Lenglen: Image is Everything

Image is everything. Or at least someone once said such a thing.

While such a notion might be a massive overstatement, "image" *does* endure. In fact, it tends to reinforce "legend."


SUZANNE LENGLEN (1899-1938)

Before the likes of Andre Agassi and Anna Kournikova altered the tennis landscape when it came to product endorsement and marketing, and Serena Williams and Roger Federer raised the bar in regards to cultural significance, controversy and/or near-religious levels of veneration, there was "La Divine," aka The Goddess.

Suzanne Lenglen pioneered it *all* a full century ago.

The legacy of the French champion, who at one point announced herself as "The Great Lenglen," was built upon the foundation of her tennis abilities, which led to her becoming an eight-time major singles title winner, Hall of Famer and one of the most celebrated athletes of the 20th century. Lionized as unassailable by the French press, idolized by the public on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and even noted in print by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Lenglen was a source of national pride following World War I. Her popularity and "gate appeal" led to Wimbledon being moved from Worple Road in London to its current site on Church Road, where a new Centre Court opened in 1922 with a seating capacity of nearly 10,000, almost three times the number at the previous venue.

But she isn't still talked about a century later solely because of her tennis.


LENGLEN at CANNES (1920)
" Lenglen was the first female athlete to be acknowledged as a celebrity outside her particular sport. She was acquainted with members of royal families such as Gustav V, the King of Sweden, and actresses such as Mary Pickford. She was also well known by the general public, and her matches were well-attended by people who were not otherwise interested in tennis. *


She broke new grounds not only for her athleticism, but for her ability to effortlessly smash fashion and social mores, as well. The daring image she projected, and the controversy she stirred up, created her enduring legacy (on and off court), many aspects of which still provide the template for quite a few of today's superstars in the sport.


* - from The Goddess and the American Girl, by Larry Engelmann (1988)



The impact of Suzanne Lenglen can be felt at both slams held on the European continent. It was the star power and skill of the flamboyant Frenchwoman in the late 1910's and early 1920's that caused the game to outgrow even Wimbledon, leading to the construction of a new, bigger complex in order to accommodate it all in 1922. What resulted are the grounds on which the tournament is still played today. The All-England Club, though her honorary membership was revoked when she turned pro in 1926, still ranks her among the five greatest Wimbledon champions.

But, naturally, her legend is far more evident at Roland Garros in her hometown of Paris.

While she never played on the current site of the tournament, Lenglen is the only player to be honored at any of the four majors with BOTH a stadium that bears her name, as well as a championship trophy named in her honor. La Coupe Suzanne Lenglen is awarded each year to the women's singles champion of Roland Garros. The current trophy was created in 1979. Every women's champ receives a smaller replica, while the original remains the property of the French Tennis Federation [Fédération Française de Tennis] (FFT).


[From Wikipedia] "Prior to Lenglen, female tennis matches drew little fan interest, which quickly changed as she became her sport's greatest drawing card. Tennis devotees and new fans to the game began lining up in droves to buy tickets to her matches. Temperamental, flamboyant, she was a passionate player whose intensity on court could lead to an unabashed display of tears. But for all her flamboyance, she was a gifted and brilliant player who used extremely agile footwork, speed and a deadly accurate shot to dominate female tennis for seven straight years. Her excellent play and introduction of glamour to the tennis court increased the interest in women's tennis, and women's sports in general."

In 2001 the FFT organized the first Suzanne Lenglen Cup for women in the over-35 age class. First played in France, the annual event is now held in a different country each year.


Originally designated "Court A", the tournament's second largest stadium (after Chatrier Court) seats 10,068 spectators. Built in 1994, it was renamed Court Suzanne-Lenglen in 1997. A bronze bas relief of Lenglen by the Italian sculptor Vito Tongiani stands over the east tunnel-entrance to the stadium. The court has an underground irrigation system, the first of its kind, to control moisture levels within its clay surface.

While Chatrier Court, named in honor of former French player and FFT President Philippe, is larger (seating nearly 15,000) it also has more of a "generic" quality, in my opinion. It's "boxy" shape and sharp angles aren't nearly as aesthetically pleasing as the curved, more unique and recognizable design of what is now Court Lenglen. There's a certain flair to how the stadium seems to resemble something akin to a rising sun behind the fans on either side of the court.

