A YEAR'S TENNIS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 25, 29 December 1925, Page 7

A YEAR'S TENNIS.

REVIEW BY TILDEN

SUZANNE ON THE PEAK

NEW Y r ORK, Dec. 8. At the risk of incurring the dislike and disapproval of other players, I End it interesting at the close of any season to take a hasty glance at the general trend of the game, .and the improvement or retrogression of various stars (writes W. T. Tilden). Billy Johnston has had a great season. Ho made a wonderful comeback, and is as good as ever. Many people think Vincent Richards slipped. I would say he stood still. Jean Borotra had a wonderful year. Ho showed a great increase in confidence and technique. Gerald Patterson made a big comeback that placed him onco more among tho very best. J. 0. Anderson’s retrogression was ,yery marked, due primarily to illhealth and the unavoidable circumstances of family sorrow. ltene Lacoste showed marked earlyseason improvement that did not quite hold till the end of the year. He is a very great player now, and is destined to become still greater. Manuel Alonzo showed a decided improvement, duo to a more consistent control of temperament. Harada showed the most outstanding improvement of the whole year. He is ono of the most dangerous players Japan lias produced. Norris Williams was erratic, but brilliant.

Howard Kinsey had a year of stagnation.

B. I. C. Norton (South Africa) possibly showed a slight advance. George Lott had a year of disappointment after a wonderful start. Chapin's performances wore marked by careless lapses. Snodgrass had a poor season, ending dismally. Wallace Johnson is slipping. Casey put in splendid work, which was marred by illness. THE WOMEN PLAYERS. Mdlle Suzanne Lenglen had the greatest season ever known by any. plaver. She not only staged a comeback, but actually surpassed anything achieved previously. She had a year of superlative performance. All must hail Ivor as beyond criticism. Miss Helen Wills had a rather uncertain season, showing bad spots. Yet she rose to greater heights than ever before. Miss Kathleen McKane had a wonderful season. She is one of the world's great stars, but she was unfortunate in the draw in the big tournaments. Miss Elizabeth Ryan lvad a fine season. She fully held her own, and perhaps went ahead. Mrs Mallory made a magnificent come-back, and she is onco more among the top-notchers. Miss Joan Fry made a sensational improvement that carried her to the very top flight. Mrs Lambert Chambers is still among the greatest stars. On the whole, the tennis year has been the greatest in the history of the game. Certainly, nobody can deny. Suzanne her position on the peak of glory in tennis history. I understand she may accompany the French team to America next year. _ Miss Helen Wills is going to Paris in the New Year to meet Suzanne on her own oourts in the Riviera, and should she defeat the French marvel there I would regard it as little short of a miracle. 1