第 38 节
作者:雨霖铃      更新:2021-05-03 16:33      字数:9322
  Walsh and Miss Anne Townsend in New York and Philadelphia。
  France
  MLLE。 SUZANNE LENGLEN
  There     is  no  more    unique    personality;    nor   more    remarkable     player
  among      the   women      than   Mademoiselle       Suzanne     Lenglen;     the   famous
  French girl who holds the World's Championship title。 Mlle。 Lenglen is a
  remarkable figure in the sporting world。 She has personality; individuality;
  and   magnetism   that   hold   the   public   interest。   She   is   the   biggest   drawing
  card in the tennis world。
  Mlle。 Lenglen's fame rests on her drive。 Strange though it may seem;
  her  drive   is   the  least   interesting   part   of   her   game。   Mlle。   Lenglen   uses   a
  severe   overhead   service   of   good   speed。   It   is   a   remarkable   service   for   a
  woman; one which many men might do well to copy。 Her famous forehand
  drive is a full arm swing from the shoulder。 It meets the ball just as Mlle。
  Lenglen springs in the air。 The  result is   pictorially  unique; but   not   good
  tennis。    She    loses   speed    and   power     by   this  freak。   Her    backhand      is
  beautifully played;   from  perfect   footwork;   with   a   free   swing   and topped
  drive。 It is a remarkable stroke。 Her volleying is perfect in execution and
  result。 She hits her overhead smash freely with a 〃punch〃 that is as great
  as many men。 It is as fine an overhead as that of Mrs。 George Wightman;
  the American Champion。
  Mlle。 Lenglen's speed of foot is marvellous。 She runs fast and easily。
  She   delights in   acrobatic   jumps;   many   of   them  unnecessary;  at   all   times
  during her play。 She is a wonderful gallery player; and wins the popularity
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  that her dashing style deserves。 She is a brilliant court general; conducting
  her attack with a keen eye on both the court and the gallery。
  Mlle。   Lenglen   is   not   outstanding   among   the   women   players   of   the
  world; in my opinion。 She is probably the best stroke player in the world
  to…day;    yet   Mrs。    Lambert      Chambers;      Mrs。    George     Wightman;      Miss
  Elizabeth Ryan; Mrs。 Franklin L。 Mallory (formerly Miss Molla Bjurstedt);
  Miss   Mary  Browne;   and   Mrs。   May  Sutton   Bundy  are   all   in   her   class   in
  match     play。   There   is  no   woman     playing    tennis   that  has   the  powerful
  personality of Mlle。   Lenglen。 Her acrobatic   style and grace   on the   court
  form an appeal no gallery can resist。 Her very mannerisms fool people into
  considering      her   far  greater   than   she   really   is;  even   though    she   is  a
  wonderful player。
  MME。 BILLOUTT (Mlle。 Brocadies)
  Second only to Suzanne Lenglen in France is Mme。 Billoutt; formerly
  Mlle。 Brocadies; once the idol of the Paris tennis public。 This remarkable
  player   has    as  perfectly   developed      a  game   as   I  have   seen。   Her   actual
  stroking is the equal of Mlle。 Lenglen。 Her strokes are all orthodox; flat
  racquet   ones。   Her   ground   game   is   based   wholly   on   the   drive;   fore…   or
  backhand。      She    has   grown     rather   heavier    in  the   last  few   years    and
  consequently   slowed   up;   but   she   is   still   one   of   the   great   players   of   the
  world。
  England
  In marked contrast to the eccentricities of Mlle。 Lenglen one finds the
  delightfully polished style of Mrs。 Lambert Chambers。 Mrs。 Chambers has
  a purely orthodox game of careful execution that any student of the game
  should recognize as the highest form of tennis strokes。
  Mrs。 Chambers serves an overhead delivery of no particular movement。
  She   slices   or   〃spoons〃   her   ground   strokes;   forehand   or   backhand。   She
  seldom volleys or smashes。 Her only excursions to the net are when she is
  drawn to the net。
  It is not Mrs。 Chambers' game itself so much as what she does with it;
  that I commend so highly。 Her change of pace and distance is wonderfully
  controlled。 Her accuracy marvellous。 Her judgment is remarkable; and the
  way   in   which   she   saves   undue   exertion   is   an   art   in   itself。   She   gets   a