While Court Lenglen, were it to be designed by a truly creative architect today, could surely be made more befitting of its legendary namesake, it seems to fit her just fine. No matter how large a space and role it fills on the grounds, one could never envision the more style-less, rigid-looking Chatrier bearing Lenglen's name.

That simply would not do.


La Divine's influence stretched beyond a racket and ball. She was a fashion icon. As noted on the Museum at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) blog, "Lenglen fully embodied the idea of a liberated, active woman, and her fashion choices were a visible extension of her spirit and tenacity, on and off the court."


She is forever linked with French designer Jean Patou, known for his designing of sportswear for women, including being credited with inventing the tennis skirt. Patou created the then-shocking outfits worn on court by the French superstar, as she played in sleeveless dresses cut at the knee at a time when women dressed covered from head to toe. Designing with the idea of "femme moderne," the designer crafted clothes that were elegant, but also true to the newly-realized female athleticism of the day.

" (Patou) used jersey, which was originally used for menswear, to design silhouettes that were easier to move in for the more modern and active woman that emerged in the 20’s. Designing for tennis player, Suzanne Lenglen, he set a new scandalous trend, calf-length skirts and a sleeveless cardigan. This new silhouette created a lot of press for Patou including a spread in Vogue featuring Lenglen. " [from 20thcenturydesignersfinalproject.weebly.com]

Patou fashion spread for VOGUE magazine (December 1926)


"Suzanne Lenglen Shows How to Dress for Tennis -
Her Jean Patou sports costumes are correct and chic on the court and after the game"
" The 1920s ideal woman was youthful, physically fit, and healthy looking. The truly athletic woman was realized in Suzanne Lenglen, the 1921 Wimbledon tennis star, who wore Patou clothes both on and off the court. The benefits gained by the sports stars and other celebrities publicizing Patou's designs were many. Patou also provided a complete wardrobe for American female aviator, Ruth Elder, as well as many well-known stage stars. Patou customers, most of whom did not play sports, sought to emulate this new look. Patou recognized the need for clothes for the sports participant, the spectator, and for those wishing to appear athletic, both in the U.S. and in Europe. " [from Encyclopedia of Fashion]




Here is a brief interview with Ariele Elia, the Assistant Curator of Costume + Textiles at the Museum at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York, in which she touches on Patou, Lenglen and active wear from the era connected to an exhibition at the museum in 2014. The interview is followed by a short piece on Patou which includes photos and more on his connection to Lenglen.

Celebrated as an "Icon of the Week" a few years ago on TongueChic.com, Lenglen's place in fashion history was put into greater context.>

[From TongueChic.com]
"She was great entertainment. Her temperament drove spectators to tears. But even the fainthearted couldn’t look away. After all, she introduced glamour to the court.

Lenglen’s earlier tennis outfits went along with her time. She paired short-sleeved white blouses and mid-calf white cotton skirts with a wide brimmed bonnet for sun protection. Her twist to the status quo was in skipping traditional corsets and heavy underwear.

What set her further apart was a trademark cropped bob she kept until her retirement. Early into her career, she began wrapping it around a wide silk scarf. Her version of a feminine sportsband was the first of its kind.

At her 1920 Wimbledon finals, she made headlines with a change in appearance. Decked in full makeup, Lenglen walked onto court sporting a full-length fur coat only to unsheath it to reveal a tight-fitting sleeveless top and a scandalously short skirt. God forbid, it was knee-length! Of her outfit, (men's tennis star) Bill Tilden remarked, “Her costume struck me as a cross between a prima donna’s and a streetwalker.”

Her daring wear was crafted by Jean Patou, a designer most revered for eradicating the flapper look by lengthening women’s skirts. Once he started designing her cutting edge tennis wear, Lenglen became a pinnacle athletic figure for the Jazz Age.

Her career was about the time women’s suffrage met its peak; when greater opportunities for equality started to emerge. What Lenglen contributed to her time was incredibly significant. She turned women’s tennis from a game to a sport through and through.

And while her on-court outfits scandalized, they more importantly paved the way for flexibly convenient sportswear for women. To the practical attire, Lenglen also added a personalized touch of glamour – her shiny white stockings rolled to the knee for example, caused a bit of perverse outrage.

