Kitty McKane Once Again Tennis Champion Of England.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17890, 5 July 1926, Page 6

Kitty McKane Once Again Tennis Champion Of England.

BEAT SENORITA ALVAREZ IN FINAL AT WIMBLEDON, AFTER SPECTACULAR MATCH.

Kitty McKane, now Mrs Godfree, is again Ladies’ Tennis Champion of England. She won the final at Wimbledon, defeating Senorita Alvarez after a brilliant three-set match. Mr and Mrs Godfree also won the Mixed Doubles Championship. The five finals resulted:—

Men’s Singles: Jean Borotra (France) beat Howard Kinsey (U.S.A), 8-6, 6-1, 6-3. Ladies’ Singles: Mrs Godfree (nee Miss McKane. England) beat Senorita Alvarez (Spain), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Men’s Doubles: Cochet and Brugnon /France), beat Kinsey and Richards (U.S.A.), 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Ladies’ Doubles: Misses Ryan and Brown (U.S.A), beat Mrs Godfree and Miss Colyer, 6-1, 6-1. Mixed Doubles: Godfree and Mrs Godfree (England) beat Kinsey and Miss Browne (U.S.A.), 6-3, 6-4.

Ovation for Mrs Godfree. By Talegraph.—Pres* A*»n.—Copyright. Reuter s Telegrams. LONDON, July 3. Mrs Godfree opened the final of the Ladies’ Singles Championship by winning against the service and went to 3love after a fine rally. Playing from the baseline Senorita Alvarez found her length and placed cunningly, but Mrs Godfree with fine defence went to 4-2 and 62, Senorita Alvarez over-hitting and double-faulting. In the second set Senorita Alvarez continued to sacrifice accuracy for severity, but placing better went to 4-2 and volleyed finely to win 64. Senorita Alvarez went to 3-1. Mrs Godfree won a great rally and drew level 3-3. She stayed at the baseline thereafter and won. She was given a terrific ovation. Notes on the Play. The most remarkable feature of the 1926 Wimbledon was the triple eclipse, of Vincent Richards, the American star. He had made repeated and unsuccessful attempts on the All England championship and this year's tournament promised to give him abundant consolation for previous disappointments. Lacoste was not a competitor owing to illness, and none of the Australian cracks could make the trip. However, in the singles event Richards m£t his conqueror very early. Cochet defeated him just as he had defeated him in the French championship. Again in the men’s dotibles and in the mixed doubles Vincent Richards saw* the prizes provokingly wrested from his grasp. He reached the final of the men's doiibles aided by the solid Howard Kinsey, but iCoehet ana Brugnon put the Americans out in four sets. Then in the mixed doubles Richards and Miss Ryan got to the semifinal. but here Godfree and Mrs Godfree. of England, settled their prospects 7-5, 64. * Elizabeth Montague Ryan showed conclusively that she still retains top form. With Miss Mary I Browne, Miss | Ryan won the Ladies’ Doubles, defeating the English pair, Mrs Godfree i and Miss Colyer, I 6-1, 6-1. She reached the semi-final of the Mixed Doubles, but in the Ladies’ Singles, third round, Mrs Godfree beat her 1-6, i 64, 641. Miss Ryan learned her tennis in California as a pupil of the famous Sutton Aisler’s, and when fifteen >*ears of age she won many prizes in British Columbia and in U.S.A. Later she changed her place of residence to England, but now she once again calls America her permanent home. At Wimbledon in 1919 and 1921 Miss Ryan won the Mixed Doubles Championships with R. Lycett; she won the Ladies’ Doubles Championship with Miss Mor-

ton in 1914. and with Mile Lenglen 1919-20-21-22-23, and 1925. More popular in America than Helen Wills, Mary K. Browne will receive many congratulations for her victory in the Ladies’ Doubles. In 1924 she held a unique record —runner-up of the U-.S.A. ladies' golf championship and runner-up of the U.S.A. ladies’ tennis championship. She was singles cliam-

pion of America as far back as 1912, 1913 and 1914. Then she retired, only to reappear as clever as ever in 1924. Her address is Los Angeles, California. In the course of the tournament Misses Ryan and Browne were enthusiastically cheered for beating Mile Lenglen and Mile Ylasto 3-6, 9-7, 6-2. The following is a complete list of Wimbledon champions since the MEN’S SINGLES. 1919 G. L. Patterson. 1920 W. T. Tilden. 1921 W. T. Tilden. 1922 G. L. Patterson. 1923 W. M. Johnston. 1924 J. Borotra. 1925 R. Lacoste. 1926 J. Borotra. LADIES’ SINGLES. 1919 Mile Lenglen. 1920 — Mile Lenglen. 1921 Mile Lenglen. 1922 Mile Lenglen. 192a—Mile Lenglen. 1924—Miss K. M'Ksfm?. 192.5—Mi1e Lenglen. 1926—Mrs Godfree. MEN’S DOUBLES. 1919 R. Y. Thomas and P. O’Hara Wood. 1920 — R. N. Williams and C. S. Garland. 1921 — R. Lycett and M. Woosnam. 1922 R. Lycett and J. O. Anderson. 1923 — R. Lycett and L. A. Godfree. 1924 Y. Richards and F. L. Hunter. 1925 — J. Borotra and R. Lacoste. 1926 11. Cochet and J. Brugnon. LADIES’ DOUBLES. 1919 Mile Lenglen and Miss Ryan. 1920 — Mile Lenglen and Miss Ryan. 1921 Mile Lenglen and Miss Rvan. 1922 Mile Lenglen and Miss Rvan. 1923 Mile Lenglen and Miss Ryan. 1924 Mrs Wightman and Miss 11. Wills. 1925 Mile Lenglen and Miss Ryan. 1926 — Misses Ryan and Browne. MIXED DOUBLES. 1919 — R. Lycett and Miss Ryan. 1920 — G. L. Patterson and Mile Lenglen. 1921—R. Lycett and Miss Ryan. 1922 — P. O'Hara Wood and Mile Lenglen. 1923 R. Lycett and Miss Ryan. 1924 — J. B. Gilbert and Miss M’Kane. 1925 J. Borotra and Mile Lenglen. 1926 L. A. Godfree and Mrs Godfree.