What a marvelous tournament this proved to be! In very truth it was a World's Championship.Mrs.May Sutton Bundy, former world's champion, back again after fifteen years with all her old charm of manner, much of her speed of shot and foot, and even more cunning and experience; Miss Mary K.Browne, brilliant, fascinating, clever Mary, with all her old-time personality and game that three times had carried her to the highest honors in American tennis; Mrs.Mallory, keen, determined and resourceful, defending the title she had held so long and well; the young players, rising in the game, struggling to attain the heights, and finally looming over all the figure of the famous French champion of champions, Suzanne Lenglen, considered by many competent critics the greatest woman tennis player of all time.
The stage was set for the sensational, and for once it occurred.The God of Luck took a hand in the blind draw and this resulted in all the stars, with the exception of Miss Mary Browne, falling in one half.Mile.Suzanne Lenglen was drawn against Miss Eleanor Goss, while Mrs.Mallory met Mrs.Marion Zinderstein Jessop, her famous rival, in the first round, with the winners of these matches to play each other in the second.
Unfortunately illness prevented Mile.Lenglen from sailing at her appointed time.She arrived in America but one day before the tournament was to start.The officials of the United States Lawn Tennis Association wisely granted Mile.Lenglen another day's grace by holding her match with Miss Goss until Tuesday.Mrs.Mallory, playing brilliantly, crushed Mrs.Jessop on Monday.
Then came the deluge! Miss Goss, taken suddenly ill, was forced to default to Mlle.Lenglen on Tuesday and Mrs.Mallory was called upon to meet the great French player in Mlle.Lenglen's first American appearance.
There is no question but what it was a terribly hard position for Mlle.Lenglen.Mrs.Mallory was physically and mentally on the crest.She had lived for this chance ever since Mlle.Lenglen had defeated her at St.Cloud in June.Now it was hers and she determined to make the most of it.
The two women stepped on the court together.Mlle.Lenglen was obviously and naturally nervous.Mrs.Mallory was quietly, grimly confident.Her whole attitude said "I won't be beaten." Every one of the 10,000, spectators felt it and joined with her in her determination.It was an electric current between the gallery and the player.I felt it and am sure that Mlle.Lenglen must have done so too.It could not fail to impress her.The match opened with Mrs.Mallory serving.From the first ball, the American champion was supreme.Such tennis I have never seen and I verily believe it will never be seen again.The French girl was playing well.She was as good as when she defeated Mrs.Mallory in France or Miss Ryan in England, but this time she was playing a super-woman who would not miss.One cannot wonder her nerves, naturally overwrought, broke under the strain.
Mrs.Mallory, in an exhibition of faultless, flawless tennis, ran through the first set 6-2.It was at this point Mlle.Lenglen made her mistake.
She had trouble getting her breath and was obviously feeling the strain of her tremendous exertions.She defaulted the match! Mrs.Mallory walked from the court conqueror, clearly the superior of the much vaunted world's champion.
It is regrettable Mlle.Lenglen defaulted, for if she had played out the match, everyone would have made full allowance for her defeat, due, itwould be said, to natural reaction from her recent sea journey.No one would have been quicker to make allowance for Mlle.Lenglen than Mrs.Mallory herself.The whole tennis public deeply regretted an incident that might well have been avoided.
Mrs.Mallory was the woman of the hour.She marched on to victory and successfully defended her title by virtue of victories over Mrs.May Sutton Bundy in the semi-final and Miss Mary Browne in the final.
Marvellous Molla! World's Champion in 1921 beyond shadow of dispute!
It is deplorable that the quite natural reaction and nervous upset, coupled with a return of her bronchial illness, forced Mlle.Lenglen to return to France before she was able to play her exhibition tour for the Committee for Devastated France.Possibly 1922 will find conditions more favorable and the Gods of Fate will smile on the return of Mlle.Lenglen to America.
MRS.FRANKLIN I.MALLORY (Molla Bjurstedt)One of the most remarkable personalities in the tennis world is Mrs.Molla Bjurstedt Mallory, the American Champion and actually Champion of the World, 1921.
Mrs.Mallory is a Norsewoman by birth.She came to America in 1915.In 1919 she married Franklin I.Mallory, and thus became an American citizen.
It is a remarkable game which Mrs.Mallory has developed.She has no service of real value.Her overhead is nil, her volleying is mediocre; but her marvellous forehand and backhand drives, coupled with the wonderful court-covering ability and fighting spirit that have made her world-famous, allow her to rise above the inherent weaknesses of those portions of her game and defeat in one season all the greatest players in the world, including Mlle.Suzanne Lenglen.
Mrs.Mallory, with delightful smile, never failing sportsmanship and generosity in victory or defeat, is one of the most popular figures in tennis.
MRS.THOMAS C.BUNDY (May Sutton)
It is said "they never come back," but Mrs.May Sutton Bundy has proved that at least one great athlete is an exception to the saying.Fifteenyears ago, May Sutton ruled supreme among the women tennis stars of the world.
In 1921 Mrs.May Sutton Bundy, mother of four children, after a retirement of over a I decade, returned to the game when Mlle.Lenglen announced her intention of invading America.If Mlle.Lenglen's visit to our shores did nothing more than bring Mrs.Bundy and Miss Browne back to us, it was well worth while.
