第 36 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9321
  Neither    Miss    Mary    Browne     nor   Miss   Hazel    Hotchkiss;    now    Mrs。
  George   Wightman;   followed   Mrs。   May   Sutton   Bundy   in   her   European
  invasion;     so  the  relative   ability   of  our  champions      and  Mrs。    Lambert…
  Chambers of England or Mlle。 Brocadies of France could not be judged。
  Mrs。  Molla   Bjurstedt   Mallory  followed   Miss   Browne   as   the   outstanding
  figure    in  American     tennis   when    the   wonderful     Norsewoman       took   the
  championship   in   1915。   Miss   Browne;   then   holder   of   the   title;   did   not
  compete;   so   their   relative   ability   could   not   be   decided。   Throughout   the
  period from 1900 to 1919 the woman's championship event had been held
  annually  in   June。 The   result   was   that the   blue   ribbon   event   was over   so
  early in the season that the incentive for play during July and August died
  a natural death。
  Finally in 1920; at the request of the Women's Committee; particularly
  on the advice of Mrs。 George Wightman; the national champion; and Miss
  Florence     Ballin   of   New    York;   under    whose    able   guidance     the  entire
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  schedule was drawn up; the United States Lawn Tennis Association moved
  the   Women's      Championship       to  September。     Miss    Ballin;   following    the
  successful   system   used   in   the   men's   events;   organized   a   schedule   that
  paralleled the big fixtures on the men's schedule and placed in operation 〃a
  circuit;〃 as it is called; that provided for tournaments weekly from May to
  September。   Miss   Ballin;   together   with   Mrs。   Wightman;   organised   junior
  tournaments for girls under 18; along the lines used for the boys' events。
  The  response   was   immediate。  Entry  lists;  which in   the  old   days   were   in
  〃the teens;〃 jumped to the thirties or forties; in the regular events。 Young
  girls who; up to now; had not played tournaments; fearing they lacked the
  necessary class; rushed to play in the Junior girls' events。 From this latter
  class came such a promising young star of today as Miss Martha Bayard;
  who bids fair to be national champion at some not distant date。
  It   was   a   tremendous   task   of   organization   that   Miss   Ballin   and   her
  assistants undertook; but they did it in a most efficient manner。 Mrs。 Molla
  Bjurstedt   Mallory   lent   her   invaluable   assistance   by   playing   in   as   many
  tournaments as possible。 She was a magnet that drew the other players in
  her wake with an irresistible force。
  1920 saw Mrs。 Mallory's first invasion of Europe since her American
  triumphs。 Misfortune was her portion。 She was ill before sailing and; never
  at   her  best   on   shipboard;    a  bad   voyage    completed     the   wreck    of  her
  condition。 She had little time for practice in England and it was a player
  far below her best who went down to crushing de feat at the hands of Mrs。
  Lambert…Chambers in the semi… final round of the World's Championship
  at Wimbledon。
  Defeated but not discouraged; Mrs。 Mallory returned to America and;
  again reaching her true form; won the championship with ease。 She made
  up her mind the day of her defeat in England that 1921 would again find
  her on European courts。
  The   season   of   1921   in   America   opened   in   a   blaze   of   tournaments
  throughout the entire country。 Mrs。 Mallory showed early in the year she
  was at her best by winning the Indoor Championship of the United States
  from one of the most representative fields ever gathered together for this
  event。
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  Early   May   found   Mrs。   Mallory   on   the   seas   bound   for   France   and
  England。 The story of her magnificent; if losing; struggle in both countries
  is told elsewhere in this book; but she sailed for home recognised abroad
  as one of the great players of the world; a thing which many of the foreign
  critics had not acknowledged the previous year。
  The trip of the American team to France; and particularly the presence
  of Mrs。 Mallory; coupled with the efforts of the Committee for Devastated
  France;     finally   induced    Mile。    Suzanne     Lenglen;     the  famous     French
