LAWN TENNIS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XL, Issue 24, 10 June 1908, Page 15

LAWN TENNIS.

French Tennis Championships. The New Zealander, Anthony Wilding met with a somewhat unexpected reverse in the Gentlemen’s Singles of the French Covered Courts Championships at Auteuil last Monday. He has won this event twice, and had only to win it again this year to secure the very handsome challenge cup, which goes with the title. That brilliant but ofttinies erratic English player, M. J. G. Ritchie was also in the running for the cup, having, like Wilding, won the Singles twice previously, but ho was not expected to beat the Antipodean, who showed brilliant form in the first two rounds, beating Argaud (0-1, 6-2) and Micard (6 —2,6—3) in very easy fashion. Then in the semi-final he ran up against Ritchie, who, after losing the first set at 6 —4, won the next at 6—4, and the decider at 6—2. Ritchie was in great form at the net, and “killed” with great certainty and frequency. Wilding played, for him, a very’ cautious and careful game, ami it was generally held by those who witnessed the play that if he had adopted more aggressive tactics the match would probably have had a different result. On the play, however, Ritchie thoroughly deserved his victory. Keeping up his tine form. Ritchie dis* posed of Max Decugis in the final, and secured possession of the coveted cup.

In the Doubles, Wilding and Ritchie again joined forces to defend the title they won last year. They had very little difficulty in winning once again, their opponents in the final being Max Decugis ami A. Vaclierot. The Continental players were somewhat erratic, and th<* New Zealander and his partner had a comparatively easy task to beat them in three straight sets—6-3, 6-3, 6 4. In the Mixed Doubles, Wilding’s partner was Mlle. Masson, a very promising exponent of the game. Tne pair ran through the initial rounds without much trouble, and were allowed a walkover in the final, their opponents, Max and Mme. Decugis, scratching.