Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-01-18
Sports
u. S. Becomes
Good at Tennis
Picking Ten Best Men For Count
Game Becoming Easier Job
Each Year

Each Year
New York, Jan. 1S-Pieking the
4 best tennis players in America
asst year wasn't near the job
hat it was in 1921. Perform
lnces of the leading stars were
so outstanding that they adjust
ed themselves almost automatic
ally.
Tilden Johnson, Richards and
Williams as the leaders among the
men players were foregone con-
clusions. Their records made mis-
axes impossible.
Many critics found fault with
he Judgment of the ranking
body in placing Dallace F John
son, the Philadelphia c, stroke
xpert, in the fifth place It
asn't that he is not highly re-
lrded as a tennis player, but
scause he competed in less en-
agemsnts than some of the play
RS listet below him. I'D
-
Mrs. Molla Ma curse,
could be placed -ae.slts-r out No.
1 among the women p,syers. She
may not be the greatest player
in the world, but she was the
best in America last season.
In placing the Boston girl, Miss
Leslie Bancroft, in second po-
sition, the committee bumped up
against some criticism from the
friends and followers of the Cali
sornia girl star, Helen Mills.
Miss Bancroft did beat the Cali
fornia girl several times during
the season, but nor one gave Mrs.
Mallory the number Of stif bat
ties that little Helen did.
Some critics also found fault
with the committee for failing to
include Miss Mary X. Browne,
the former champion, on the list.
Ranking the ten best tennis
players OF the ten best perform
ers in. any branch Of sport is
strictly a matter of opinion, and
there always will be difference in
opinions.
No ranking ever will be gen.
orally accepted as perfect, but the
work of the tennis committee last
year was as near as humanity
possible to perfection.
Fear that the game of William
Tilden would be impaired by the
amputation Of a part of a finger
on his racquet hand seems to be
unfounded.
The real nature of the handl-
cap will not be known until the
champion gets down to some real
competition.
In his match of the indoor sea-
son he did not seem to be Grip
pied. and as he is Of the type OK
layer who is at best when thu
,nr is the hardest, there is n,
ascn to put on mourning Tor
"a so soon. a'7-'-
Much was made over the al
eed poor form shown recently
~ Mile. Suzanne Lenglen, the
worlds woman champion, in de
featuring Mrs. Satterthwaite, the
British star, at o., and 60 in
the Cannes championship.
II was the first appearance Of
the French girl in the Winter
season, and it is not surprising
hat her game might have been
Fl some.
Super-championS like Mile. Len
glen. are forced into the position
IF always playing a sup game
rEheing classed as ''g hack"
European nations and the far
astern countries have rather gem
rously admitted that the United
states i, getting more 0ud more
INTO G as where it S. w. in
vincih'e tennis.
IntereSt shown te's IN
the game, and tn develop
ment of the jU.io.s @ getting
ready for Uncle sam Il class of
Davis Cup defenders that ought
to be as capable As Tilden, John
ston, Richards and Williams,
Twenty juniors and twenty boy
PLAYERS were found good enough
~ the association on the rank
'ng list and that speaks plenty
FRENCH COLLEGE YELL
Paris BY Mail to United Press
I'm line with a tendency toward