What we’ll appreciate most in retrospect today, is how Lenglen moved in her outfits. Combining balletic styles to her tennis strokes gave Lenglen enough of an edge to make her sportswear high fashion, even in the midst of a game."

LENGLEN & French player MAX DECUGIS


MOLLA MALLORY and LENGLEN (in fur coat) at 1921 U.S. CHAMPIONSHIPS


Lenglen's influence and inspiration continues today. The Hermes 2010 Spring Collection saw the 1920's Frenchwoman serve as the muse of designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

The Hermes link shows many of the looks that were created. Here's an example of two (on the left), along with images of Lenglen (right) that resemble what Gaultier produced ninety years later.


Any individual that becomes world famous, or even iconic, as was the case with Suzanne Lenglen, is then subject to the representation -- in print, comment or art -- of their physical image or personality. Some speak and act with knowledge, while others do so with varying degrees of information, intelligence and/or sensitivity. That's certainly the case today, when every opinion of anyone about anyone -- no matter how toxic -- can stand on its own on the vast stage that the internet can provide.

[clockwise from top left: Caricature Zone art; Illustration by Helen Wills (from "Excerpts from Tennis" (1928); Drawing (1921); cover of "Gaze's Handbook to Lawn Tennis" (1922); art from 1925; Maurice Picaud caricature; sketch; sports card; cigarette card]

In her day, Lenglen was no different. Coverage of her tennis grace and skill, on and off-court flamboyance and penchant for drama and emotional upheaval (from a French tennis player... go figure) was widespread, with talk of her fashion, looks and competitive disposition all fair game. Only a select few likely knew "the real Suzanne," but everyone surely had an opinion, or was able to boil down her "essence" in a single artistic image. Naturally, she was often physically compared to young Californian Helen Wills, the player who was expected to be and would eventually become the heir to Lenglen's tennis throne. Wills was often complimented for her good looks, while Lenglen was the subject of compliments that were often presented as being given in spite of a similar physical beauty of her own.

A sampling, in words and pictures, from the past, as well as today...

(1)- from "The Goddess and the American Girl" (1988, by Larry Englemann)
(2)- from Sports Illustrated (Oct.16, 1991 - "Tennis Everyone?")
(3)- from The Rotarian: "Meet Suzanne!" (Oct. 1926, by John R. Tunis)
" Coverage of Lenglen was more flamboyant. La Grande Suzanne was a national treasure in France, where her name was invoked with the same fervor as Joan of Arc's. But she was no porcelain-cheeked beauty. "Her face was homely in repose," the Paris Herald's Al Laney wrote in a later book, "with a long crooked nose, irregular teeth, sallow complexion, and eyes that were so neutral that their color could hardly be determined. It was a face on which hardly anything was right. And yet, in a drawing room this homely girl could dominate everything..." Lenglen wore ermine and partied on champagne, she traveled by chauffeured limo and private rail car, and she knew everyone who ever wrote a memoir about the Lost Generation. She was also a bit of a mess, a baseline Zelda Fitzgerald who succumbed routinely to fits of depression and hysteria. " (2)

" Suzanne Lenglen stood about five and a half feet tall. She was a muscular, large-boned girl with gray eyes, raven hair, and a sharp, birdlike profile. She had an unusually long nose and large irregular teeth that protruded unhandsomely from her mouth even when she smiled. Paul Gallico recalled that she had "a hatchet face and a hook nose"; while Hazel Wightman, a lifelong friend of Suzanne, described her by simply saying, "She was homely--you can't imagine a homelier face." Bill Tilden summed up her appearance by observing, "Heaven knows no one would call her beautiful." Yet despite her physiognomy, she had a rather attractive and healthy demeanor in the early 1920s. Because she eschewed the traditional long-sleeved blouse and wide-brimmed hat of the other players, her face and arms were deeply tanned. But the pressure of practice and play gradually eroded her physical health as well as her emotional stability. By the mid-1920s, when she stood at the pinnacle of her career, she looked thirty years older than her actual age. There were deep dark circles under her eyes and her skin was wrinkled and creased. The constant exposure to the sun caused her complexion to deteriorate rapidly. She found it necessary to wear ever heavier layers of powder and makeup... And yet nearly everyone who watched her perform pirouettes on the tennis court remarked that her lack of physical beauty was largely overcome by her grace and poise and movement. " (1)

[ A Leap for Life (1920) ]

