New-York tribune., 1903-08-05
R. F. D0HERTY DEFAULTS.
BOB" WRENN BEATEN.
Former Champion OutcIassed-
Older EngIishman Has STRAIN.
IBT TELEGRAPH TO THE rRlBUNE.l


nament between England and the United States
was started at the LongwOod Cricket Club
grounds this afternoon before large gallery
The day was anything but favorable for tennis
as a drizzng rain fell throughout the after
noon: nevertheless, the stands surrounding the
two courts were packed half an hour before play
was called.
At the end OF the days play each country had
scored victory. H. L. Doherty gave England
its first victory by defeating Robert D. Wrenn
the ex-champion of the, United States. in
straight sets. For the United States. W. A
Larned gained a point in defeating r. F.
Doherty by default.
That Iarned should win in this way was
big disappointment to the gallery, as most OF
the spectators had expected to see a heart
breaking match between these two tennis glad-
iators default in such an important tourna-
ment as the international was unfortunate Tor
both countries. r. F. DOherty, while playing
in the final double match at Nahant on Satur-
day with Mahoney against the Wrenn nrotners'
was unfortunate enough to strain tendon in
his right arm.
Captain Collins late as this morning was
positive that r. F. Doherty would be able to
play. but unfortunately for the Englishmen
the strain did not improve as rapidly as Collins
had hoped so that the only alternative the Eng
lishmen had was to default r. F. Doherty or
else play Mahoney in all the matches. They de-
cided TO do the former. with the hope that the
crippled man will be able to play against the
Wrenns in the doubles tomorrow.
WRENN SERVES FIRST
It was exactly 3 o'clock when H. L. Doherty.
the English champion. and Bob Wrenn ap-
peared on court No. 1 and began warming up
for what was to be the first match Of the series.
After short practice play. in which the various
fo1l OyEra1 hyy
the large gallery the referee called Play" and.
with Bob Wrenn serving. the internationals
were on.
Wrenn's play was disappointing from the
start. In the first game he failed TO get a first
serve in. thereby giving little Doherty ample op-
portunity 20 place the second serve far back in
Wrenn's court and force the play on the
American from the start. On taking the ser
vice. Doherty ran in and electrified the gallery
by his speedy and accurate volIeying. AS the
set progressed it was evident that DOherty was
far superior to Wrenn in every department of
the game and. barring accidents. would win the
match. Up to the sixth game Wrenn had made
only four points all of which were clean
passes and Englands champion had yet to
make an error.
In the sixth game by some pretty placing
Wrenn came within one point of the game. but
a hard overhead smash by Doherty brought the
score to deuce. The Englshman followed this
up by taking the next two points and the set
at love.
Doherty kept up his winning streak and took
the first two games in the second set before
Wrern braced and by making a number Of
sharp angle shots won the third game of the
set. Doherty took the following set by smash
ing Wrenn's high lobs for aces. Wrenn fought
hard for the set. but Doherty's ground strokes
with their excellent depth, his low and side vol
ley strokes with their fine placement. and the
wonderful skill he displayed in smashing
wrenn's Iobs. too formidable a combina-
ton for Wrenn TO combat with success, and try
as he would he could not pull out the second
set.
AMERICAN FIGHTS HARD, But NAINLY.
With the sets two to love against him Wrenn.
with that bulldog tenaCity that has made him
famous on the athletic field. started the third
set with a do or die expression on his face. The
first three games. though closely contested.
went to Doherty. Wrenn threw away three
chances in the second and third games. both of
which would have gone to his credit had he not
driven the balls at each critical time into the
net when to the gallery he had the points ap-
parently won. These mistakes on easy chances
proved costly and lost Wrenn the set. After
the game reached D Wrenn made one of his
characteristic braces and with all the we'll
known grit of the Wrenn family tried TO stave
Il.
brought the games to d against him. but
two drives into the net by Wrenn and two fine
place shots by Doherty IN the following game
gave Doherty the game set and the match
Little Doherty's play was. superb all through
the match. His ground strokes we're speedy and
we'll played. while his overhead work showed
that he was superior TO any player in this Coun-
try in this respect. The only apparent weakness
in his game his service 1t was not as
speedy as one would expect from such Won
derful player. Nevertheless. DOherty places his
service we'll into the corners and bothers an
opponent considerably in this respect
This is the first big match that Americans
have had in which to Little Do as he is
called in England play In comparing him with
his brother il is safe TO say that he is easily
the equal of. If not the superior OF. the elder
Doherty. 1t will be a great match when Larned
and H l.. Doherty meet on Thursday To-mor-
row the doubles will he played In case r.
Doherty cannot play the Englishu1en may play
Mahoney. In this case the WrennS' chances
for victory will be much brighter than If they
play against the Doherty brothers. The sum-
mary and score of sets by points follow:
FIRST SET