The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-02
INTERNATIONAL RACOUETS.
How Standing Jared In the First Series o
His BIE Match with Latham.

How Standing Jared In the Flrst Series or
His BiE Match with Iathnm.
Tho latest mail from England brings inter
esting details Of the recent racquets competi-
ton between Peter Latham, champion. and
George Standing, challenger. AS already told
in THE Sun these noted experts are matched for
$4,000 and the championship of the world.
and they played the first half of their "home-
and.home' rubber at the Queens Club, Lon
don, where Latham is instructor, on Oct. 16.
In its report of the contest the Field Of Oct. %
has the following comment:
MANY international contests between the
representatives OF England and America have
taken place in recent years, but no home-and-
home match at r%acquets, upon the issue of
which the worlds championship and a large
stake depended, has been played as far as we
know, since the memorable contest between
William Gray-the greatest player of a family
Of great players-and Foulkes, tho American
professional, who was defeated by the English
man in 1867. The stake on that occasion was
$500.
"Since May, 1891. when Latham defeated
Standing with the greatest case in a match for
the championship and O stake of goo, first Mt
Princes Club and then at the Queens Club,
Latham had virtually given up racquets, with
out, however. retiring from the position Of
champion"
Inc Flctu mus SUMS up Latham B remark
able career since as a court tennis champion
and after explaining that he did not againsturn
attention to racquets until four months ago,
it discusses the match of Oct. 10 as follows:
THAT he should have been able to work up
his game in that interval, as he has done, is
little short of marvellous. He is, in fact, q
genius in his own line, or, at any rate, has the
genius ITSELF lis is generally its accompaniment.
His play on Saturday was remarkable, for its
power and pace. and he showed that he had not
made frec,use of the. side walls-an ungraceful
and, in many courts. an injudicious stroke, but
match court at the Queens Club. After the
first gamehe forced the pace, and made strange
ly few mistakes, all things considered. He
spared himself in no way, and throughout was
alert, strenuous, concentrated, and ubiquitous.
Whether .r e me- 30 ms i6o s Sivb isvS ana "a s general execution ssfninoh
sPunch' IH. Fairs, in the past, is another mat,
practical advantage. They were good enough,
with his other fine qualities as q match player,
to win by.four games tn one, 70 aces to 56.
with regard to Standing, who is about four
years younger than his opponent, and OF slight
the court: that he, too, had got himself into ex.
cellent condition, and, despite the sudden col.
lapse which u III occurred ,5;at in NH his play ss,d in the Fl mn n
explained in any way by want of preparation.
1t must be remembered that, with the ex;
s sfp" the q Queens snS nt Cub Sass and 3er''t the a articlss
of agreement, he had not played in tho
match court for over six years. In the Sec
ond game he got a good start of 8 aces by
brilliant play, hut most OF the time he was play
ing an uphill game. He has, of course, i'm
proved considerably upon his form of 1891,
and every now and then plays u stroke which il
of the very essence of good racquets. He also
possesses GOODNESS and self-posscssion, though
1t Is quite possible to exhibit those qualities
and at the same time convey no impression OF
lack OF dash and energy. He would, perhaps,
have shown more head II he had not played
the ball 30 much to Latham's back hand with
which the champion makes his strongest re.
turns. and his service, though possibly much
more difficult than it looked, was. on the whole,
game, 1t may be mentioned that neither player
made much, II indeed any, use or tho vollcy
and half volley in returning the service. and
that, as a whole, the match was remarkable
Tor little good play of the kind.
Among the SPECTATORS who numbered close
on 200, and for whom excellent arrangements
were made, were many famous racquet players,
past and present, such as Il. ID. Walker, Cecil
Clay, Col. Gritiiths. II. A., Eustace Crawley,
including Joe Gray, tho, ex-champion. The
game was clearly marked by Andre of Win
chester, and the duties or referee and umpires
Were intrustcd to such competent judges as
A. g.. Steel, +. Dnmcs-Longworth and B. Spaul-
ding de Garmendia OF New YORK. Their
office was virtually n %sinocurc, only one appeal,
80 far as we could see, being made to them In
the whole course OF the match. This was for u
palpable let claimed by the champion in tho
In this context IL is satisfactory TO record that
the play throughout was marked by a spirit OF
the utmost fairness and consideration for each
other on tho part of both the connections. "