The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1947-11-15
Gal Meter Asks: = :.
HOW YOUNG I G! !.
lis TOO YOUNG?
By WILBUR JENNINGS

By WILBUR JENNINGS
EORTfs LAUDERDALE., Fla
T., Luurd Lou John. l4h Yeors
old and So pounds. wishes she
could age q couple of years
overnight. and then perhdps.
she says. the fdthsfs Of the
United, Stdtes Ldvn Tennis
Aasoc i1tion would let her play
in some OF the big net tournu.
sments.' i. -.
Lahra Louis, trouble !; is that
she's. too. young Her tennis
playing. however, is tops. She
ranks 18th among the women
racquet. swingers of the United
States. -.
Her, father, Leslie jain, a
professional tennis coach Of
Fort Lauderdale and. Belmar, N.
j., wants his daughter to be
national singles ,Wome-'s cham
pion by the. time she's ia
feat he asserts she'll accomplish
If she can get in some big tour
naments for the all-important
seasoning. =. 80. -.
!, Helen Wills MOODY won the
singles crown at IL, and Miss
jain would. =. like to, better or
equal that mark. i. - - '.~
But the USLFA has turned
thumbs down on Laura jain un-
It'll she grows more, There is no
age limit ON the tournament,
but the little blonde girl Just is
not considered old enough. -.
:. The latest tournament to
which Laura Lou was invited
but which the USLTA said mo
was the Fan American, in Next
co, City. She also was refused
permission to, perofrm in Sea-
bright, Nh, affair last sum-
Said Holcombe Ward, fUSLTA
president, concerning l. aru + a
Lou and the Mexico City tour
ney: -. -. {. - +.
THE association feels that she
is "A bit<young to be playing out
side of her own country and in
International competition, and
THAT the invitation should be
extended to-tqne Of our older
players. After all, she. has a good
many years ahead of her.
Il Clarence Hall. president of the
Eastern Lawn Tennis. '9Associa-
ton, once indicated that. play
ing against high bracket oppo-
nents might burn out" the
youngster.. : x.......' $780,,
! But her father, differs. How
viii she ever learn if she does.
not play against better oppo-
nents?", he asks. He. isn't. going
to rest until the USLTA lets
Laura Lou. in a big tournament.
The next one he'll worry them
about is the Bermuda meeting
coming up. in the winter. .......
Last New Years Day, Laura
Lou captured the Florida wo-
men title for the second year
in a row and then moved on to
win the Heart of America juni-
or in Kansas City; Atlantic Ju-
nior singles. Junior doubles and
l5-year-old singles. In the finals
Of the senior fwomen'S Heart
tourney she lost to the highly
rated Bahia Lewis. -.
!. Charles Shaw, president of
the South Florida Tennis Asso-
citation calls Laura Lou the
Outstanding prospect in the
country today"
She didn't take up tennis un-
til she was IL. Then her father
took her out on the court and
proceeded with so hours of les
sons, but no actual play. That
summer, June, l945, she enter
ed the New Jersey State l5-year
old championship at Short Hills
and proceeded to surprise all by
putting up great exhibition of
spunk and grit to win.
| Laura Lou never practices,
her father says. "She has to con-
centrate on growing up" he
added.
He says the only time she
works on her game is practicing
different shots in the actual
combat of the early matches of
tournament" which might be
dangerous for any one but Lau-
IA Lou.
| Her game has been compared
to a wrist watch for its neat
ness, compactnesS, accuracy and