The New York herald., 1921-08-14
HOW MILE. LENGLEN
REACHED THE TOP
Applied Herself to Close Study
Of Strokes of Cham
pi0ns.
A TITLE HOLDER AT IA
Father Played Leading Part
in Teaching Perseverance
and Court Generalship.
! TITLE HOLDER AT IA
BY FERNAND BARDIANI.

It Is the growing OF her sporting per-
sonality. Who knows where the French
superchampion began to handle a rae
quet? Who knows how she has mas
tered the strokes and subtle tactics OF
the game? Who knows what process OF
training has kept her go long in winning
fern? All this. the tory OF dash to
fame In record time, Is told to-day for
the first time.
Suzanne had barely reached the IL
year mark when she was allowed to join
the lawn tennis club of Nice In the
south of France. 1t was a compromise;
father had agreed to her playing ten
mis-. she had agreed to becoming
peinstaking pupil From the outset she
was attracted by the forceful, manly
side of the game. When not actually
practising she was to be found gazing
at the champions OF all nations, whom
the club harbored during the winter.
She was too young to understand the
idea behind the drives of Wilding. the
great Australian player. but her keen
eyes were able to detect the mechanism
Of his mighty stroke. Max Decugis's
spectacular smashes were teaching her
the right way OF killing a ball. BY
watching Richie, the British veteran:
Count Salm. the Austrian champion the
brothers Kleinshroth. Germany's best
racqueters, and anybody who was some
body In tennisdom, she was fast piling
up in her mind the secrets of all the
effective strokes.
Sclf-Giycn Lessons.
Besides a quick eye, Suzanne Leng-
len had supple limbs and a knack at
catching tricks. To what extent she
had benefited by her self-given lessons
was shown at her first appearance In
clubs handicap. Her aggressive ser
vice, her follow up TO the net, her at
tcmpts at volleying bewildered and de-
feated even seasoned lady players. She
entered q second tournament Again
she won. Her third victory, scored at
Paris In the national competition. made
her lady champion of France. She was
IL years old.
Two years later. In 1914. she flashed
into worlds fame An official competi-
ton open to all corners had been organ
ICED in France-the championship of
the world on hard courts" 1t was COM
peted for at Saint Cloud, near Paris, by
an impressive lot of international play
ers. To everybody's amazement the win
ner was a small girl who still wore her
black hair flowing on her back, a small
girl OF IA. Suzanne Lenglen had be-
come worlds champion.
Since the year 1914 Suzanne Lenglen
has never been beaten in any clubs open
tournament. in any national or inter-
national championship in which she has
entered. either in singles or doubles and
mixed doubles. In 1920 she brought
Frances colors TO victory at Saint
Cloud. in the worlds championship on
hard courts at Wimbledon and in the
worlds championship on grass courts, at
Antwerp, in the Olympic games. This
year she stands as the champion Of
France and of the world on hard courts
in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, as
the champion of the world on grass
courts in singles and doubles. What
other champion in any sport can boast
of such an unbroken record of victories?
Who ever did better than this girl now
just % years OF age?
Trains Her own Way.
For Suzanne Lenglens unequalled
achievement there are three reasons
efficient training. good advice. stout
heart
How do you train?" she was asked
recently.
why. I don't train" she replied, a
touch OF indignation hardening her voice.
as IL training conveyed to her the idea
of seclusion into some barbed wired camp
with retinue of managers. players. ad-
visers and massagers. For she has al
ways made 1t clear that she takes K as
healthy pleasure, as a relaxation from
work Yet, in her own way. she trains
and trains very efficiently.
Take. for instance, the ten minutes
she devotes TO calisthenics when she
gets up and just before she goes to
bed. She thinks IL is n natural thing
tr, n Aft1 1fV,s~ 80 cola ".
woman who wishes to remain slim OF
body and supple OF limb should forget
this youth conserving drill.
Besides calisthenics she practises rope
skipping. IL may be a reminder of her
girlhood days. but II Is also an exercise
which keeps her heart and lungs in coed
working order.
One thing Suzanne Lenglen rarely fails
to do. before stepping into the courts.
- to warm up with a series OF arm mo-
lions in which she uses her racquets as
indian clubs. II bet you can't do II as
quickly as l." she will say defiantly to
friend. And for five minutes the
racquets will move right, left. forward
and baokward-with the effect OF
strengthening her grip and removing
from her shoulders every particle of
physical rust.
Not long ago a French journalist
asked the champion how many hours a
day she played tennis. He apparently
thought that contests for the world
supremacy could only be won after
serving a long self-sentenced term at
hard labor. Tho answer knocked him
off his feet.
Il am not playing very often,' said
Suzanne Lenglen. Just half an hour
every other day" She did not say that
she spent this particular half hour In
tackling in a fast set either the clubs
professional or any available first class
player. And the presence OF her father
watching and correcting the strokes
was not mentioned BY her. Like many
champions, she does not like to give out
her secrets for keeping In winning fettle
Quick TO Detect weakness.
What strikes one who sees Mile.
Lenglen I'm action Is her sound judg-
ment She is very quick In detecting
the weak point OF her opponent and In
taking advantage of IT, This she owes
to her confidential adviser, her father.
Monsieur Charles Lenglen is as bad a
player as one can be. He stopped facing
his daughter on the courts long ago,
after receiving a pitiless drubbing a.
her hands, when she was a baby star
Of three months experience. But he la
second TO none as an analyst of the
gaine. The calculating spirit which car
lies Suzanne TO victory has been shaped
hy years Of his priceless tuition.
There Is legend about Monsieur
Lenglen, "A legend he resents very much.