Evening star., 1924-08-31

UnSpolled by European plaudits OF
the multitudes, handshakings with
crowned heads and all the adulation
heaped upon her-just as winsome
and even more diplomatic when being
interviewed than when she left
Miss Wills was back in Berkeley to-
day with her nose buried in a stack
of school books, more intent on max
ing up two weeks lost time In col
lege than in being Americas premier
tennis star
In her homecoming il seems that
Miss Wills reserved something for her
home town folks, which a lot of peo-
pie in the East and abroad would
have liked to start her talking about
Mile Suzanne LengIen.
si1enr on All Quizzing.
Ever since before she left home
early last May with the hope OF d
chance at the French girls title either
at Wimbledon or in the Olympic games
people have been trying to get the
Berkeley girl to say something about
Suzanne. The much sought some
thing, it was hoped, would be d
few words starting a colorful bunch
of verbal pyrotechnics between the
two-something like those ALREADY
engaged in on a couple of occasions
by Miss Lenglen and Mrs. Molla Nal
lory. or like big Tilden once turned
loose after he had been beaten BY
Little Bill" Johnston.
Miss Wills, however, does not say
things in interviews she does not
want to say. Among her other stud
les at the University of California
she is taking course in applied
sychology-which may account for
it. For weeks before she left Berke-
ley, all the time she was abroad and
during the days she was in the east
during her return home. she adroitly
lodged saying something" about
Mile. Lenglen.
Breaches Subject Herself.
Arriving home nobody thought it
worth while to press her on such a
hopeless subject. What was the use?
So Miss Wills, thoroughly womanlike.
decided 10 open the subject herself
What she has to say of one opponent
whom she hoped most to meet, but
did not, might form an interesting
treatise on craftsmanship for some
Of our best known athletes, both
amateur and professional.
Please. oh, please, try to correct
any impression that. Mile. Lenglen
defaulted at Wimbledon and did not
enter the Olympic tournament be
cause she was afraid of me-" begged
Miss Wills. Nothing is further from
the truth or more ridiculous.
Mile. Lenglen was very ILL am
certain of that. / saw her right after
she withdrew from the Wimbledon
tournament and it was easy to see
she was in no condition to play ten
mis- Also l know she had not re-
covered sufficiently to participate in
the Olympic tournaments, although
she tried herself out on private courts
in the hope that she might have re-
covered sufficient form to partici-
pate.
Pays Tribute to Susanne.
In the Wimbledon competitions
had, Mile. Lengien been able to par
tfcipate at the same top form which
she showed earlier in the same tourna-
ments, she undoubtedly would have
beaten me. 1 was unable to get into
proper stride and she easily beat
players who beat me.
AT Paris. however, I was at top
form and think it would have been
a great match. Naturally, 1 am dis
appointed that L could not play
against Mile. Lenglen, but that will
come later. I have met her several
times socially and found her a very
fine woman. 1t is unjust for any
body to think she is gutter"
Copyright, 1924