Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-21
HELEN Wills Tells
HOW SHE LEARNED
AND PLAYS TENNIS

American women in the world of
tennis, read The Associated Press in
terview Q. E. Wheeler obtained with
Bobby Jones, worlds golf champion
Interested that tennis may keep its
rightful place along with golf il the
sentiment Of al luue lovers Of sport
She responded to a request of the
general manager of The Associated
Press that she tell Miss Ethel NJ
Halsey how she learned tennis. how
she faced championship matches and
what hope there may be that all
Young girls may take up the game.
Miss Halsey is a member of the New
York reportorial staff of the Asso-
ciated Press.
New York, July 20-(P)-An ar
dent hope for an increasing interest
among young women in the sport
she loves moved Helen Wills. once Of
California, but now acclaimed as
Helen Of America" to tell The AS
soclated Press that the fun in it"
alone is sufficient warrant for all
young girls to take up tennis. Be
cause she does love the game and
does want 1t to have a greater place.
particularly among women in the
recreation life of the land, she en-
dured the longest interview Of her
young life-and came through sail
ing.
She was asked to begin where she
began tennis and to bring her story
through to the thrice repeated cham
plonships, even to the eager present
where she is back on the courts af-
ter an operation and is preparing for
the contest soon to come when she
will seek her fourth championship.
First off, let 1t be said that her
story is one of encouragement to
young players who hate the disci-
pline of instruction, for like Topsy,
she believes she lust growed into a
tennis player"
I played for fun. I practiced by
playing the game, not by drilling
on strokes" she said. 81 never
bounced the ball against barn ward
door. l played against those who
could show me the simple PRINCIPALS
or position and strokes and then I
worked out my own technique. | was
early impressed with the importance
OF footWorh. ! found that nv serve
was about the hardest thing for me
and [ worked quite hard to perfect
1t. But l did not do this by serving
a lot OF balls over the net at once.
L uld 1t IN games as I went along The
result was that ! never noticed any
sudden mastery Of a special stroke
out just found my game improving
gradually, strengthening as 1 con-
Hnued to play. From the time was
hfteen | have played at least four
times week or oftener.-
we ere your opponents always
girls ?"
Not at all. played a good deal
with men, as all girls should. because
by doing so they will harden and null
up their game. Then, too. men plav
the game harder and better and it is
the best thing any one can do to
play against players better than
himself and to play against PLAYERS
playing at their best. That is whv
match play is such a good thing. be-
sides being more exciting than or
binary playing"
one does not have to observe Helen
Wills long TO realize that tennis has
given her at once physical strength
and grace of movement. Then, too.
since her recent trip to Paris the
world has learned of her love of
pretty clothes and the good taste
with which she dresses her youthful
good looks. Interviewed on the sub
Ject Of her mastery of the court. she
presented rather the picture Of ora