New-York tribune., 1922-01-15
'nal Handicap Squash Tournament
Women Tennis
Stars May Play
For Big Trophy
Annual international Compc-
lition for Wiglliman Tro-
ply May Start This Year
BY Fred Hawthorne

Tho United States Lawn Tennis Asso-
ciation will make another effort thi-
year to start an animal intcrnationa'
competition for women. founded on
DAVIS Cup lines. for the Hazel Hotch
Kiss Wightman trophy, donated two
years ago by the former national cham
pion. but which has not yet been
played for, owing 10 Jack Of entries
When Mrs. Wiehtman first offered
this trophy and the announcement was
made by the L. s. l.. T. A. several Of
the foreign nations signifed their ap-
proval Of tho plan but no formal chal-
lenges were forthcoming, owing to vari-
Gus dlficult'>l that cropped up at tha'
time. Now, }owevcr. it is believed that
the way is Gen for such R competition
and consecu -ntly the L. S. l.. T. A. has
sent a formal notification to the Inter
national Lawn Tennis Federation fof
the consideration Of the delegates n.
the next annual meeting Of tho fcder-3
alton.
Although originally it was the intcn-
ton of Mrs. Wightman to have hcr
| trophy contested for under the sanc
! rules as those that prevail in Davis
Cup competition, discussion Of the
+ proposition has led to the drawing Ut
i Of regulations far more elastic, ir
view Of the greater difficulties and re
strctions governing women's interna-
tional play
Winner Shall Be Champion
The plans suggested for play in the
Wightman trophy competition are as
follows:
!. Representatives Of any nation. or
OF any recognized semi-independert
section OF a nation (such as Canada OF
Australia). arc eligible to compete
Z. The nation whose representative
has won the trophy shall be the cham
plon nation and shall have possession
of the trophy while it is the champion
nation.
3. Whenever a nation desires to
challenge it shall notify the champion
nation on what terms it would be con
venient to compete The minimum
shall be two out of three matches in
singles between one representative OF
each country. But IL the challenging
nation desires to incluie more singles
players or doubles match such terms
will be acceptable (The intention
being to make the terms of the com
petition as elastic as possible in order
to better overcome practical OBJ
stacles)
5. If the challenging nations terms
are acceptable to the champion nation.
nothing more shall be necessary. But
if no agreement as to terms can BE-
had, then the United States Lawn
Tennis Association shall act as final
arbiter and fix the terms
6. The United States Lawn Tennis
Association reserves the right to alter
the terms Of the competition at any
time when it deems such alteration
necessary to stimulate frequent com
petition for the trophy.
Women's Game Would Benefit
There seems no good reason why such
program of international competition
for women tennis players should not
grow to be almost on a par with the
famous Davis Cup matches, and I. for
one, hope this will come to pass. There
is no question that the women's game
throughout the civilized world would
benefit tremendously by such com
petition.
If it were possible to get the entries
of such noted players from abroad as
Mile. Suzanne Lenglen. of France; Mrs
Lambert Chambers and Mrs Larcombe
of England, and the best from Other
lands, and to pit them against our
greatest, such as Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt
Mallory, Miss Mary X. Browne, Mrs
Marion Zinderstein Jessup, etc. there
would follow the most brilliant series
Of matches between women players
ever seen on the courts, and such com
petition would bring new dignity and
Importance to women's tennis through
out the world