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  wonderful return for her outlay of effort。
  Hers is a personality of negation。 Her manner on the court is negative;
  her   shots   alone   are   positive。   She   is   never   flustered;   and   rarely   shows
  emotion。
  Mrs。   Chambers   is   the   〃Mavro〃   of   women   as   regards   her   recovering
  ability。 Her errors are reduced to a minimum at all times。 To err is human;
  but at times there is something very nearly inhuman about Mrs。 Chambers'
  tennis。
  ELIZABETH RYAN
  The English…American star Elizabeth Ryan is another player of marked
  individuality。   Born   in   California;   Miss   Ryan   migrated   to   England   while
  quite   young。   For   the   past   decade   〃Bunny;〃   as   she   is   called;   has   been   a
  prominent figure in English and Continental tournaments。
  Miss Ryan has a queer push…reverse twist service that is well placed
  but carries little speed。 She chops viciously forehand and backhand off the
  ground   and   storms   the   net   at   every   opening。   Her   volleying   is   crisp   and
  decisive。 Overhead she is severe but erratic。 She is a dogged fighter; never
  so dangerous as when behind。 Her tactics are aggressive attack at all times;
  and if this fails she is lost。
  Although Miss Ryan is an American by birth she must be considered
  as an English player; for her development is due to her play in England。
  MRS。 BEAMISH
  This English player is an exponent of the famous baseline game of the
  country。 She drives; long deep shots fore… and backhand; corner to corner;
  chasing   her  opponent   around   the  court   almost   impossible   distances。   Her
  service volleying and overhead are fair but not noteworthy。 Another player
  of   almost    identical   game    and   of   almost   equal   class   is  Mrs。   Peacock;
  Champion of   India。 Her  whole game   is a  little better  rounded than Mrs。
  Beamish; but she lacks the latter's experience。
  Among the other women in England who are delightfully original in
  their games are Mrs。 Larcombe; the wonderful chop…stroke player; whose
  clever generalship and tactics place her in the front rank; and Mrs。 M'Nair;
  with her volleying attack。
  Women's   tennis   in   England   is   on   a  slightly  higher plane  at   this   time
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  than in America; but the standard of play in America is rapidly coming up。
  International competition between women on the lines of the Davis Cup;
  for   which   a   trophy   has   previously   been   offered   by   Lady   Wavertree   in
  England; and in 1919 by Mrs。 Wightman in America; and twice refused by
  the International Federation; would do more than any other factor to place
  women's tennis on the high plane desired。 This plan has succeeded for the
  men; why should it not do as well for the women?
  ILLUSTRATION CAPTIONS
  {PLATE   II。   FOREHAND   GRIP。   FRONT  VIEW。   Notice   the   straight
  line of the arm; hand and racquet; the flat racquet face; the natural finger
  position on the handle。 The racquet is in position to hit a forehand drive。
  FOREHAND GRIP; BACK VIEW。 The line is straight; the head of the
  racquet   slightly   in   advance   of   the   hand。   The   pose   is   at   the   moment   of
  contact between ball and racquet。}
  {PLATE   III。   THE   COMPLETED   SWING   OF   THE   FOREHAND
  DRIVE。 Notice the body position; at right angles to the net; the weight on
  the front or left foot; having passed from the right foot with the swing; just
  at the moment the ball is struck。 The racquet is carried to the limit of the
  swing   and   falls   into   the  left   hand   at   height   of   the  shoulder。 The   racquet
  face  has passed   over  the  ball。 The  reader  is   looking through the   strings。
  The stroke was made with the far side of the racquet from the camera。 The
  eye is following the ball in its flight。 The whole movement is forward。 The
  tendency in hitting a forehand is to stop the swing too soon。 Notice the full
  follow through to the extreme limit of my swing。 The hitting plane in this
  picture is too high; the shot having been made almost at the shoulder。 The
  correct hitting plane for the forehand drive