Embed from Getty Images

" “Wills dominated women’s tennis as few athletes in any sport have done; winning every singles match she entered from 1926 to 1933. Like Lenglen, she was introduced to tennis by her father and played a man’s game.” But there the similarities end. Whereas Lenglen was homely and prone to nervous fits, Wills was a great American beauty and heartthrob, a California girl whose health and good looks defined the American “New Woman.” " (1)

[Comics featuring Lenglen]

Following 1921 U.S. defeat by Molla Mallory: "The tamer is subdued by Mallory lioness"


Following her defeat of Helen Wills in "The Match of the Century" in 1926 - A man says, "Teach me, Suzanne, the secret of subduing stubborn Wills"
" News of the match (vs. Helen Wills) swamped the front pages. SUZANNE WEEPS, WIN'S AND FAINTS, screamed the London Daily Herald. "One of the most grotesque and thrilling and momentous games on record." crowed (James) Thurber. The London Morning Past likened Lenglen's play to "the rhythmic silence of Bernhardt or an arabesque of Karsavina" and suggested that each of her conquests should be celebrated in verse "like the victorious swordplay of Cyrano de Bergerac." "(2)

[clockwise from top left: Chinese ink caricature (1924); "Tennis with Mademoiselle Suzanne Lenglen" (Rene Vincent); Ivory Coast stamp; sports card; Netherlands stamps; Art Deco exhibition in Paris (2014); Suzanne-Lenglen Court bas relief; Suzanne-Lenglen Court bas relief (side view); cover of "Suzanne Lenglen: Tennis Idol of the Twenties" book (1988)]

" Suzanne on the losing side is news. Distinctly so. Let her be beaten once and the story of it will flash to the uttermost parts of the globe. But Suzanne winning? Oh, that is something else again!

And yet, you see how all that is a part of her nature; that dramatic stand, that sudden, tense, hushed moment, that possibility of defeat coming to her. You see how she loves it, revels in it, adores it all. It is her, it is Suzanne. But I must stop myself here. That, it is true, is one part of Suzanne. Suzanne upon the court. I am to give you an intimate picture of Suzanne away from the crowds, from the surface part of her life. For I can most truly and earnestly say to you that they little know of Suzanne who only know her as a tennis player. Indeed, it is apart, away from the roar and the applause of the mob that you see the real Suzanne Lenglen. There in the exquisite intimacy of her villa upon the Rue de Russie in Nice, there is the circle of her own friends, with this one who is the world-world famous writer and that one who is equally well known as a musician, there you begin to know and appreciate the girl that Suzanne Lenglen really is.

Even as to face. For upon the court, with a colored band swathed across her forehead, she is homely. But put her in a smart Patou dress with a smart Patou hat pulled down over one eye, and I say unto you that she will walk into a salon filled with the best dressed women in all Europe, and in five seconds each one will be looking nervously at herself in the nearest mirror. Suzanne homely? Most assuredly, at times. But see her in her street clothes, catch her off the courts, in the Ambassadeurs at Cannes of an afternoon for dancing, and you will be astonished. You will be amazed, if you have only seen her upon a tennis court. What, that Suzanne Lenglen? H'mm, pretty good looking, isn't she? That is what you will say to yourself. "(3)

NOTE: the previous selection is from a fascinating two-page, "first-hand" account of "the real Suzanne" which appeared in "The Rotarian" magazine in 1926. Many of the things one reads about Lenglen series were written decades later, but this one is of its day. It can be found here.

Lenglen was appearing on magazine covers in France as early as age 14, and consistently has inspired imitations and/or interpretations.

ON THE COVER OF THE SKETCH AT AGE 14 (1914)

ON THE COVER OF THE TATLER, READING THE TATLER (1923)

LENGLEN with LENGLEN DOLL (1929)

And then there's the different...

SHEET MUSIC COVER FOR BURLESQUE PERFORMANCE OF "AH! SUZANNE!
ILLUSTRATED BY ROGER de VALERIO (1926)
STARRING FRENCH SINGER SAINT-GRANIER (Jean de Granier de Cassagnac)

SAINT-GRANIER in THE CASINO de PARIS (left); LENGLEN AT WIMBLEDON IN 1919 (right)
In 1926 Saint-Granier made had an ‘hilarious’ burlesque performance imitating Lenglen in the Casino de Paris. A nobleman from Gascogne, he made a career as a journalist, writer, lyricist, singer and actor in Paris.

