Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-27


She greets one with a quick. firm
handclasp that is neither too bold nor
too shy, and q sweet smile that is most
ingratiating. There is a lets bc
friends attitude about her that
warmed me to her immediateIy-in 81
word, she is what we French call
sympathIque. She had come TO the
RIVERA to meet me and Wrest from
me title which is perhaps the mos,
important in the world OF Wo1nen's
sports, yet there was no unfriendliness
or hostility in her bearing toward me
no evidence of rivalry and no sign.
even, of the repression of such Il senti.
ment.
III there is any restraint NJ all about
this charming Californian it is the re-
straint of dignity. There is nothing
1apperish, in the new sense nf the
word, about her. / have seen the new
series of American fiapper. and I can
not say that as class they have won
my wholehearted admiration. / do not
think that the boy bobbed. jazzy and
ultra modern fapper is quite as nice n
type as the seddte and demure tennis
champion of America. Am / right in
supposing that the fiapper is really in
the minority. and that Helen Wills is
q good example of the typical Ameri-
can girl?
Another admirable quality of this
sweet girl is her fine Sportsmanship.
IN recent tournament ] saw Miss
Wits play in a mixed doubles match
"nlch was umpired by a man who had
evidently been chosen more for the
strength of his voice than for the keen
ness of his vision. Not only were his
decisions faulty. but he kept mixing
the score up in Il manner that was
most encouraging to all of the PLAYERS
vi the four players Miss Wills was the
only one who did not grumble or cast
piack looks in the umpires direction
knew that she was annoyed. and ad.
mlred her for not showing it.
Weakest at Overhead PLAY.
1t is difficult and delicate mat
Ter for me to comment upon Miss
wins game. | am taking the liberty
Oh an older and much more expert
enced player to analyze what seems
to me to be her good and bad points.
Her service is as good as that of
any woman player in the world Ii
mas sufficient speed TO bother the
average woman player and / have
often seen her ace players of no
mean ability. She has speedy.
accurate forehand drive and plavs
best from the baseline.
Her backhand and overhead have
improved greatly since the time |
first saw her play at Wimbledon.
but both, and especially the latter.
leave much to be desired. 1t is un-
doubtedly her weak overhead that
keeps Miss Wills on the baseline
and prevents her from improving her
net game. 1t is impossible to take
mo Ir1ln n,,N
steady and reliable overhead, for
without it one is always at the
| mercy of lob. Miss Wills is faster
on her feet than she gives the i'm
preston of being. She is undoubt-
edly a strong girl and J. who have
never been too robust, understand
what an asset that is.
l do not believe that it is possible
to find n greater contrast in all
tennisdom than there is between Miss
Wills and myself when ii comes IL,
temperament. She plays calmly and
| compoSedly, while l am a bundle of
nerves. Once on the court l cannot
keep still: 1 am continuously moving
about, every nerve fiber in me ex-
pectantly alert, waiting for the crack
of the ball to send me into action.
I do not give my nerves q rest be-
| tween points. but keep them keyed
up to the same pitch of excitement
| throughout the match. Miss Wills
gives her nerves rest between points
her slow, measured step to the serv-
ing or receiving position bespeaks
splendid control of herself and her
nervous system. Naturally. we each
play the game the best suits our tenn
permanent and it would be foohardly
for us to try to change.
l hope to have the pleasure of meet
ing Miss Wills often in the future.
She is a courageous opponent and
am always sure of an interesting
match. That, regardless of the vic
tory. is the most important thing.
(Copyright 1921