New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-08-04
WOMEN NET STARS
SHOW GOOD FORM
Mary <. Browne Predicts Amer.
lean Team Will Win
BY MARY X. BROWNE

United Press Staff Correspondent
Copyright. 1927. by United Press)
Sea Bright. N. j., Aug. 4 (UP)-
II I were captain of the American
women's international tennis team,
as l was just a year ago, ! should
now be highly gratified with the
playing form Of the prospective can
didates for the team. Molla Mallory,
Eleanor Goss, Helen Jacobs, Mar
garet Blake and Charlotte Chaplin.
Not to mention that Helen Wills,
No. l on the team. is playing the
best tennis of her life.
l do not think the English ladies
will win the Wightman trophy, as
they did two years ago when they
came to America. The English have
better doubles combination, for our
players all seem to specialize in
singles, and pay very little attention
to combining regularly with a plau-
sible team candidate SO they can
learn the all-important teamwork so
essential in good double play.
practiced yesterday with Molla
Mallory and found her just the same
marvellous Molla. who always seems
to play her strokes with confidence
and fine direction. She is two
stroke player, possessing only the
forehand and backhand drive, de-
void of a net game severe service
or a chop, yet Molla Mallory has
gained seven national championships
in America.
To be sure, Suzanne Lenglen very
rarely comes to the net in singles,
though she is brilliant vollier. Hell
en- Wills comes in a little oftener
than Suzanne. but not regularly by
any means. The reason being mainly
that ground strokes generally have
improved so much that the advance
to the net must be very carefully
prepared or the point will be lost
The fact, however, that both SUI
anne Lenglen and Helen Wills can
play the net If drawn to that posi-
ton, is an asset which Mrs. Mallory
does not possess. the lack of which
is sometimes very embarrassing to
her. For example, when Molla
meets a clever opponent who will
employ the short drop shot and
close to the net cross court which
will draw Molla automatically to the
net. where she is at sea.
Molla has tried to learn the vol
ley, but uses her drive stroke instead
Of the orthodox block volley stroke.
Not playing the net in singles is
less serious handicap than in
doubles. Possession of the net in
nine-tenths of the battle in doubles
and as essential in women's doubles
as in mems. In the old days all
four women remained in the back
court and their double matches were
the bane of the tournament commit
tee, because the rallies were mon
otonously long and undressing
and the matches occupied the courts
for hours. But today it is as excit-
ing to see good ladies' double with
all four women fighting for the net
position, as it is to watch the men
in similar action.
The women have learned to kill"
overheads, to volley crisply from
close to the net and to cleverly angle
their placements. In fact, volley-
ing has become so important that
even though player may not be as
strong at the net as on the baseline,
still he should come in with his part
ner, II for no other reason than to
keep his opponent back. You must
possess the net to win.
The semi-fina matches of the la