And then there's, uh, this...

PETE SAMPRAS MEETS SUZANNE LENGLEN (2012)

Yeah. That. (My apologies.)

Nearly a century on, images in the likeness of Lenglen continue to persist...

[ Likeness of Lenglen in the International Tennis Hall of Fame ]

Today, the tributes are both intentional...

[Current French players Kristina Mladenovic and Tessah Andrianjafitrimo]

View this post on Instagram

Excited to come home and show off the new @adidastennis Roland Garros collection by Y-3. Ready to earn those stripes #CreateYourMark 💪

A post shared by Kristina Mladenovic (@kristinamladenovic93) on Apr 12, 2016 at 4:15am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Keeping cool in the new @adidastennis Roland Garros collection by Y-3. Perfect outfit for it 👌 @adidastennis ☀️❄️🎾 #CreateYourMark

A post shared by Kristina Mladenovic (@kristinamladenovic93) on May 5, 2016 at 12:07am PDT

View this post on Instagram

💣💣Whatch out, Suzanne Lenglen BLACK*👵🏽 is on the place

A post shared by Tessah Andrianjafitrimo 👸🏾👑 (@tessahandrian) on Oct 21, 2016 at 12:04pm PDT

And unintentional...

And so it begins???? #grass #mood #extremelyhappy pic.twitter.com/vG8fHysWY7

— Heather Watson (@HeatherWatson92) May 30, 2016

Love this photo! ¡¡Me encanta esta foto!! ;-) #Allez #Vamos #LetsGo @rolandgarros https://t.co/JO4k6DA82a #4 pic.twitter.com/reyS2TuSlF

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) May 29, 2016

Tribute moments may have even jumped the species divide...


Maybe? Oh, well.

Anyway, even recently, another version was added to the Lenglen iconography, as Google celebrated her 117th birthday in 2016 with a Google Doodle...

Thanks to @google for this tribute to Suzanne Lenglen #NouveauRolandGarros 👍Keeping the emotions alive pic.twitter.com/E1PBwU1VfB

— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) May 24, 2016

And a year later was honored on International Women's Day...

Historical heroine #7: French tennis star Suzanne Lenglen, who broke down barriers in the sport 🎾 #IWD #GoogleDoodle pic.twitter.com/z5crX5Kxsc

— Google Doodles (@GoogleDoodles) March 8, 2017

And who knows what will come next? I seriously don't know how a movie version of her life has never been filmed... it might be one of the rare tennis-themed movies or limited series for television -- and the *only* one that doubled as a Gatsby era period piece -- that would work brilliantly.


Generations later, Lenglen's presence persists as an earworm on the cultural and athletic landscape, whether in the form of her trademark look, athletic style, or outward expression of imperious confidence.

Before matches, Lenglen would predict to the press that she was going to win, a practice that Americans treated as improper. On this practice, she said, "When I am asked a question I endeavor to give a frank answer. If I know I am going to win, what harm is there in saying so?" *


To paraphrase Elton John's lyrics from a song that served as an ode to an enduring legend from another era, Lenglen's candle burned out long before her legend ever did.

Having already left behind an indelible footprint (blueprint?), perhaps the life's work of The Goddess is *still* not yet complete.




*LENGLEN AT THE OLYMPICS*


=SINGLES=
1st Rd.: def. Marie Storms/BEL 6-0/6-0
2nd Rd.: def. Winifred McNair/GBR 6-0/6-0
QF: Lily Elisabeth Strömberg-von Essen/SWE 6-0/6-0
SF: def. Sigrid Fick/SWE 6-0/6-1
FINAL: Dorothy Holman/GBR 6-3/6-0 [Gold Medal]
=DOUBLES, w/ Elisabeth d'Ayan=
1st Rd.: bye
QF: def. Sigrid Fick/Lily Strömberg-von Essen (SWE) 6-4/6-3
SF: lost to Kitty McKane/Winifred McNair (GBR) 6-2/3-6/6-8
Bronze Match: w/o Fernande Arendt/Marie Storms (BEL) [Bronze Medal]
=MIXED, w/ Max Decugis=
SF: def. Amory Hansen/Erik Tegner (DEN) 6-0/6-1
FINAL: def. Kitty McKane/Max Woosnam (GBR) 6-4/6-2 [Gold Medal]


