第 37 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9303
  of   her   tremendous      exertions。    She    defaulted    the   match!    Mrs。    Mallory
  walked from the court conqueror; clearly the superior of the much vaunted
  world's champion。
  It is regrettable Mlle。 Lenglen defaulted; for if she had played out the
  match;  everyone   would   have   made   full   allowance   for   her   defeat;   due;   it
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  would   be   said;   to   natural   reaction   from   her   recent   sea   journey。   No   one
  would have been quicker to make allowance for Mlle。 Lenglen than Mrs。
  Mallory herself。 The whole tennis public deeply regretted an incident that
  might well have been avoided。
  Mrs。 Mallory was the woman of the hour。 She marched on to victory
  and successfully defended her title by  virtue of victories over Mrs。  May
  Sutton Bundy in the semi…final and Miss Mary Browne in the final。
  Marvellous      Molla!    World's    Champion       in  1921    beyond    shadow     of
  dispute!
  It  is  deplorable    that   the  quite   natural   reaction   and   nervous     upset;
  coupled   with   a   return   of   her   bronchial   illness;   forced   Mlle。   Lenglen   to
  return   to   France   before   she   was   able   to   play   her   exhibition   tour   for   the
  Committee       for  Devastated      France。   Possibly    1922    will  find   conditions
  more   favorable   and   the   Gods   of   Fate   will   smile   on   the   return   of   Mlle。
  Lenglen to America。
  MRS。 FRANKLIN I。 MALLORY (Molla Bjurstedt)
  One of the most remarkable personalities in the tennis world is Mrs。
  Molla Bjurstedt Mallory; the American Champion and actually Champion
  of the World; 1921。
  Mrs。 Mallory is a Norsewoman by birth。 She came to America in 1915。
  In   1919   she   married   Franklin   I。   Mallory;   and   thus   became   an American
  citizen。
  It is a remarkable game which Mrs。 Mallory has developed。 She has no
  service of real value。 Her overhead is nil; her volleying is mediocre; but
  her marvellous forehand and backhand drives; coupled with the wonderful
  court…covering ability and fighting spirit that have made her world…famous;
  allow her to rise above the inherent weaknesses of those portions of her
  game     and   defeat   in  one   season    all  the  greatest   players    in  the  world;
  including Mlle。 Suzanne Lenglen。
  Mrs。  Mallory;   with   delightful   smile;  never   failing sportsmanship   and
  generosity in victory or defeat; is one of the most popular figures in tennis。
  MRS。 THOMAS C。 BUNDY (May Sutton)
  It   is   said   〃they   never   come   back;〃   but   Mrs。   May   Sutton   Bundy   has
  proved that at least one great athlete is an exception to the saying。 Fifteen
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  years ago; May Sutton ruled supreme among the women tennis stars of the
  world。
  In   1921   Mrs。   May   Sutton   Bundy;   mother   of   four   children;   after   a
  retirement of over a I decade; returned to the game when Mlle。 Lenglen
  announced her intention of invading America。 If Mlle。 Lenglen's visit to
  our   shores   did   nothing   more   than   bring   Mrs。   Bundy   and   Miss   Browne
  back to us; it was well worth while。
  Mrs。 Bundy in 1921 was still a great player。 She has a peculiar reverse
  twist service; a wonderful forehand drive; but with excessive top spin; a
  queer backhand poke; a fine volley and a reliable overhead。 Much of her
  old aggressiveness and speed of foot are still hers。 She retains all of her
  famous fighting spirit and determination; while she is even more charming
  and delightful than of old。 She is a remarkable woman; who stands for all
  that is best in the game。
  MARY KENDALL BROWNE
  The return of another former National Champion in 1921 in the person
  of   Mary  K。  Browne;  who   held the   title   in 1912;  '13   and   '14;  brought  us
  again   a   popular   idol。   The   tennis   public   has   missed   Miss   Browne   since
  1914 and her return was in the nature of a personal triumph。
  Mary   Browne   has   the   best   produced   tennis   game   of   any   American
  woman。 It is almost if not quite the equal in stroke technique of Suzanne
