New-York tribune., 1908-01-19
LAWN TENNIS RANKINGS
L1RNED At THE TOP.
4Lcrander and HaCkett Lead the
PIayers IN Doubles.

Rankings for the lawn tennis season OF 1907 were
issued yesterday with William A. Larned. the ma
tional champion. leading ffty-nine players ana
with Beals c. Wright and Karl III. Behr. who
nIaved for the Davis Cup in England, placed sec
ond and third. respectively. This arrangement
came surprise, especially as Raymond L.
Little gets fourth place on the list, with ROBERT
lie Roy, runner up at Newport, hfth, ana clarence
Hobart sixth. The contention of the experts in
this city is that the order of the last two men
named should have been reversed, as Hobart was
m-fnalist in the nationals and the winner at
Longwood- This despite the fact that ne refused
to be the challenger of William A. Larned FOR the
Longwood Cup. Ten teams ranked In the
doubles with Frederick B. Alexander and Harold
H. Hackett national champion, leading.
The list is the result of the three months Work
of the ranking committee-A. L. Hoskins, chair
man: Thomas c. Trask and Edgar W. Leonard.
as submitted the executive committee or the Ma
tionaI Lawn Tennis Association at the meeting
held at the Waldorf rf-AstoTfa on Friday night
Upon the places awarded TO the first hfteen men
some criticism of the singles ranking was heard
Several players take exception 10 Edwin r
Larned brother of the champion. being placed
seventh with only victory to his credit, tnat
of the Middle States title in the autumn on the
courts of the Morristown Field Club. when he de-
feated Frederick G. Anderson
Young Larned did not play in any other OF the
important tournaments OF the year. and yet re-
ceived high place over Henry W. Mollenhauer. in
eleventh place: Irving C.. Wright in ninth place.
and Theodore Roosevelt Pell. national indoor
champion rated twelfth. All of the players named
Immediately below young Larned played in i
great number of tournaments, in which they either
won or were fnaIIsts. Mollenhauer was hnaist
in the Metropolitan championship, being defeated
by Little by a narrow margin, challenger OF
Hackett for the Felipe Cup at the New York Lawn
Tennis Club meeting and fnalist at Newport
and in the Long Island, Hudson River and Mlddle
States championships.
Bull OF Crescent Athletic CluOf
George F. Touchard and William r. Cragin. jr-.
are respectively ranked 27 IS and 30 That this
trio is placed below Herbert l. Westfall. "a: Fred
erick c. Anderson. Is: Wallace T. Johnson. Is, and
wylie C Grant 23 was also cause for some sur
prise One player said last night: 1T brings OUT
the fact that the percentage table adopted by the
English association is the method that shouId De
used IN this country
The impression prevails that Grant is far below
his true place which at least should be next 10
Pell who defeated him for the indoor title The
former national champion. William ]. Clothier'
Frederick B. Alexander. Harold H Hackett ana
Hugh Tallant, all winning players, were not
ranked.
The doubles list is remarkable for the TACT that
Thornton and Grant. the Southern champions. drop
to tenth place. while Herbert l. Westfal and
WyIie c. Grant, despite several striking victories
only get sixth.
The difficulty of the work of the committee finds |
some expression in the declaration Of Mr.. Hoskins
that he will again assume the task. after TWO
wears OF hard labor as the players of the top flight
refuse to aid the committee in way No |
women ranked. The list follows: