Lawn Tennis in 1904

Southland Times, Issue 19465, 19 November 1904, Page 3 (Supplement)

Lawn Tennis in 1904

A SEASON OF DRY COURTS AND RECORD ENTRIES. Lawn tennis votaries the country over have every reason to regard tho season just ended with satisfaction and prideSatisfaction because the weather has beesuch as to provide a succession of hard and dry courts, and pride because the national supremacy has been maintained against the attacks of Continental representatives. The tournament roll has been a record. Over a hundred open raeetingg have been held in Great Britain alone, while successful international tournaments have taken place in places as far apart as Stockholm and Frankfort, at all of which English players have been represented. On the East Coast and in ? Ithe South of England especially the growing popularity of public meetings has been evidenced by the increase in competitions. Tho chief (feature, however, of tho season has been ihe augmented lists in handicap events, a fact which proves^/feeyond doubt tlmt lawn tennis is drawing recruits from other fields. ' Until this new talent has materialised, and the best among the younger players have gained the experience of protracted first-class play, . it is not to , bo expected that the list of champions will undergo much alteration ; hut it has 'been nOtfiiceable during the past seasoni that more older players than usual are gradually dropping back. UNBEATEN CHAMPIONS. In the case of the two All-England champions, however, there is nothing to suggest the .slightest decline. On the enn trary, Miss D. K. Douglass, the lady champion, has just concluded the most successful season in her career. From every one of her public engagements, including those at Liverpool, Wimbledon, Buxton, Brighton, and Eastbourne, sho has emerged victorious, and only once— at Brighton— did she come within actual danger of defeat. Her opponent on that occasion was Mrs Hlllyard, many times English champion, whose return to the arena after . a year's absence has been marked by sterling play and no apparent diminution of her wonderful still. Mrs Sterry, too, another champion, has shown that sho is still quite in the front rank, and she has had several tough .fights witn Miss Douglass. H. L. Doherty, champion of the men, can also return an unbeaten card. Indeed, counting the int'ioor championship at Queen's Club, H. L. Doherty has | only lost four sets in singles, t>vo to Ritchie, and one. each to Wilding and S. I ED. Smith. In doubles/ his record in sets lis not quite so good, but only at WimI bledon was ho partnered by his brother. \Z ' NEXT TO DOHERTY, F. L. Riseley, the winner of the " Allcomers " at Wimbledon, has figured less than usual, but he is still the best player in England after the Dohertys, with the possible exception of S. B!. Smith* his clubfellow, who finished up brilliantly on ths East Coast last' week.' Ritchie, perhaps through overdoing it,* has lost some ground, while H. S. Mahony has ceased to remain among the first six players, de-" spite spasmodic * performances of * brilliancy. Gore is still. a hard man to, beat, and neither Roper Barrett nor E. R. Allen has fallen from his higjh estate. G. W. Hlllyard and Dr. Eaves remain the best of the veterans. , Among the younger players, the record of. A. F. Wilding (next year's Light Blue president) stands out woll above the rest. He not only won the Scotttsh championship, but ran into many ;, finals the country over, and captured a set from Doherty at Newcastle. He showed signs of over-play at the end of the season, but has undoubtedly now' gained a reputation which is likely to carry him to the top of the tree. Finally, the past season has provided, another testimony to the existence of an entente cordiale with Continental natives. For the first tithe Belgians and Frenchmen have participated on British soil in' the international championship embodied by the Davis Cup. - Moreover, they have expressed their intention of coming again next year.— Daily Mail,