  Lenglen。   She   has   a   fast   flat   service。   Her   ground   strokes   are   clean;   flat
  drives forehand and backhand。 She volleys exactly like Billy Johnston。 No
  praise can be higher。 Her overhead is decisive but erratic。 She couples this
  beautiful   game   with   a   remarkable   tennis   head   and   a   wonderful   fighting
  spirit。
  Miss Browne is a trig and trim little figure on the court as she glides
  over its surface。 It is no wonder that her public love her。
  MRS。 GEORGE WIGHTMAN (Hazel Hotchkiss)
  The    woman      to  whom      American     tennis   owes     its  greatest  debt    in
  development is Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman; National Champion 1909; '10;
  '11 and 1919。 Mrs。 Wightman has practically retired from singles play。 Her
  decision   cost   the   game   a   wonderful   player。   She   has   a   well   placed   slice
  service;   a   ground   game   that   is   essentially   a   chop   fore…   and   backhand;
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  although at times she drives off her forehand。 She volleys remarkably。 She
  is the equal of Mary Browne in this department; while her overhead is the
  best of any woman in the game。
  Hazel   Wightman   is   as   clever   a   court   general   and   tactician;   man   or
  woman; as I have ever known。 She has forgotten more tennis than most of
  us ever learn。 She is the Norman Brookes of woman's tennis。
  It is not only in her game that Mrs。 Wightman has stood for the best in
  tennis; but she has given freely of her time and ability to aid young players
  in the game。 She made Marion Zinderstein Jessop the fine player she is。
  Mrs。 Wrightman is always willing to offer sound advice to any player who
  desires it。
  Mrs。 Wightman and Miss Florence Ballin are the prime factors in the
  new organization of woman's tennis that has resulted in the great growth
  of the game in the past two years。
  MRS。 JESSOP (Marion Zinderstein)
  There is no player in tennis of greater promise than Marion Zinderstein
  Jessop。 She has youth; a wonderful game; the result of a sound foundation
  given her by Hazel Wightman; and a remarkable amount of experience for
  so young a girl。 She has a beautiful fast service; but erratic。 Her ground…
  game is perfectly balanced; as she chops or drives from either side with
  equal facility。 She volleys with great severity and certainty。 Her overhead
  is   possibly   her   weakest   point。   She   lacks   the   confidence   that   her   game
  really deserves。
  HELEN WILLS
  The    most    remarkable     figure   that  has   appeared    on   the  horizon    of
  woman's tennis since Suzanne Lenglen first flashed into the public eye; is
  little   Helen   Wills   of   California;   Junior   Champion   of   1921。   She   is   only
  fifteen。   Stocky;    almost   ungainly;    owing    to  poor   footwork;     her  hair   in
  pigtails down her back; she is a quaint   little person who instantly  walks
  into hearts of the gallery。
  The tennis this child plays is phenomenal。 She serves with the power
  and accuracy of a boy。 She drives and chops forehand and backhand with
  reckless     abandon。    She    rushes   to  the   net  and   kills  in   a  way   that   is
  reminiscent of Maurice McLoughlin。 Suddenly she dubs the easiest sort of
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  a   shot   and   grins   a   happy   grin。   There   is   no   doubt   she   is   already   a   great
  player。    She    should    become     much     greater。   She    is  a  miniature     Hazel
  Wightman in her game。 Above all; she is that remarkable combination; an
  unspoiled child and a personality。
  There   are   many   other   players   of   real   promise   coming   to   the   front。
  Boston   boasts   of   a   group   that   contains   Mrs。   Benjamin   E。   Cole   (Anne
  Sheafe) who has made a great record in the season of 1921; Miss   Edith
  Sigourney; who accompanied Mrs。 Mallory abroad; Miss Leslie Bancroft
  and     Mrs。    Godfree。      There    are    Miss    Martha      Bayard;     Miss    Helen
  Gilleandean;  Mrs。  Helene   Pollak   Folk;  Miss   Molly Thayer;  Miss   Phyllis
  Walsh and Miss Anne Townsend in New York and Philadelphia。
  France