Helen Wills Again Wins Ladies’ Tennis Championship.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18805, 6 July 1929, Page 6

Helen Wills Again Wins Ladies’ Tennis Championship.

BEATING another American girl with the loss of but three games in two sets, Miss Helen Wills, of California, has again triumphed in the Ladies’ Singles Championship. She was never troubled in the slightest by any of her opponents, and one cable message described her formidable all-round play as “ polite massacre.”

The final of the Ladies’ Doubles Championship will be fought out by Mesdames Watson and Michell, of England, and Mesdames Coveil and Barron, also of England. Last year the former pair won. With F. T. Hunter, Miss Wills has advanced to the final of the Mixed Doubles Championship. 1. G. Collins and Miss Joan Fry will attempt to keep the title in England. Last year’s winners were P. D. B. Spence and Miss Ryan.

(United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received July 6, 11 a.m.) LONDON, July 5. The All England lawn tennis championships were continued at Wimbledon to-day. Results:— Ladies’ Singles Championship. Final. Miss Helen Wills (U.S.A.) beat Miss Helen Jacobs (U.S.A.), 6-1, 6-2. Ladies’ Doubles Championship. Semi-final. Mesdames Watson and Michell (England) beat Mrs MTlquham and Miss Harvey (England), 6-4, 5-7, 6-7. Mixed Doubles Championship. Semi-finals. I. G. Collins and Miss Joan Fry (England) beat J. C. Gregory and Miss Ryan (England), 6-2, 6-3.

“A REAL SURPRISE. ’ (United Press Assn.—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) (Received Juiv 6, 2 p.m.) LONDON, July 5. Miss Jacobs was unable to extend Miss Wills, so the final was disappointing. The defat of Cochet and Miss Bennett in the mixed doubles was a real

surprise. It was largely due to the way in which Miss Joan Fry stood up to Cochet’s cross drives in the closing stages. Championship Roll Since the War. Men’s Singles. 1919 G. L. Patterson (Australia). 1920 W. T. Tilden (U.S.A.). 1921 W. T. Tilden (U.S.A.). 1922 G. L. Patterson (Australia). 1923 W. M. Johnston (U.S.A ). 1924 J. Bororta (France). 1925 R. Lacoste (France). 1926 J. Borotra (France). 1927 H. Cochet (France). 1928 R. Lacoste (France). Ladies’ ’Singles. 1919 Mile Lenglen (France). 1920 Mile Lenglen (France). 1921 Mile Lenglen (France). 1922 Mile Lenglen (France). 1923 Mile Lenglen (France). 1924 Miss K. M’Kane (England). 1925 — Mile Lenglen (France). 1926 Mrs L. A. Godfree (England). 1927 Miss H. Wills (U.S.A.). 1928 Miss H. Wills (U.S.A ). 1929 Miss H. Wills (U.S.A.). ’Queen of the Courts.’* Miss Helen Wills first rose to tennis fame at the age of fifteen, when she won the U.S.A. girls’ championship and the Pacific Coast championship. In 1922 she reached the final of the U.S.A. singles championship and won the doubles championship. The following year, when seventeen years of age, she won the singles championship, defeating Mrs Mallory, the holder, in the final. Representing U.S.A. v. England with Mrs Mallory, she won the doubles championship. She visited England in 1924 with the U.S.A. Olympic team and played against England. At Wimbledon, she reached the finals of the singles championship, and, with her partner, won the doubles championship. In Paris, at the Olympic Games, Miss Wills won both the singles and doubles championship. In 1925 she won the U.S.A. singles cup outright, and also the doubles championship. She represented America v. England in the Wightman Cup. In 1927 she won the singles and doubles championships at Wimbledon, regained the American singles championship, and again represented America v. England in the Wightman Cup tourney. In 1928 she was unbeaten in the singles and won the championships at Wimbledon and of France and America (a record) without losing a set. She won the U.S.A. mixed doubles championship (with J. B. Hawkes) and once more represented America v. England in Wightman Cup matches. This year, Miss Wills has already won the laudies’ championships of France and England.

F. T. Hunter and Miss Helen Wills (U.S.A.) beat N. G. Farquharson and Miss Heine (South Africa), 6-8, 6-2, 6.-3. —Australian Press Association.