New Britain herald., 1927-08-24
MARY BROWNE ON
 CHANCE 0F STYLE
Tells of Tournament Play in the
 Old Days Gone By
BY MARY K. BROWNE

(Unlteo freSS stan 'CorreSpondent)
 New York. Aug. 24 Copyright 1927. by United Press)-How cham pions and championships have changed! Fifteen years ago when I won my first national championship I played three finals in one after noon, singles, ladies' doubles and mixed doubles. was tired but a healthy physical tired from which I completely recovered with one nights good rest. and was keen for more tennis.
 Today our championships are di- vided with singles and ladies' doubles one week and mixed doubles during the mems national doubles the following week. The players in the singles championship are called upon for only one singles match the first day and one singles and a doubles match the following days.
 If rain mercedes, as 1t did yes- terday, the tournament is carried on into the following week. there is no doubling up of matches. Besides this cut in the amount of play Helen Wills has further cut down her play by entering in only the singles which means that she will appear once a day and in her present form most Of her matches will probably take her about 30 minutes.
 Helen told me yesterday that she did not feel keen for two events, that her tennis abroad had tired her physically and mentally. This seems to bear out Rene LaCoste's conten- ton that it is a greater strain to win than to lose.
 Helen's lack of keenness for tour nament competition is regrettable in that the champion sets the standard of play in tennis. In golf one al- ways has par a. the perfect oppo- nert If Helen does not play in the tournaments the younger players do not have an opportunity to play against her and improve their games accordingly. If Helen continues to cut down and cut out tournament competition she will acquire a ''cot- ton battin' reputation.
 It Is different with William Tilden and Molla Mallory. They simply love tennis and are never so happy as when they are competing. Per- sonally, I love their enthusiasm and unselfshness. Both Tilden and Mol la are willing to pair with weaker partners to insure a contest, rather than select the best player in the tournament as a partner to be sure of a win.
 Yesterday "Pour-vius," the god of rain, was holding the center of the stage and the players were relegated to the bridge tables on the veranda. II interfered with several bridge games to glean a few details for my column.
 Eileen Bennett, the beautiful young girl from England, has a car load of tennis costumes, rivaling the great Suzanne Lenglen's famous ten his wardrobe. Mrs. Bennett admits that Eileen has 30 tennis dresses l figure she should have costumes Ito ilet." They are one piece sleeveless dresses with plaited skirts, beautl- fully tailored. Miss Benntet IS a picture of loveliness on the court.
 Even the tennis racquets are get ting dressy. You can see all kinds of fancy colored strings and various stripes around the frames and handles. Eileen Bennett has E. $. monogramed in gold upon her rac- auet. .No player of the first mag nitude walks into the stadium with less than three racquets.
 The English girls wear shorter skirts than the Americans, just to their knees. They wear long, yes, very long, almost theatrical in length white lisle stockings with short white wool socks which turn down just below the ankle. Their dresses and those of the majority of the Americans are the one piece sleeve less dress. Helen Wills still sticks to her middy blouse and the plaited skirt. She likes the two piece cos tune because her blouse instead of her skirt hikes when she takes her strokes. I should like to see Helen in one of Eileen Bennett's dresses. Helen would look stunning.
 Women are not allowed to wear spikes. regardless of the condition of the courts. The men insist upon them. Shall I say the women are tN