New-York tribune., 1920-03-05
National Tennis Cham
pion on Way to Coast;
Mrs. Mallory Also Away
By Fred Hawthorne

AHe Sn2nceS are (hat the name OF q
new indoor national woman champion
may be engraved on the big silver cup
this year when the Anal round match
in che annual lawn tennis tournament
is finished. The tourney starts a week
from next Monday on the board floor
courts of the 7th Regiment Armory.
Mrs. George w. Wightman, the pres
ent holder Of the title, will not defend
her crown, having left for California
a few days ayo. Mrs. Franklin I. NAL
lory, who held the title for three years
IN succession, will also be an absentee,
and this seems pity, for the Morse
girl Is playing better tennis right now
than has been the case at any time
within a twelve month.
In explanation Of her determination
not to enter the championship this
year, | may say that her action is
characteristic Of Mrs. Mallory. She
welcomes competition, the worthier the
more welcome, and I have known her
to stay out of important tournaments
solely because the competition offered
was weak. There is not one chance
in hundred, accidents excepted, that
any player entered in the tourname ent
at the armory week after next would
be able to defeat the former national
champion. and nobody knows this bet
ter than Mrs. Mallory.
Miss Wagner to Play
Had Mrs. Wightman remained hera
to play through, there is not a doubt
but that Mrs. Mallory would have en-
tered the lists, and then we should
have witnessed worthy battle in
deed. The same situation would have
nHN roI hoI
to enter instead of going to the Coast,
but as it is it looks as if Miss Marie
Wagner, who has already won the
title six times, will be the most promi-
nent representative of former years.
But there is question as to whether
MISS Wagner will be able to repeat her
many former triumphs. The indoor
game is her speciality and she is
tested tournament player, with all the
niceties of the game in her grasp,
but she no longer has the speed she
had when champion and has met her
reversals within the last year as a
result
Miss Helen Gilleaudeau captured the
New York State championship last
autumn by defeating Miss Wagner in
the fnal round, and more recently, at
the Heights Casino tournament in
brooklyn, Miss Wagner went down be-
fore the spirited playing of Mrs. Sam
uei h. Waring. 1t is true that on the
last occasion the former indoor title
holder was suffering from a strained
knee, but the injury did not appear Sc
we're enough to warrant Miss Waring
from winning had she not been al
most on q par with Miss Wagner at
the latter's best.
Among those who will bid for the
title now held by Mrs Wightman are
Mrs: Waring, Mrs. f. V. Lynch, Mrs.
W. H. Pritchard, Miss Jesse Gott' Miss
Helene Pollak, and perhaps Mrs. Gill
bert Harvey, Miss Phyllis Walsh and
Miss Mollie Thayer. all of Philadelphia.
Anent the Davis Cup
The news coming from Sydney, Aus
tralia, by cable last night to the effect
that only the United States. the British
Isles and South Africa would play in
the preliminary rounds for the Davis
Cup this year will come as a great
surprise to followers of the game in
this country.
1t had been generally understood that
France, Belgium and Holland would be
contenders. but the challenges ere ap-
parently all in, and these countries
are not mentioned in the cable. except
to say that Holland was reported to
have challenged on February 26.
The thing is q mystery to me, I ad-
nit, and until we get further reports I
am unable to explain the failure of
France, Belgium and Holland to enter.
The preliminary matches will probably
be played in New Zealand, with the
winners meeting Australia on the same
courts in the challenge round.