  World's Champion; to consent to come to America。 The announcement of
  her decision started a boom in the game that has been unequalled。 Out in
  California; Mrs。 May Sutton Bundy and Miss Mary Kendall Browne; our
  former   champions;   heard   the   challenge   and;   laying   aside   the   duties   of
  everyday life; buckled on the armour of the courts and journeyed East to
  do battle with the French wonder girl。 Mrs。 Mallory; filled with a desire to
  avenge     her   defeat   in  France;   sailed   for  home    in  time   to  play   in  the
  American championship。
  What a marvelous tournament this proved to be! In very truth it was a
  World's Championship。 Mrs。 May Sutton Bundy; former world's champion;
  back again after fifteen years with all her old charm of manner; much of
  her speed of shot and foot; and even more cunning and experience; Miss
  Mary K。 Browne; brilliant; fascinating; clever Mary; with all her old…time
  personality and game that three times had carried her to the highest honors
  in   American      tennis;  Mrs。    Mallory;    keen;   determined     and   resourceful;
  defending the title she had held so long and well; the young players; rising
  in the game; struggling to attain the heights; and finally looming over all
  the figure of the famous French champion of champions; Suzanne Lenglen;
  considered by many competent critics the greatest woman tennis player of
  all time。
  The   stage   was   set   for   the   sensational;   and   for   once   it   occurred。   The
  God of Luck took a hand in the blind draw and this resulted in all the stars;
  with    the  exception     of  Miss   Mary    Browne;     falling   in  one   half。  Mile。
  Suzanne      Lenglen     was   drawn    against    Miss   Eleanor    Goss;    while   Mrs。
  Mallory met Mrs。 Marion Zinderstein Jessop; her famous rival; in the first
  round; with the winners of these matches to play each other in the second。
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  Unfortunately       illness   prevented     Mile。   Lenglen     from   sailing    at  her
  appointed time。 She arrived in America but one day before the tournament
  was   to   start。 The   officials of the   United   States   Lawn Tennis Association
  wisely   granted   Mile。   Lenglen   another   day's   grace   by   holding   her   match
  with   Miss   Goss   until Tuesday。  Mrs。  Mallory;  playing   brilliantly;  crushed
  Mrs。 Jessop on Monday。
  Then came   the deluge!   Miss   Goss; taken suddenly  ill;  was   forced   to
  default to Mlle。 Lenglen on Tuesday and Mrs。 Mallory was called upon to
  meet the great French player in Mlle。 Lenglen's first American appearance。
  There is no question but what it was a terribly hard position for Mlle。
  Lenglen。 Mrs。 Mallory was physically and mentally on the crest。 She had
  lived   for   this   chance   ever   since   Mlle。   Lenglen   had   defeated   her   at   St。
  Cloud in June。 Now it was hers and she determined to make the most of it。
  The   two   women   stepped   on   the   court   together。   Mlle。   Lenglen   was
  obviously      and    naturally    nervous。     Mrs。    Mallory     was    quietly;   grimly
  confident。 Her whole attitude said 〃I won't be beaten。〃 Every one of the
  10;000; spectators felt it and joined with her in her determination。 It was
  an electric current between the gallery and the player。 I felt it and am sure
  that Mlle。 Lenglen must have done so too。 It could not fail to impress her。
  The   match   opened   with   Mrs。   Mallory   serving。   From   the   first   ball;   the
  American   champion   was   supreme。   Such   tennis   I   have   never   seen   and   I
  verily believe it will never be seen again。 The French girl was playing well。
  She   was   as   good   as   when   she   defeated   Mrs。   Mallory  in   France   or   Miss
  Ryan in England; but this time she was playing a super…woman who would
  not   miss。   One   cannot   wonder   her   nerves;   naturally   overwrought;   broke
  under the strain。
  Mrs。 Mallory; in an exhibition of faultless; flawless tennis; ran through
  the first set 6…2。 It was at this point Mlle。 Lenglen made her mistake。
  She had trouble getting her breath and was obviously feeling the strain
  of   her   tremendous      exertions。    She    defaulted    the   match!    Mrs。    Mallory