The New York herald., 1922-08-19
Miss Wills Advances to
Match for Tennis Title
Youthful Prodigy of California Triumphs Over Mrs.
Bundy in Straight Sets and Meets Mrs.
Mallory in Final To-day
by SAMUEL j. BRooKMAN.

IL was with conflicting emotions that
the gallery at Forest Hills yesterday
saw Miss Helen Wills. sixteen-year-old
sensation of the tennis courts. triumph
over Mrs. May Sutton Bundy i'm the
semi-ftnal round of the national tennis
championship. 1t was with admiration
for the astonishing skill and strategy
OF the California schoolgirl. and yet
with regret at the failure OF her op-
ponent. who eighteen years ago at the
same tender age of sixteen electrified
the tennis world by winning the Ameri-
can title that the spectators saw Miss
Wills advance TO a match with Mrs
Molla Mallory for the championship
of 1922.
Despite the numerous Indications she
had given In this and earlier tourna-
ments of the sterling worth of her
game, despite her triumph over some
of the top ranking players In the coun-
try. Miss Wills's victory yesterday over
the wonder woman of American tennis
came to many as an upset of upsets
From the start of the championship
1t had been predicted freely that Mrs
Bundy, who was making her second
effort in two years to regain title
she held in 1904. would come through
TO the final. She seemed to be playing
with all her old time vim and dash,
keen for victory and possessed of all
the court generalship that was hers
In the heydey of her career She had
advanced through some stubbornly
fought matches to within one round
of reaching the final. and then with
her goal almost attained, had to bow
in defeat before a new wonder girl Of
the West, and in straight sets. ct, 6-s
1t may be said for Mrs. Bundy that
she made great fight of it while her
strength lasted against a youthful
prodigy who seems destined to reach
the pinnacle OF tennis in America within
a comparatively short time, against q
youngster who combines a full stroke
assortment with exceptional general
ship for one of her years, and whose
game, still in a stage of healthful de-
velopment, has wonderful possibilities
Girls Strategy Apparent.
There was a decisiveness and versa
tility to Miss Wills's attack that gave
her an unusual percentage of points
on earned placements there was such
apparent commendable skill blended
with her varied pace and varied length
that even the unsophisticated in the
stands could not help but appreciate
her strategy. And with it all her con-
troll was good. even in the swiftest
OF the rallies when she had to hurry
HeT strokes. AT tunes there may have
been o trifle of hesitancy on her part
in her choice OF her strokes. but as a
rule she found her openings quickly
and had the valuable weapon of a fore
ing drive to pave the way for de-
cisive volley or a swift pass to end a
rally.
In the first set Mrs. Bundy was at
her best. and it was we'll for her young
opponent that she too struck her stride
quickly. The rallies Immediately grew
spirited and well sustained, the ma
Jority of them being ended by a shot
of delightful finality. They unanswered
skillfully. sharp angled as much as
safety would permit, and IL was min
and tuck for a while. Toward the end
OF the set, however, Ii was apparent
that Miss Wills was outsteadying her
opponent at critical stages. was strok-
ing with growing confidence and ac-
celebrating power and was covering
more ground than Mrs. Bundy.
So set that had started with Mrs.
Bundy in the lead gradually went the
other way. The one time champion.
although compelled to work hard for
her points. went out into a lead of
4-2 In games, only to have Miss Wills
come through with a redoubled attack
that gave her the next four games in
row and the set at ca.
The girl opened the second set by
breaking through service after the score