The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-06
THIS YEARS LAWN TENNIS.
HOW THE VARIOUS PLAYERS RANK
IN POINT OF EXPERIENCES.

Absence OF Wrenn ana Dnrned mtoo II
Rather Easy for whitman to Garry ON
First Honors-Then Come Ware, Davis,
Bond and B~udlonE-NIiss JuIiette At
kinson Heads the List of Women Experts.
Strictly speaking. there was not a single
frst-clnss lawn tennis player In active compe-
tition on this side OF the ocenn during the sea-
son Just ended. With Wrenn and Larned away
In Cuba with the rough riders. Whitman Ware.
Bond, Davis. Budlong and Fischer had matters
pretty much their own way. and Whitman won
the championship with only ono hard match
that against BudlonG in tho third round.
While Whitman's success puts him at tho very
top Of American experts. IL Is impossible to con-
sider him yet as first class. lie showed all the
skill necessary for the highest rating except
speed. but In these days OF fast tennis. speed is
so essential to 6rst-class form that Whitman
must still be considered as second class until
he has beaten Wrenn or Larned, or until they
retire for good and the former first class In
dead and n new standard adopted.
But Wrenn and Larned will both probably
play again next summer. and there is even o
prospect that some OF the other frst-class ex-
perts OF former glory will return to COMPETE
ton. particularly II an English team comes
over here next season, as IL planned. Until
then. however. we must guess ut the differ
ence between the present champion and the
old leaders at the game. II is surely less than
last year. and there are some among the spec
tators who saw the big matches at Newport
this summer who declared Whitman to be
quite Wrenn's equal.
1t Is impossible to compare Whitman and the
other second class players with Hobart. who
played abroad this season, for hta matches
over there we're very deceptive at best. and he
did not play at all on this side OF the ocean.
Hobart showed the speed on the other side
TINT Whifp nm taoka hrit ha did not hnya naarlv
the ~latter's control OF the ball and he made
many moro errors. Campbell and Chace both
practiced a little at Newport this summer. but
neither shower as good form as the best
second class men. Campbell played even with
Stevens. while Chace gave Avery fifteen with
about even results. Whitman and Ware are
fully half better than Avery. However.
neither OF these famous old-time players was
in tournament practice and q fair line on their
skill cannot be had from such chance play.
But leaving the frst-ciass men entirely out
OF consideration for their conspicuous absence
this SnsoS ysaT sr We 40 find n1ar the h th [sad dnIsv VERY thnt & slG p sfy
most impossible to separate them, Whitman
won the lions share Of the seasons leurels. for
State. the Eastern and the National champion
ships in singles. and the Eastern. Intercollegi-
doubles. Only three times during the season
vas he beaten, twice BY, Ware and once by
a Rsv nee IF the I Rfyds m1 9ss at within tRf ip ons st4oFe
Of winning IN straight sets before he lost and
matches to offset his defeats. the last being
the e.; Ga =, "a !. 2fhboe beating in the s som at
ehampIonship. At timesSJParticularlyE in MS
and in parts OF his two matches against the
chamPion-pavis showed Intervals Of really
f deyeiapsd. p'f But e Davis eS %ss t tssp nn nnA Tbhlttm na9
Season sss sglt to make him, yet At % hold the the . i lne
E&ifhhi tmiaRn; and Ga much fn Settsr g R1se sRGsq but tn Se
also had stTsaks Of poor play, While his style
yardite. he has not the iatter's steadiness nor
his wonderful m q the ball:
three In order. and these six men were the
s %Sst pc 'aniy l ta GaII,6 Of the t5 yea Wss Bond nd w as
good as. Collins. when, he came East. however.
Just before the cham pionshlps. he was imme.
N S'ss95o G Ss had RI liytle ei diffieult ~ in M resseHins the H.
semi finals. but then, Davis beat him in really
lost only to Whitman and ID Fischer. pHH1 He rex
yNensed himself On the latter by beating he
and then winning the tournament:
Bit IT i !, was In The SShSSmEpionsh,ip that Bppdlong
Champion Whitman in the third roupd. and in
stead o. going down In a heap; as had been pre-
e s'essf 5 at s' he had ns d dsrfus sh the shNs sWnpor. toe ton rn1y
ment, with two sets TO one In his favor. Bud
long lost the fourth. but played Whitman to a
SO. Budlong was somewhat Handicapped in
this match, too, by his having played a hard
four hours before. Fischer. the third man OF
the trio s, was - perhaps d 2 the e. most nIstto inssonsisteGt
in the spring; but then seemed to go OH badly.
and was beaten by Everts Wrenn, by BudlonR.
BY Ware are md by F9 Gtsa,. His d,G matches against
among the closest whitman had during the
year, each time the full number of sets being
Fischer - close order. and with HaSEett at the
t.n m 81 t oe a tSe n G'ssr, r thf Yof fgs%R che Essr. tR Geo fl5ss
,WrePn' steyens and NLlett were all aisHRPpoint;
81 N each each won P5Sy a match from the n other. but but
both Miliett and wrenn azzled badly at New:
E %STs. FG%iHiRfi e tfT FORM 4sr q 6 bs1G1S %h tse ald GRs
States championship warranted his being |
c!assed among the championship f%avoritss at
When P% he met Ware at Nswpqrt. hsEsvs s"'hfs he
close aySe.set match at Lenswood and made a a
pretty good fight against Whitman, hut at New
played very little until the big, event OF the
year. and then he was beaten In three close sets
Below the first two. classes there are two
other groups OF men who complete the second
ihs o. to Ten; %nd HddiGettt tbs Is SS |S twa SsfSo entitled TT pdr to
Davis. with him must Ss s5ouped, however.
Slayed in nG several D % tRe R B telnn tourname maG
Ward. Davidson. and Paret. The second group |
includes Carleton. Wright. Hawes, and Shell
don. Below the second ten there is a host OF
other players. who are rather difficult to rank.
but q careful digeet OF the seasons records
makes the complete list as follows:
l.. NJ. D. Whitman .......... Owe 10 |
2. u. ". ware. |
8. D: Z. Davis
4. W. &. Bond.
q. @. II. Budlong. .........".".... aor.toh
g. y. p. Fischer. .................. ''"'o"fS"h
7. q. l.. Wrenn, Jr, |
q Richard Steycna |