchie and A. F. Wilding.. i It was their third meeting this spring, for the pair had already met twice .on the gravel courts of, the Riviera. In round one of the gentlemen's singles championship (holder, H. L. Doherty) Wilding defeated Ritchie by three sots to one, viz., 6—o, 3—6, 7—5, 6—3. The opening game was brilliantly contested, and '•deuce'"' was called nine times before Wilding won. But afterward the New Zealander took the next five games off the reel, and won the set. ,In the second set Ritchie improved, and .reached three games to love, four to two, and ultimately won, at 6—3. He also secured the first three games in tho third, and' at one time stood at 4—l, but he dropped his game, and Wilding, by accurate placing, made it four all and s—-before winning at 7—5. He then won game and game with the service in the fourth, until Wilding won the sixth against it, and after that his task was easy. - On Monday the announcement was made that H. L. Doherty, the indoor as well as the outdoor champion, had decided to retire from first-class competition play, at 'any rate for the coming season. This means that he will not defend his title at the conclusion of the present meeting, and that the final round will decide the championship. H. L. Doherty intends to take at least 12 months' rest from tennis, but ho does not intend to retire altogether from the game; indeed, ho hopes about this time next year to re-enter the arena' with renewed enthusiasm. He has held the All-England singles championship uninterruptedly since 1902, and the doubles championship on eight occasions. . When clay was resumed on Tuesday, the New Zealander met A. 11. Lowe in tho second round of the singles championship, and defeated him by three sets to love (6—o, 6—3, 64). In round three, Wilding beat J. Robinson" by three sets to love (6—o, 64, and 9—7). The New Zealander won the first six games consecutively, and in the second set ho got 4—l; Robinson soon made it 4 all, but the old Cantab, again won. The third set was intensely interesting, as, with Wilding starting, the players won game and game alternately with the service, until the scores stood at B—7 in the latter's favour, and then he secured the set by winning against Robinson's service. One of the spectators of the game was Miss Ward, daughter of the New Zealand Premier. Play is proceeding this afternoon. In round one of the gentlemen's doubles championship (holders, Messrs. H. L. and R. F. Doherty), M. J. G. Ritchie and A. F. Wilding defeated A. E. Crawley and G. R. Bennett by three sets to love (6—l, 6—2, 6—2). In the second round, the same two defeated Messrs. L. H. and F. J. Escombe by three sets to love —1, 6—4, 6— Yesterday was devoted to the mixed doubles contests (holders, A. F. Wilding and Mrs. Chambers). Three of the rubbers were closely contested, while, curiously enough, the fourth, from which most was anticipated—that in which Wilding and Miss Eastlake Smith defeated A. W. Gore and Miss Wilson—was disappointing, inasmuch as it was distinctly one-sided. Tho Now Zealander and his partner defeated their opponents by two sets to love (6—3 and 6—4). In the second and semi-final round, A. F. Wilding and Miss Eastlako Smith beat H. Pollard and Miss B. Tulloch by two sets to oho (6—l, 3—6, B—6)