The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-08-11


No doubt the wonderful showing
OF Miss Wills and her sister Ameri.
cans in the recent Olympic games
has increased interest in. the game
in this country. This is the first
time that the United States has
been able to develop a woman
champion able to win Olympic
honors. May Sutton Bundy was
the first American woman to win
the Wimbledon tournament. The
fact that she did not take part in
the Olympic games kept her from
acquiring the honors recently won
by Miss Wills.
Miss Wills failure at VIM
bledOn has not cost her any pres
tige. The difference in the quality
of the ball uscd i'm Great Britain
and this country cost the Cali
fornia girl much. Of her splendid
form.
When the same grade of ball was
furnished her at the Olympic cham
pionships as that used here she
breezed through her field like a
stake horse showing his heels to a
bunch OF selling platers. The
honors that she acquired in taking
the Olympic title are sufficient to
give her a foremost position among
the women players Of all time.
Suzanne Kenglen may have dis.
played good Judgment when she re-
manned. out of the Olympic cham
pionships. At least, many Of those
who saw Helen perform in the latter
event are of that opinion
The talent that is arrayed against
Miss Wills Is the sort that woulG
shake the nerve of almost any
other star than the California girl
Helen Is not of the nervous type. No
mishap cuts into her game. No
boast of a rival keeps her from
playing her best game. She is
made Of the timber that all great
champions have been constructed
OF. The only way to beat her is to
outplay her at her game.
To do this it looks as il her
rivals would have to perform a
miracle at tennis. So far as We
can see Helen has q firm hold on
her national hOnors.
It was in. the national champion.
ships a couple of years ago that the
California girl attracted attention
from the court experts. Those who
saw her perform predicted that
within year or so they would see
her win the title. Last year the
California girl made good this pre-
diction. She beat Mrs. Molla
Bjurstedt Mallory, national cham.
pion for number of years, with
something to spare. After the
match tennis authorities recognized
her as the best aIl-around cham.
pion that the United States has
had in some years.
Her game is we'll balanced. It
resembles greatly the quality Of
game that Mrs. May Sutton Bundy
played when she was winning ma.
.tional and international victories.
No doubt the fact that both stars
come from California. has much to
do with the similarity of their
games.
Miss Wills most formidable op.
ponent looks to be Mrs. Marion
Zinderstein Jessup. The latter did
not play as we'll over in Europe
as she is capable Of doing. No
doubt her long layoff had much to
do with her falling off in form
Those who know her. are sure
that she will improve her game
immensely.
Mrs. Jessup is a steady player:
She has been listed among the ten
best in the United States for the
past eight years. In the various
makeup Of the Wightman Cup and
iV1fA nd
spring she displayed all of her old.
time form. However, after reach
ing the other side she never
played as we'll as she was expected
to do.
Mary X. Browne, former ma
tiOnal title holder: Is another Cali
fOrT1ian that Is going to make a
try for the national h0nOrs. This
veteran Is a star of the very first
magnitude. Her game In the
preliminary tournaments has been
good enough to give her a
chance at the title.
Eleanor Cess and Lillian Schar.
man, the other members OF the
champion Olympic team, are being
picked as the dark horses in the
series. Both are expert players
and capable of coming through
with som exceptionally fine tennis.
Mrs. Molla Bjurstedt Mallory,
former champion. is to make an at.
tempt to win back her crown in
the series. The fact that Miss
Wills triumphed over Mrs. Mallory
in the Olympics makes the Cali
fornia girl sure that she can do it
again.
Other entrants include Miss
Wayne Mcdonald, the presen:
holder of the national clay court
championship as we'll as the metz D.
politan grass and clay titles; Miss
Anna II. Fuller. the eighteen. year.
old star from Boston, who created