The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-02-24
Women Tennis Stars Invited to Compete
 In Boston Tourney

The tennis playing nations of the world have been invited by the United States to enter a team competition for women, for the Wightman Tro- phy, given by Mrs. Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman of Boston. This prize was officially accepted at the annual meet ing of the United States Lawn Tennis Association, and notice OF intention to schedule the first match in 1920 has been sent to the associations of other countries. Challenges must reach the United States by June 1 and the date for the event has been set tentatively for the ween of August 23rd.
 To start the competition, the reg uIations already established for the Davis Cup will be used, with the change that matches shall be two out
 of three, instead of three in five sets. As a beginning, thisc ountry will be considered the champion nation and when the competition takes place next summer, such notifications as may be
 necessary to adapt these rules to the
 new event, will be made. The Asso- ciations letter outlining the plans
 follows:
 '"The Annual Meeting of the United
 States lawn Tennis Association voted to accept g. trophy for international competition in tennis for women, of ! fered by Mrs. Hazel Hotchkiss Wight
 man, four times champion of the
 United States in women's singles. Play for this trophy is to be on lines | substantially the same as those al- ready esta blished for the Davis Cup | In other words, it is to be a team competition. Being an event for wom- | en, play should be two out of three i sets.
 For the purpose of starting this l competition, it is the desire of the donor that the United States be con-
 sidered the champion in 1920 and 1 you are invited to forward a challenge l to reach this office before June 1, 1 1920, in case your country desires to | play for the cup. The tentative date of the matches has been set during
 the week of August 23rd. The place for holding the event has not been 1 fixed but it will probably be Boston, l Philadelphia or New York.
 1 F"To start this competition in 1920 i it is felt that the most practical plan will be to adopt the Davis Cup reg l ulations with the exceptions above
 noted When the representatives of 1 the various nations assemble for the 1 first matches, it will be possible to adopt any notifications that exper- | fence may indicate and thus a, code
 can be framed which will be accept able to all the countries involved.
 'eThis trophy was offered and has | been accepted so far as the United | States Lawn Tennis Association is 1 concerned, in the belief that interna- | tional competition will have a nota-
 bIe effect in the development of ten his for women. The recent growth l of women's tennis throughout the | world indicates that it has reached a point where in the opinion Of com i petent observers it can sustain an l event of this nature and if the tennis
 playing nations can unite in the con-
 duct of such an event, the Associa-
 ton believes it would have still ! further influence in the development i of play. Wifi you please bring this i to the attention of your Association and advise this office of your decision 1 at the earliest possible moment