=SINGLES=
1st Rd.: bye
2nd Rd.: w/o to Marion Jessup/USA
=DOUBLES=
withdrew
=MIXED, w/ Henri Cochet=
1st Rd. w/o to Hazel Wightman/Richard Williams (USA)
NOTE: Lenglen missed '24 Olympics on advice of doctor, due to complications of jaundice

The Czech Republic is starting to flex their incredible tennis muscles, will host a four-event tournament series starting in June

Karolina Pliskova, Petra Kvitova, Marketa Vondrousova, Karolina Muchova, Katerenia Siniakova & Barbora Strycova will all take part. pic.twitter.com/1L6kSD59hC

— Jimmie48 Photography ?? (@JJlovesTennis) May 11, 2020

Something to look forward to to for the top female players and tennis fans!

Excited to get on court to compete again this summer for a new, independent event showcasing the best of British Womens tennis. Full event details coming soon ??????#gbtennis @TheProgressTour pic.twitter.com/xFc9C1C8TW

— Olivia Nicholls (@OliviaNicholls) May 13, 2020

?? https://t.co/8TFht9jFss

— Simona Halep (@Simona_Halep) May 12, 2020

"When I was growing up, I was actually copying her, I have to admit."@Simona_Halep on what led her to become such a big fan of @Justine_Henin ??--> https://t.co/narJLO7WP6 pic.twitter.com/FtGJYmQGv4

— wta (@WTA) May 13, 2020

View this post on Instagram

Kto uwielbia lody?????#lodynaturalne #pistacjowe #slonykarmel #najlepiejsmakujawciazy #wiosna #slodkiekalorie Who loves ice cream????? #naturalicecream #pistachio #saltedcaramel #bestwhenpregnant #spring #sweetcalories

A post shared by Agnieszka Radwanska (@aradwanska) on May 8, 2020 at 3:01am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Konecne mužeme zase na dobré ?? ven! Chybelo mi! ?? Jaké máte nejradši vy? Já spíš ty zemité.. nebo ovesné cappuccino! #káva?? #mnam Finally we can go out for good ?? again! I missed it! How is it in your country? ???? I hope things go back to normal everywhere soon! #covid #coffeewithlucie #oatcap #missedit Foto: M.Schmerkova @myjoolz_czech_slovak

A post shared by Lucie Safarova (@lucie.safarova) on May 12, 2020 at 2:11am PDT

View this post on Instagram

Co´moda en la nieve... Feeling comfortable in the snow... ????????? #SwissAlpes ?? ????

A post shared by G???IÑE ?UGU?U?? (@garbimuguruza) on May 9, 2020 at 9:08am PDT

Yes me too ?? https://t.co/uq8EJFiHlA

— Garbiñe Muguruza (@GarbiMuguruza) May 14, 2020

View this post on Instagram

Finally!!! The sound tho

A post shared by Daria Gavrilova (@daria_gav) on May 11, 2020 at 12:16am PDT

View this post on Instagram

pep talk. race. finding the right words

A post shared by Daria Gavrilova (@daria_gav) on May 12, 2020 at 1:42am PDT

No, she's not pregnant. The pose, though...

View this post on Instagram

Ready for anything... in this covid environment, I’m planning on winning. #win

A post shared by Venus Williams (@venuswilliams) on May 13, 2020 at 2:58pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

I never lose my cool...until now! I blame @gronk !!!!???? @gameon on CBS May 20th ;) @keeganmichaelkey @bobbyleelive @iankarmel

A post shared by Venus Williams (@venuswilliams) on May 1, 2020 at 6:36am PDT

she really did that. pic.twitter.com/jngqXwLhq5

— NaomiOsaka????? (@naomiosaka) May 14, 2020

Me when I pass by the snacks aisle in the supermarket... pic.twitter.com/bkyzqJT9US

— Jimmie48 Photography ?? (@JJlovesTennis) May 9, 2020

Jelena Dokic teases tennis return... ??

