The Washington times., 1922-04-02

In this country by thes Living Age.
Part, of Nile. Lenglen's article is
published here.
BY SUSANNA LENGLEN
r HAD every confidence in my
trip beyond the Atlantic. be-
lieved that it would result in
q succession of victories, and. with
out conceit there was nothing to
make me think otherwise. for had
easily beaten the best woman tennis
player of the United States at a
time when | was suffering from a
large blister, which had just broken.
In spite of that handicap, | had
defeated Mrs. Mallory, the Ameri-
can woman champion. What wo-
men had to fear over there? That
was why regard as ridiculous the
accusation brought against me by
my anonymous enemies. According
to them, was afraid.
What adversary over there should
be afraid Of? Who is the woman
player who would have made me
hesitate or whose challenge I should
have declined? Is there a single one?
If 30, give me her name. for |
should like TO know her. But l am
Unfortunately. the calumniators
were continuing their defamatory
campaign, without taking the least
pain N the world to see that it &C.
cord with the truth. May the
wet, II of their evil action fall on
themselves! AS for myself, l have
the satisfaction of duty done.
Paid For All Effort.
At a. single stroke I have paid for
oil the efforts that / have expended
d ring the last seven years without
ever taking the least rest. Yet could
I refuse the battle when it was
question of a match for the benefit
of the wounded. the prisoners, and
the invaded regions? For these
beneficent games | did not hesitate
10 meet skilled players in both
doubles and singles. and 1t Is per
haps this series of imprudent efforts
that caused the malady from whose
results ] am still suffering.
They find fault with my conduct
under the pretext that no matter
what the season, | was always in
good form, the year round. | was
proud of my resistance. | thought it
would last. | was mistaken. / UNI
derstand too late that no organism
can submit to such a regime.
There must be the periods of rest
that are required by all sports. I
took no care of myself; in the winter
/ played on the Cote d'Azur; in the
summer | took part i'm all the cham
pionship games and then in the
games at the seashore. IL | had ex-
acted less of myself. | should not
be. at the age of twenty-five, i'm the
state of health in which | find my
self.
Desired to Rest Up.
| did not want TO go to America
After the injury to my foot, which
forced mo to take a complete rest
after winning the worlds champ
ionship at Saint-Cloud, | had to go
into training again for champion
ship games at Wimbledon, which /
won for the third time. Under
these conditions developed a
cough which had all the symptoms
of whooping cough. | wanted to
rest, and ! declined the multitudn.
Gus invitations that were made me-
/ put off going to America and
tried to get back into good health.
We left France August 9Th ard
lIlt lolI. was HOl SuDtT-
stitious then. but now ! nelieve IN
the bad luck of that numb,r ",J"
Climate Change Noticeable.
AS usual thing. when an
athlete goes to America it is neces.
sary to take time to get used to
the climate-all the more so when
the athlete Is woman and the
weather is very hot. j. moreover
nyaa rnallU i'll Wa had
got off the steamer when a match
was arranged. On the 18th /
was scheduled to play for the
American championship. | dared
not refuse, even though ! did not
feel by any means in possession of
my powers.
/ was to play against Miss Gross
but she, having declared that she
was lila privilege denied me-was
replaced by Mrs. Mallory, the best
tennis player over there, whom, it
Is true, l had beaten i'm France
My adversary, to whom | render
homage, had several advantages
over me. She was in good health,
she was used to the climate, and
she had all the other players and
the public as well. to support her
| always remember Tilden's say
ing TO me at Cloud, "Su-
Eanne, she will beat you" and l
have not forgotten his detection
after my victory. ] think also of
his triumphant air in America.
Forced to Give Up.
1t would not have been swagger.
ing on my part to refuse the match
against Mrs. Mallory. | hoped to
find enough strength in me to hold
out and win. | tried TO lie to my.
self The match began. / found
myself short of breath from the be.
ginning. Then / began to have
terrible fits OF coughing, but l kept
on fighting to the very limit of my
power. After | had lost the first
set and was taken with-to put 1t
mildly-the beginning of a fainting
fit, | had, with death in my soul,
to declare that ! gave up the game.
Who is there that knows me and
has seen me play who will not
find this convincing proof of the
ravages OF the sickness?
I was In such "A state that a ply.