Evening star., 1933-02-09

n 1EW YORK, February g.
M Suzanne Lenglen will re-
/ Y sumo play as an amateur
in lawn tennis.
This information comes to the
writer today from a foreign source
whose knowledge of European
tennis is from inside. The French
girls five-year period Of proba-
ton following her dip into profess
sionalism has now been completed
and her application for reinstate-
ment as an amateur will shortly
be submitted, if indeed it is not
already in hand.
Suzanne played quite a bit of tennis
last Summer and Americans who
watched her in action-they were all
excellent judges of tennis form-were
amazed at her proficiency. She moved
about the court with all her pristine
resiliency and grace, and her stroking
revealed no flaws.
IN speed she was obviously of and in
q eIQurdIlCe dlSO, puI CIleSe were Oc-
fectS that intensive practice would
remedy. Talk abroad is that she will
appear il many tournaments on the
Riviera this Spring as well as in the
hard-court matches at st. Cloud
with Wimbledon, of course, in the offing.
What after that? Will she come to
this country? If she becomes an anna
teur and is thus eligible to play in our
womens national at Forest Hills, you
may be sure that any influence the
u. S. L. T. A. could WELD to bring
about her appearance here would not
be spared.
Lenglen versus Helen Wills Moody?
Would that pack em in if Mrs. Moody
goes abroad this coming season, or were
the French girl to come to this coun-
try? The answer is obvious.
4 S to the relative merits of the
"A two girls, even those who we're
most enthusiastic about Suzanne's
ability would not be inclined to favor
her over the present world champion,
were the two to meet. She has been
too long out of the game, and so much
is implied in the matter of qualities
necessary to an athlete who would tri-
umph over the world that Mrs. Moody
would have to be favored.
Of course, in event of her applica-
ton for restoration being made, the
French Tennis Federation might hold
her up year before granting it. Feret,
the French male player who partici-
pated with Lenglen in the G. G. Pyle
hippodrome, has already been restored
to amateur standing, but the writer's
impression IS that he was obliged to
wait several months, if not a year. On
the other hand, Suzanne has not played
a spot of pro tennis in four years and
this fact might stand her in stead so
far as rushing through her reinstate-
ment Is concerned
As for lawn tennis authorities in this
country, the writer thinks he is in a
position to say that the former cham
pion's return to amateur status would
be welcomed.
IF the full story of Suzanne Lenglens
i experience of professional lawn ten
mis- could BE- written it would stand
as forlorn object lesson against i'll
considered entrance into the merce-
nary sidesof the sport. If she made any
money at ALL, it, was by no means the
sum unexpected to make, and a re-
cital of all the things that went wrong
in her professional career would make
patheticssreading.
Meanwhile Jean Borotra, following
his victory In indoor singles in France.
announces once more that he Is
through with singles play, including
that involved in the Davis Cup. Thus
he accepts Rene Lacoste's humorous
suggestion in the French magazine,
Lawn Tennis, that Jean get in his an
nual retirement announcement early so
that he will not have that to worry
about as he fits himself for another
s:ason Of singles match play. But this
time it may well be Borotra is serious.
He suffered so greatly in popularity
when the French public-which has no
thought he was all in as champion,
as to be pretty well disillusioned about
the duty he owes to the tennis en-
thusiasts of his country.