The Greatest | Channel 9 #9WWOS #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/NOivFEeni3

— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) May 9, 2020

Meanwhile, @D_Yastremska has used her downtime to drop a song! https://t.co/qqG3G7cvbD

— Jimmie48 Photography ?? (@JJlovesTennis) May 13, 2020

"I was always working towards what the future after tennis might look like."@MariaSharapova talked all things business during a @WSJ webinar --> https://t.co/aMm8aO999d pic.twitter.com/dOsRSGty7p

— wta (@WTA) May 13, 2020

We literally left them a 69-page Pandemic Playbook.... that they ignored

And an office called the Pandemic Preparedness Office... that they abolished.

And a global monitoring system called PREDICT .. that they cut by 75% https://t.co/OD94v0UI4n

— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) May 12, 2020

pic.twitter.com/mPiWybuoTX

— makeATX #StayHome (@makeatxhome) May 15, 2020

I give McConnell credit. It's rare for a Republican to admit error and acknowledge reality. Much more common response to being proven wrong is to dig in and attack the liberal media. https://t.co/ql9hrPZinS

— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) May 14, 2020

pic.twitter.com/7QvUi3od6l

— Russ (@26point2FoCo) May 15, 2020

President Trump uses the biggest bullhorn in the world to accuse a TV host of homicide and the former president of heinous unidentified crimes, but the national security adviser whom HE fired and who pled guilty and reaffirmed his guilt was treated unfairly ok

— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) May 14, 2020

The fake Obama "scandal" is the private war of a man with no ideas, no accomplishments, and no ability to work for anyone besides himself.

But that’s not America. Our ideas change the world. Our accomplishments are legendary. Our future is unlimited so long as we stand together.

— Rep. Val Demings (@RepValDemings) May 14, 2020

Our current President is calling for his predecessor and his current challenger to be jailed. In America. The story - the only story - out of his sideshow bullshit is this. The entire enterprise is on the line. It’s not clever political tactics - it’s unprecedented and sick.

— David Plouffe (@davidplouffe) May 14, 2020

??ANTI-TESTING RINGLEADER. “Jared [Kushner] had been arguing that testing too many people, or ordering too many ventilators, would spook markets and so we shouldn’t do it. That advice worked far more powerfully on [Trump] than what scientists were saying” https://t.co/SGGNWNaFUW

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) May 14, 2020

TRUMP: "When you test, you have a case. When you test, you find something is wrong with people. If we didn't do any testing we would have very few cases." pic.twitter.com/tEX1uXQbmp

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 14, 2020

Maybe the fact that you didn’t know or even hear of the person in charge of biomedical research for your Administration in the midst of a global health pandemic is part of the reason why we’re quickly approaching 100,000 deaths in this country. https://t.co/fyCFuKcfyJ

— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) May 14, 2020

"An existential threat — like war or natural disaster — usually brings people together. Somehow, we've let this one drive us apart"

via @AxiosNick https://t.co/stvMb0fVUE

— Alayna Treene (@alaynatreene) May 14, 2020

Jersey we made it https://t.co/gHEIy1ZDv5

— New Jersey (@NJGov) May 12, 2020

Little Richard, one of rock's founding fathers who set the template that generations of musicians would follow, has died at 87 https://t.co/nwu9qMA9wf

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 9, 2020

In 2004 Little Richard wrote a profile of himself for our Immortals issue. He explained why he was so dangerous at the time — because was the first black artist whose records the white kids were starting to buy https://t.co/cX2qTkecyH pic.twitter.com/k8wG3I82rl

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 9, 2020

Ben Stiller announced that his father, Jerry Stiller, died overnight at the age of 92.

From “The Ed Sullivan Show” to “Seinfeld,” @joefryer takes a look back at the actor’s life and legacy. pic.twitter.com/RLcrzyP1Bs

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 11, 2020

jerry stiller making JLD break is still one of the funniest things ever pic.twitter.com/i711bpMcEv

— Seinfeld Current Day (@Seinfeld2000) May 11, 2020

A brilliant conclusion to an obituary that Jerry Stiller would have appreciated. RIP. (By ?@PeterKeeptru?) pic.twitter.com/tQJ1C72dPm

— Peter Baker (@peterbakernyt) May 13, 2020

Check out all the WTA players with the highest number of cumulative ranking points since the beginning of the 2010 season in ?? --> https://t.co/Cdmp6MhvNA pic.twitter.com/OP2B9oPoJn

— wta (@WTA) May 12, 2020

One, this is just stupid. Two, specifically, it's a little pointless to attempt to rank players' point-gathering performances over such a timespan but then only include the numbers of *active* players (Sharapova won multiple slams during the stretch, and Wozniacki was a major points winner and slam champ, not to mention the consistent Radwanska... but they're left out?), ostensibly taking out of context the results of those active players. And don't even get me started about how this seems to be an attempt to push the crapola angle that "this decade" is still going on (as in 2011-20, even though the numbers go back to 2010 in an article that is entitled, "Top 20: WTA players with most ranking points of the decade").

I was honest when I said l was glad it was against @thetracyaustin If not for injuries, she was ready to take over women’s tennis...?? https://t.co/43sGRDemOf

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) May 13, 2020

View this post on Instagram

Who was Peaches’ tennis idol? What was her favorite tournament? ?? to find out! #Original9

A post shared by WTA (@wta) on May 10, 2020 at 8:53am PDT

"I think the tour has exceeded anything we ever thought would happen."

Pioneer Kristy Pigeon on the early days of the Virginia Slims Circuit --> https://t.co/yl9Yj1aIgE pic.twitter.com/wQLDGqG9Kn

— wta (@WTA) May 14, 2020

Giant red ball from an art installation broke free in Toledo pic.twitter.com/ui1NWba1w9

— THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE PODCAST (@thehumanxp) May 11, 2020

Congratulations Sania Mirza on becoming the First Indian to win Fed Cup Heart award!
The award is a befitting recognition of your hardwork and the distinction that you have shown on court making India proud???? https://t.co/xAEATzIHOg

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) May 11, 2020

Though Ankita Raina *should* have won the first in 2018 (when she had a true "career moment" when defeating Putintseva, who then *somehow* won the Heart Award for that same competition week).

Brid gathering top quality materials for his new house pic.twitter.com/gGzgN59jgM

— XAVIER KATANA (@xavierkatana) May 13, 2020

Tennis has inspired many film-makers over the years ??

Catch up with or revisit the most memorable ?? productions --> https://t.co/32VjATn8Yl pic.twitter.com/B1hDslM2d8

— wta (@WTA) May 11, 2020

https://t.co/d31807d1PJ

— Diane Elayne Dees (@WomenWhoServe) May 12, 2020

GIF? pic.twitter.com/Ae6sVAc7Ym

— Mandy Patinkin (@PatinkinMandy) May 11, 2020

Bet you can't guess what on earth this #TennisTreasure from our museum collection was used for! ?? #MuseumFromHome

Hint (kind of): it doesn't have much to do with tennis, but it's the kind of neat piece that goes great in a kitchen ??

Give us your best guess! pic.twitter.com/fP1eR6jF0t

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) May 9, 2020

If you guessed anything to do with toast - congrats, you're right! ????

In 1890, this was the tennis lover's perfect utensil for serving up slices of toast with tea. It's called our archives home since 2004.

— Tennis Hall of Fame (@TennisHalloFame) May 11, 2020

View this post on Instagram

Losing my mind..no, really. #foodline #emptypockets #UghWickerDuh

A post shared by Leslie Jordan (@thelesliejordan) on May 12, 2020 at 4:14pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

SARAH PAULSON SENT THIS TO ME THIS MORNING! THIS LITTLE BOY MADE ME LAUGH OUT LOUD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN TWO MONTHS!!! @mssarahcatharinepaulson

A post shared by Diane Keaton (@diane_keaton) on May 13, 2020 at 11:33am PDT

These pigs ate fermented corn to be used for making moonshine.

One of them is hammered-drunk & passed-out completely.

Wait for it...??????????pic.twitter.com/q4k27SUUx0

— Rex Chapman???? (@RexChapman) May 13, 2020

Wait for it ????????????? pic.twitter.com/eJUto1LmyJ

— Cypress Hill ™ (@cypresshill) May 13, 2020

“Freedom of choice” is not a reason why you don’t wear a mask. It’s the reason the pollsters are asking the question of you. https://t.co/blOPnefmuD

— Isaac Chotiner (@IChotiner) May 14, 2020

pic.twitter.com/faNnbmQhdK

— Kevin (@KEVINSFCA) May 14, 2020

Opinion | How to Reopen America Safely - The New York Times https://t.co/WcU1TJAa6S

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) May 14, 2020

Be safe.
All for now.