The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-28
DOHERTY AMERICAN CHAMPION
Larned, the Holder, Beaten In Challenge
Round In Three Straight sets--Ilsitor's
Play Marvel OF Steaailness--lhc
American Makes a Plucky Q'phill Fight.

NEWPORT. r. l.. Aug. 1.-THE American
lawn tennis championship changed hands
at the Casino here again to-day and for the
FIRST time in it's history tho title now rests
with a foreigner II. l.. Doherty. the cham
pion of all England has added the American
champion ship to his long string of laurels and
to-day stands without an equal Mt the game
OF lawn tennis. He did not lose single set
In the Newport tournament. and only one.
the last with Lrned to-day, was even close.
Doherty's play was marvel OIL steadlness
to-day. but at no time In the match did he
play such II snowy game as Larned. He
made every stroke tell and he always seemed
ready for any emergency and never lost his
balance or rot caught too close to the net
for a low lob that could score over his head.
or the ground ne made very few errors and
he killed nearly every lob no got his racket
on, while his lobbing had distinctly better
length than his opponents. But Doherty's
chief point of superiority in actual play was
his low volleyine.
Many OF Larneds best cross-court shots
were met with a short cross volley with
enough cut TO slow up and drop the ball into
q corner--Doherty's favorite stroke.
The American champion was big dis
appointment in the first two sets. but showed
up much better in the third. In the first nine
his usually brilliant strokes and a large pro-
portion of them went wild Only four Of
these nine games ran to deuce. and 1t was not
until the tenth game Of the match that Larned
scored at all. All through the match tho
Americans backhand stroke was weak and the
clever little Briton discovered this early in
the match and kept pounding away at the
weak spot with profit In the latter part Of
the second set and all through the third set
Larned made a much more favorable show
ing. and IL cannot be said that he was far out
played. From 80 for Doherty in the sec
Ond set to the end of the match Larned won
IL games against 10 for his adversary. and
scored IS points against rs.
Larned had a royal chance toward the end
for Doherty was plainly tired and Weakening
Still, more. But Larned was TOO tired to reach
some distant balls that would ordinarily have
been within his reach, and little Doherty
was still ready enough to pull out the set
The crowd was easily the biggest that han
ever witnessed a Newport match. and long
before play began no seats We're left on sale
for the big grand stand. The weather was
bright and sunny. but the heat was tempered
to the English taste by gentle breeze. The
betting on the match was to on the English
man before play began and there was more
money in sight on the long end than the short
at these figures
Doherty was very confident when the play
began and 1arned plainly nervous. The first
set was all one way and only in two games
did the American put up. very. strong de-
fcnse. II was love set for the Engshman
and he started Off the second set with the
first three games III succession. The Briton
seemed to outclass the American champion.
yet experts who watched the play saw under
the surface that it was LTncd's weakness
rather than Doh"rtys strength. and with the
American at his best there should be no such
one-s'd struggle. From 30, LarnCd' 9
play improved steadily. He hit hard and
with fewer errors, taking the next two games
and the seventh few minutes later. but he
had madN his squirt too late and the foreigner
soon had the set in hand again and won 1t
at 6-3.
II looked little better for the home guard
in the third set, for .Larncd earned lead Of
SO and had royal chance in the next but
missed 1t and Doherty reecd on three straight
games to Sd in the foreigners favor. The
end seemed near. yet Larned made game
finish and seeing hoy tired noherty was
too need d rest too badly to take advantage
of the challengers weakness. Dohertv was
within stroke Of the match at 8 and three
times at G5. but Larned showed good nerve
at the critical points and STAYED off defeat,
pulling up even at 5 all, 9 all. ] all and
all, only finally to lose the last set by 10 3.
and with it the match and championship.
Score: