Lenglen: Storm Clouds on the Riviera

After a career filled with often equal parts success and drama, Suzanne Lenglen fully expected to continue to not only be a champion, but THE champion.

At least for a while longer.

In the presumptive mind of The Goddess, 1926 was simply fated to play host to her greatest triumph during the Jubilee Wimbledon, the tournament's 50th anniversary celebration, which she assumed would ultimately serve to further gild the legacy of the world's most famous athlete.

Instead the year turned out to be akin to a slowly unraveling ball of yarn that would begin with Lenglen looking over her shoulder, on court and off, at a force -- the first -- fully capable of overthrowing her reign, while also facing simultaneous familial and financial pressures that made her continued success essential if she and her family were to maintain the lifestyle and social position to which they'd become accustomed.



Even with a Lenglen victory, the lead-up to and aftermath of "The Match of the Century" would soon produce a growing reputation and fan base for would-be successor new U.S. star Helen Wills, all at the expence of the standing within the sport of La Divine herself, perhaps setting the stage -- or maybe "firing up the griddle" -- for what would be Lenglen's most frenzied embroilment yet once she arrived at the All-England Club.




"The Match of the Century" (Feb.16, 1926 - Lenglen vs. Wills)
Image is Everything (icon, fashion, image)
The Goddess Does New York (1921 U.S. vs. Mallory)
All Things Small and Great (childhood)A Star is (Belatedly) Born (1919 Wimbledon)
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[1] - from The Goddess and the American Girl, by Larry Engelmann. 1988

** ** ** ** ** **

In retrospect, Suzanne Lenglen should have seen in all coming. And maybe, deep down, she did... and it scared her to death.

No matter The Goddess' grand plans, 1926 came in loaded for bear and with the French woman squarely in its sights. Eventually, fate would have its way with her before, finally, she was ready to make the effort to strike one final blow to the, at best, staid -- and, at worst, ungrateful and misogynistic -- tennis establishment that she alone had once given new, exciting and lucrative life.

In earnest, Lenglen's 27th year on this earth began with audacity, whispers and an underlying sense of dread.

As Lenglen's illnesses had become more and more real as the years had gone by since her 1919 breakout run at Wimbledon, rumors of yet another nervous breakdown were repudiated by The Goddess in the early weeks of the year. Moreover, she had to contend with the reality that young U.S. star Helen Wills was arriving to compete in the annual tour that took place on the French Riviera, previously Lenglen's personal stomping ground in the season's opening months since the early stages of her tennis career, in the Californian's desire to broaden her horizons and, most importantly, fulfill a quest by finally tracking down the world's best player for their first ever singles match-up.

Additionally for Suzanne, the failing health of Papa Lenglen was only getting worse. He had just had an operation, and financial issues were beginning to rear their head. The family fortune was slipping away as the value of the post-war Franc sank, meaning Charles Lenglen's static annual income had greatly decreased in value. Suzanne, Papa and Mama's past luxuries had become simple comforts, and the reality of the eventual mortality of The Goddess' unchallenged position atop the tennis world had been given a flesh-and-blood face (and foe) in the form of the talented Wills. While Suzanne knew, like every champion and as even Papa had once told her, she would eventually be defeated. But her familial circumstances were as such that she had to push forward for as long as possible, with her family's standing in French society now almost exclusively depending on her continued success.

The shape of Suzanne's future *after* tennis was a lingering question, as well. She'd never married, or had much seeming interest in doing so, into a wealthy family whose fortune would prove to provide a financial stability in her post-career life. It was becoming clear that Papa's health would only get worse, and there was no one to replace him. Charles, when able, continued to sit courtside whenever his daughter competed, but was often a shadow of his former domineering self, pale and wrapped in blankets to keep warm.

Suzanne sensed the ticking of the clock. After one '26 match, an observer complimented Papa on Suzanne's play.

" In a weak voice, Charles is said to have responded, 'Yes, little one is in great form just now and will be hard to beat.' 'Little one!,' Suzanne quickly interjected. 'Little one! Papa, you forget that I shall be twenty-seven next May!' She seemed slightly agitated when she spoke. Papa was still looking at her as his little one, the dancing pixie with the big racket. But the years had passed. Younger, stronger tennis players were appearing. Suzanne was no longer a 'little one,' and she could not be expected to play as she did forever." [1]

While Suzanne had opened her season by sweeping the singles, doubles and mixed events in Cannes, winning every match at love (thereby establishing Lenglen's personal -- and attainable -- goal for the upcoming Jubilee Wimbledon), soon Wills was not just over her shoulder but (ultimately) across the net. In the course of the opening two months of the year, the two women were personally introduced for the first time, and appeared courtside during the other's matches. While many weeks went by during which Wills was entered in a Riviera events in singles while Lenglen signed up only for doubles (including in her home event), the two faced off for the first time in a mixed doubles final in Nice. Lenglen and her partner won, but the French star had been badly caught off guard by a few thundering Wills ace serves the power of which had nearly consumed the unsuspecting Goddess, and the moment seemed to psychologically take her off her game for several points afterward.

"Worse" yet, unlike the U.S. fans during Suzanne's appearance at Forest Hills in 1921, the French fans clearly found Wills, whose intelligence and sense of ease were becoming more apparent, quite charming. She'd initially been nicknamed "Little Miss Poker Face" by the press (largely because they couldn't get a true read on her on or off court) for her naturally calm demeanor, but she'd started to open up more during her first trip to the Riviera, even cracking a broad smile when confronted by photographers after emerging from the shop of Jean Patou (the creator of so many of Lenglen's famous looks) in a new designer outfit.

While the world was opening up for Wills, who was traveling with her mother but who'd meet and was secretly spend much time during the trip with the man (Fred Moody) she'd marry three years later, it was simultaneously closing in around Lenglen.


LENGLEN (sitting) and WILLS (standing), 1926
After much early '26 anticipation (and press coverage), Lenglen and Wills finally met in singles on February 16 in the contest so dubbed "The Match of the Century" at the Carlton Club in Cannes. Lenglen won, but it was a match that was far afield from the breezy dance-in-the-park style wins that had littered her career. After having seemingly secured the match with a long Wills shot at match point with Lenglen up 6-3/6-5, with the players shaking hands and post-victory hoopla having already begun, a linesman approached chair umpire George Hillyard (previously the Wimbledon tournament secretary, who'd catered to Lenglen's needs with great deference as the tournament's champion for several years) to say that the ball had been good. Hillyard ruled the point to be replayed, and Wills ultimately won the game. Lenglen soon after double-faulted on another MP at 7-6, but eventually closed out the set at 8-6.

An exhausted Lenglen had begun to convulsively sob following the match and was guided off the court by Mama. It was a spectacle the Wills witnessed, seeing first hand the razor's edge on which The Goddess' divinity existed. Suzanne collapsed across a desk once she reached the dressing room. Writer James Thurber noted the "flush of pride" on Wills' face after the match as the traveling show of La Divine had exited, having left the 20-year old Californian alone on the court.

In the eyes of many, the initial "damage" to Lenglen's continuing legacy had been done, and it was only a matter of time before the greatest women's player ever would be surpassed by another. Wills had lost, but had proved she could play with Lenglen, something few had ever accomplished, and many felt that she may have even won had she forced a deciding 3rd set.

Some complained that Wills hadn't played an aggressive enough game. Molla Mallory, for one, was disappointed by the descriptions of the match, despite the closeness of the score. "You can never beat Suzanne playing a soft game," said the woman who by all accounts might have been fine with carrying a club to the court in lieu of a tennis racket, adding, "We all told Helen before she left to carry the game to Lenglen and smash the ball all the time."

The Goddess explained the scoreline by noting her concern for her father, and said that the uncommon amount of noise coming from the crowd was distracting, not to mention the umpire's decision to extend the match. "Helen was more intelligent than I imagined," she noted in a backhanded compliment sort of way. She is said to have told reporters, "Now, for God's sake, will you English and Americans leave me alone for a moment and accent my supremacy, however much it may be getting boresome?" [1]

Wills, meanwhile, said that Lenglen was "just as good as I thought she would be."

Was the "Match of the Century," described by future Hall of Fame French player Jean Borotra as a "heartbreaking victory" and fellow honored "Musketeer" Rene Lacoste as "a great victory for Suzanne" but also "a glorious defeat for Helen," the beginning of the moment that Papa had warned Suzanne about?

Charles had once told his daughter that, "Of glory and the price, the higher up the scale you go, the harder your work becomes, the more difficult for you to retain your place. When you are champion, you have become the legitimate prey for those beneath you. Your weakness will be grossly exaggerated. The hour of your failure may be eagerly looked forward to. The slightest variation in your play will be interpreted as a signal of your decline. Do not permit yourself to be carried away by congratulations or flatteries or eulogies. Receive calmly the applause of the public. They will undoubtedly forget you on the morrow. All this is ephemeral. When the day comes that you will go down to defeat, you will taste the bitterness of your own disillusionment, but glory is often worth the price one pays." [1]

Throughout the Riviera and France in general, much admiration and respect were sent Wills' way.

The editor of L'Echo des Sports said, "One can say that Helen is the greatest tennis player in the world after Suzanne, but far from definitely solving the problem of superiority, this encounter complicates it. We had grown to consider the French champion as a class apart; that short of accident her position could not be threatened by any rivals. Yesterday's match proves that Suzanne is not in a class of her own above all others; that her defeat can be classed among the possible if not the normal eventualities." [1]

Novelist Vincente Blasco Ibanez wrote that "one little vagary of fate and the result might have been different."

Thurber said that Wills had met "...the greatest woman tennis player in the world since the time when Helen was fondling dolls, fought her with everything she had, smashed with her, drove with her, volleyed with her until she had the French champion so greatly on the run that at times it seemed like the baseline on Lenglen's side of the court was a dropping off place." Wills had met "a baptism of fire which was strange and new to her: she encountered a variety and brilliance of technique that she had never encountered before. And having come through it so superbly, the unfinished sentence on everybody's lips was 'the next time'..." [1]

Of course, there would never be a "next time." At least not on the singles court.

While, no matter the size of her victory, Lenglen may have guessed that things might be different after the Wills match, she surely would never have imagined what the *rest* of 1926 would send her way. As it was, Suzanne couldn't even leave Cannes without another dose of a potential new reality.

The Goddess and Wills *did* meet once more, later that day in a doubles match that may have been even more troubling for Lenglen than the previous outing.

In the match, Wills' knee, cut during a fall in the singles semis (though she never made an issue of the injury some in attendance felt it *had* bothered her in the singles final) was freshly taped and energized, while Lenglen was far less so, both physically and psychologically. With Helene Contostavlos by her side, Wills attacked Lenglen and Julie "Diddie" Vlasto, rushing the net, using her power and often aiming her shots at Suzanne. Meanwhile, Lenglen/Vlasto hit away from Wills in what quickly became a 2-against-1 contest that still saw the Californian insert herself into rallies by cutting off at the net the wildly angled shots intended to remove her influence from the match. Again, Lenglen proved to be on the winning side on the scoreboard, this time 6-4/8-6, but didn't do so while looking or playing anywhere near her best. In fact, Vlasto was the better player down the stretch of the contest, with the *most* stunning development being that the largely French crowd clearly showed support for Wills.

After the match, Lenglen collapsed and fell to the clay surface and was carried away. Wills shook hands with Vlasto at the net, and didn't bother looking for Lenglen.

Meanwhile, Mama verbally lit into Suzanne for the match being so close. Her daughter snapped, "There will come a time when I cannot explain losses of games or even of sets, matches and tournaments. Get ready!" [1]

Soon, Lenglen parted ways with agent Charles Willen, who'd been in charge of her personal finances while Papa hadn't been able to be. In light of the fallout of The Goddess' loss of reputation despite twice defeating Wills in Cannes, it was of no small consequence that Charles had warned against the "Match of the Century" (encouraging her to withdraw from the event rather than face Wills) while Willen had warned her against such as action for fear she'd be forever dubbed a "quitter."

While all within the sport (well, maybe not Bill Tilden, who was predictably jealous that a match between two women had garnered so much attention that he felt should have been focused in his direction) desired a Lenglen-Wills rivalry to develop, including Wills, who wanted a rematch and planned to be in Europe during the spring looking for one, too. Decidedly, Lenglen didn't feel the same.

"(Lenglen's) collapse on the court following the doubles match in Cannes represented only a glimpse of things to come." [1]

While some campaigned for a Legion of Honor award to be bestowed upon The Goddess, Lenglen fell into a depression at home in Nice in the days following the match. Visited by U.S. journalist Ferdinand Tuohy, the only overseas writer considered objective and well informed by the Lenglens (though she'd eventually denounce him, as well), found Lenglen in bed in a room "furnished in a Louis XV style and glittered with scores of silver and gold cups won by Suzanne." [1] The room was littered with hundreds of telegrams and messages.

Upon asking of her opponent, Lenglen's spirits were lifted when she was told that Wills was also exhausted and had postponed the first match of her next event. "Poor little girl," the 26-year old said, "I know how it feels. Look at me! I have stayed in bed all day. But I am getting to be an old woman. She is a mere child." Lenglen referred to Wills as a "good sport" and a "nice little girl," and seemed fated to losing her title of world's champion, though she rather it be to Wills than any other woman. [1]

When Suzanne was on the verge of tears, Papa stepped in to comfort her. Tuohy described the scene as "a vision of desolation and despair" as Suzanne buried her face in a pillow and sobbed. "She did not, at the moment, exemplify the fame and splendor of a world's champion as generally pictured," he said.

Charles admitted to Tuohy the family's money issues due to the troubles with the Franc's value, and that his getting older was further complicating the situation. He said that a promoter had offered Suzanne $20,000 (US) dollars to turn pro, but that he'd turned the man down.

A film of Lenglen's match vs. Wills had been shown in Nice, and Suzanne said she'd gone to see it, only to walk out half-way. "I played too bad for anything. It makes me sick just to look at it," she said. She *was* thrilled, though, by France's defeat of the U.S. men in the U.S. Indoor Championships, especially Borotra's upset of longtime detractor/tormentor Tilden, who'd also lost to Lacoste in a special exhibition a week later.

"Now at last, she said she was simply delighted that she had lived long enough to see the despicable American champion humbled before an audience of his own countrymen by a French player. 'It was a glorious day, indeed.'" [1]

While Lenglen stayed in bed, Wills played on in Beaulieu, collecting victories (winning a set vs. one opponent in nine minutes) and respect while stirring feelings of fascination in the European public, both on court (she experimented with a serve-and-volley game and incorporated a slice serve) and off. She announced that she'd return to Lenglen's home club in Nice for a tournament in March, spurring the start of the construction of a 10,000-seat gallery to hold the fans for an expected rematch.

Finally, Lenglen arrived... to a less than reverent reception.

Riviera-based reporter Don Skene described it: "A ghastly pale, almost hysterical woman who once was the flashing spirited Suzanne Lenglen made her first appearance on the tennis courts this afternoon since her historic struggle with Helen Wills last Tuesday. Hovering on the brink of a nervous breakdown and playing erratically, the ghost of the world-famous French tennis tigress wobbled through to a victory against a pair of unknowns in the women's doubles and then withdrew from the Beaulieu tournament." [1]

The account didn't seem to be an exaggeration, as Lenglen apparently suffered a nervous collapse in the car on the way to Beaulieu and headed back to Nice. A doctor advised her not to play, but stimulants were administered and she did, as she wore herself down further due not only to the financial concerns of her family but also similar pressures being applied by the Riviera's hotels and casinos, which relied on the hordes of visitors her matches drew.

The emotional meltdowns that often accompanied Lenglen's on-court stress were becoming a common occurrence away from the court, dealing still more blows to her confidence and producing a vicious, repeating cycle. In her doubles match in Beaulieu, her opponents directed their shots at her, leading to mishit after mishit. Apparently, some onlookers feared that her career might be over.

Her face often twisted in response to her wonky shots, cracking the thick layer of makeup applied to cover her deathly pale skin. "She looked like a very sick celebrant on the morning after a drunken party, exhausted, tired, nervous, and badly hung over" [1] and nearly suffered a breakdown on the court.

With her confidence soaring, Wills won the singles and mixed titles at the event. Knowing Lenglen's potentially fragile state, the Californian went about pouring it on during the spring, winning event after event, perhaps in a concerted effort to put herself in position to effectively "win" a (mental/emotional) rematch against the French woman before it had even happened.

Her doctor told Lenglen not to play tennis for a month or perhaps risk permanently injuring her health, but she committed to play Nice anyway for mostly financial reasons, as the family's position and lifestyle at the club could be jeopardized without a large profit generated by big crowds. She then took off for a mountain retreat, vowing a strong comeback, only to again put forth a less-than-great performance in the La Festa Club doubles in a match punctuated by several coughing fits. Lenglan and Vlasto won the title, barely... though the championship cup has been engraved with their names three weeks ahead of schedule.

Lenglen then announced that she wouldn't play for the next three months, meaning a Wills rematch in Nice was out, despite the money invested by the club (already in debt) in preparation for just that. "My decision is irrevocable," she said, "I am not at the beck and call of promoters, like professionals. I need a rest and I will take it." She added, "They can say I am afraid to meet her; let them. Those who know me intimately are convinced that I am not. I have proved that."

Wills played singles in Nice, but only in a series of exhibitions (she went 3-0, winning 36 of 38 games) to assist with the gate in a gesture of good will despite a friend urging her to back out entirely and maybe financially destroy Lenglen's home tennis club. Papa was angry at the favorable coverage given the U.S. star in Suzanne's back yard, while reporters intimated that The Goddess had fled the event after faking illness, and Charles denied false reports of his daughter leaving amateur tennis for the professional ranks (one reporter, Westbrook Pegler, even made up "contract details"). "With trembling fingers he displayed a sheaf of clippings from American newspapers -- all contained lies about his daughter, he said. He expressed an overwhelming desire to find Pegler and to give him 'three healthy blows of the foot' in the seat of his pants." [1]

With Lenglen's absence and the lack of a true singles draw, the Riviera's clubs, casinos and hotels took huge financial hits.

Meanwhile, Wills continued to win, claiming Cannes with little to no competition. She won 48 of 50 games in the last four rounds, and posted 17 love sets in all. On the Riviera in '26, she faced forty different opponents (defeating 39), won eight of nine events and was 650-150 in games claimed. Her "Raid on the Riviera" (via the New York Times) was said to be "her causing of Mlle. Lenglen to seek the balmy breezes of the Italian lakes when Suzanne ordinarily would have been stunning Riviera habitues by a series of walkovers." Without Lenglen's presence, Wills had become more popular, feared and even admired than ever before. The price of her art drawings, often of other players from her courtside seat, had increased 300% since she'd arrived in France.


WILLS drawings
"On the other hand, Suzanne Lenglen's behavior on the Riviera became curiouser and curiouser. She returned to Cannes from a short rest in Italy. She looked well. In fact, reporters found her dancing a furious Charleston in one of the clubs after her return, and they observed that she was behaving as though she had just completed a victorious season in the Riviera tournaments. She pretended that the region still belonged to her alone, they wrote, and she appeared to be not bothered outwardly at all by the praise and publicity given the American girl." "Lenglen's behavior was a reminder of the way she had carried on during her disastrous visit to the United States (in 1921). Obviously, playing tennis against Helen Wills was one thing and staying up late at night dancing and drinking was another." [1]

Lenglen was defended by the French press, who assailed the "distorted truth concerning the fragility of a living national treasure," viewed with skepticism Wills' seemingly dubious comments that she'd most come to the Riviera "to study art" even while she'd played almost continuously in every tournament since she'd arrived, and hinted that the money made from her art sketches sold on name value (as well as the bidding for her written columns, which she insisted on writing herself) stretched the definition of an "amateur" tennis player as opposed to a "professional" one.

Both women played exhibitions in Rome, with Lenglen drawing a smaller crowd. Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini had attended the Wills match, but not the one featuring Lenglen. Next up was Paris for the French Championships, where the two women could possibly meet twice.

Finally, Lenglen seemed more like her old self between the lines.

She still voiced gripes about what had happened in Cannes regarding the officiating, and "objected to the fact that her career had been taken over by others and that she was virtually ordered where she must play and when, regardless of her emotional or physical health. 'Playing tennis is almost slavery,' she concluded." [1]

In response to the anti-Lenglen views of so much of the U.S. press, the French Championships was a *all-French* through and through, with all officials coming from the country, all scores being announced in French and nearly every Center Court match being reserved for French players. The crowd was on Lenglen's side, and her play reflected as much. Wills, though, seemed out of sorts and inconsistent, and said she did not feel well since before the tournament began, though she hadn't wanted to withdraw with the potential to face Lenglen again finally at hand.

Wills sought a postponement of her Day 2 match, and that morning became violently ill and was rushed to the hospital with acute appendicitis that required immediate surgery. Being forced to pull out of the event both disappointed and depressed her, for she knew she would likely be forced to miss Wimbledon. And, little did she know, her illness took away what was to be her *final* opportunity to face off again with The Goddess.

As things had gone previously for Lenglen in 1926, Wills captured the headlines. And in a vaguely Lenglenesque way, too. Without the chance to soundly defeat Wills, Lenglen no longer had the ability to recover what had been lost in February. Even a title would come with a "what if?" attached, allowing Wills to continue to creep closer to her in the eyes of the public even without having to pick up a racket.

Lenglen called the hospital twice, and left flowers. She'd hoped to visit (she likely understood a physical ailment robbing one of a chance to strive for glory, after all), but was angered when she saw the Californian praised for "bravery" after Lenglen had been called a "faker" by the U.S. press and fans when she quit her '21 U.S. Championships against Mallory in the infamous "cough and quit" match. In a voice laced with sarcasm, The Goddess said, "I am sure that France will be just as sympathetic and kind to Miss Wills as America was to me when I was ill in a foreign country."

"For several American newsmen the remark was vintage Lenglen, and it reminded them how much she had become the woman they loved to hate." [1]

As it was, the French press *was* sympathetic toward Wills, and news of her quick recovery was applauded. An overflowing number of flowers were delivered to her hospital, so much so that trucks were directed to *other* hospitals so the flowers wouldn't go to waste. Naturally, they were delivered in the name of Wills herself.

Lenglen and Wills' fellow U.S. players were kept from her room, as were photographers. Wills was walking by Day 5, and even harbored thoughts that she might be able to play at Wimbledon in a month's time. She did ultimately remove her name from the singles draw, but remained in the mixed doubles, perhaps cagily keeping her name in the news and involved in every discussion as the Jubilee event approached. She even announced her intention to travel to England for the fortnight, further stoking speculation.

Wills' surgeon, Dr. Thierry De Martel said that his patient's superb muscular development had allowed for the first time in French medical history the removal of an appendix without cutting a single abdominal muscle. After an incision one inch deep was made and no fat whatsoever found in Wills' abdomen, the abdominal muscle was pried aside and the swollen appendix was easily removed.

The assisting doctor in the operation said that Wills was "physically a 100% perfect specimen of girlhood, one whom all women of the world could wisely copy." He praised "her moderate life, her quiet temper and her devotion to sport," which had "made her body remarkable." Years later, Dr. Gabriel Maurange was arrested as a stalker and peeping Tom outside Wills' California home. Nah... just kidding (but I bet I had you there for a second, huh?).

De Martel said he'd never seen another woman with similar physical perfection. It was extremely rare, he said, even among athletic men "that such harmonious development of body muscles is to be found. Like her whole body, they were marvelous." [1]

Years later... oh, never mind.

With Wills gone, (a newly unburdened?) Lenglen took flight like days of old, perhaps reaching a level of perfection she'd never attained before. She won her sixth French title, destroying Mary K. Browne 6-1/6-0 in the final in quite possibly the best single match performance of her career.


Remembered most from the match was one particular point, described as thus:

"...a rally in the third game of the second set that electrified the crowd. Everyone had seen it happen, but few could believe it because Suzanne appeared to have invoked the gods and received their intervention during that rally. She had accomplished something that was impossible. During an extended exchange, Browne had fired a fast low backhand drive that hit the baseline in Lenglen's backhand corner. Lenglen moved well behind the baseline to retrieve the ball, while Browne moved to the net quickly to intercept and volley any return. Lenglen was forced to run quickly and to stretch out awkwardly in order to get her racket behind the ball and block it up and back for a desperate save. But her shot was short, and it came down just across the net exactly where Browne stood waiting for it, her feet planted firmly and her racket back for an overhead winner. Without letting the ball bounce, Browne blasted it with all of her might just in front of the baseline in the far forehand corner on Lenglen's side. Suzanne recovered from her own desperate save, pivoted and stayed low, like a runner, while flying back across the baseline to the opposite corner of the court. Her silk skirt was flying high above her knees as she shot like an arrow over the clay, her feet hardly appearing to touch the surface of the court. Once again she lunged for the ball, which was only ankle high as she neared it. But this time she did not block it. She instead caught it in the center of her racket and then smashed it with all of her strength straight back down the line. The ball cleared the net by only a fraction of an inch and was far beyond Browne's reach. It kicked up chalk as it skidded on the far baseline and then rolled to a stop against the wooden wall behind the court. For a moment the spectators were silent, and Browne stood in her forehand service court staring in disbelief at the ball. Then there was an explosion of noise -- exclamations of disbelief and shouts of praise and hurrahs for the Goddess, again. As the audience came to its feet to acknowledge Lenglen's incredible shot, Browne was heard to mutter, 'She's just too damned good! She's just too damned good!'

Sportswriter W.O. McGeehan, who watched Lenglen execute the shot, found her a picture of 'swooping grace -- swooping at the ball, like a falcon into a flock of pigeons, killing and killing.' Here was the Lenglen the French had worshiped for seven years. And McGeehan wrote, 'I can see no chance for Miss Wills to beat Suzanne either here or at Wimbledon. There is no woman player who can beat this champion.'" [1]

Lenglen lost just four total games in the event, and felt *that* had been too many. She'd wanted to win *every* match 6-0/6-0. But with the confidence sky-high once more, she was hungry for another chance to achieve her goal... at the Jubilee Wimbledon.

Seven years after she'd done so as a 20-year old looking to claim her maiden throne in 1919, Lenglen craved another Wimbledon title -- #7 -- which would tie the tournament record of Dorothea Lambert Chambers, the woman she'd taken the crown from in her debut trip to London, and bring her one year close to establishing a new mark of her own.

The Goddess traveled to England expecting something great to happen. Instead, something memorable did.

And it wasn't even remotely "great."






*SUZANNE LENGLEN vs. WILLS*
=SINGLES=
1926 Cannes Final - won 6-3/8-6
=DOUBLES=
1926 Cannes Final (w/ Vlasto) - won 6-4/8-6
=MIXED=
1926 Nice Final (w/ De Morpurgo) - won 6-1/6-1

*PRO SERIES FINALS*
[UTR - AUS]
Sydney: Ellen Perez d. Alexandra Bozovic
Melbourne: Destanee Aiava d. Storm Sanders
Brisbane: Maddison Inglis d. Lizette Cabrera
Sydney 2: Ellen Perez d. Alexandra Bozovic
Brisbane 2:
[UK TOUR EVENT - GBR]
1 - Emma Raducanu d. Jodie Ann Burrage
2 - Maia Lumsden d. Alicia Dudeney
3 -
4 -
[CHALLENGE ELITE FFT - FRA]
Nice - Fiona Ferro d. Kristina Mladenovic
Cannes -
Villeneuve-Loubet -

*SHUTDOWN EXHIBITION WINNERS...so far*Belarus Insurance Cup (BLR): Aryna Sabalenka
UTR Pro Match (FLA USA): Alison Riske (in F), D.Collins/A.Tomljanovic (SF rained out), A.Anisimova (3rd/4th)
President's Cup (CZE): Petra Kvitova
Mima Jausovec Cup (SLO): [Team East - w/m]
UTF Invitational (UKR): Marta Kostyuk
LiveScore Cup (CZE): Karolina Pliskova
Tipsport Charity Cup (CZE): Black Team def. Pink Team
Black Team: Bartunkova,Martinec,Muchova,Ka.Pliskova,Kr.Pliskova,Vondrousova
Credit One Bank Invitational (Charleston USA): Team Peace def. Team Kindness
Team Peace: Bouchard, Brady(MVP), Dolehide, Kenin, Keys(Captain), Mattek-Sands, Navarro, Tomljanovic
German Ladies Series (GER): Laura Siegemund
Bratislava Open Challenger (SVK): Belinda Bencic
Elle Spirit Open (SUI): Iga Swiatek
Youth Kings Scholarship (KY USA): Shelby Rogers (undefeated)
Bett1 Aces (GER):
Progress Tour (GBR):
World Team Tennis (WV USA):

Tough conditions this week??but nice to compete in my first Brit tour. Thanks @the_LTA for the opportunity ?? pic.twitter.com/OqlOKrXISc

— Emma Raducanu (@EmmaRaducanu) July 5, 2020

?? @maialumsden wins the British Tour ??

After a high quality final Maia battles past Alicia Dudeney 3-6, 6-4, 11-9 to claim the title pic.twitter.com/qENE50THSe

— LTA (@the_LTA) July 12, 2020

Game, set, match @EllenPerez95! Perez defeats Alexandra Bozovic 1-6 7-6(7)10-7 for a second straight win at the #UTRProTennisSeries Sydney @MyUTR pic.twitter.com/f3M195in1m

— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 11, 2020

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Elle a gagne´ comme pe´pite en 2018, Elle gagne comme championne en 2020 ! Iga Swiatek a remporte´ son deuxie`me titre ici a` Montreux. Elle de´montre que les pe´pites d’aujourd’hui sont les championnes demain. Merci @iga.swiatek . . . #ellespiritopen #alive #sportspirit #huit #clos #respect #the #rules #montreux #pepites #championnes #tennis #retour #tournament #swisstennis ??@capelapictures

A post shared by ELLE SPIRIT OPEN (@elle_spirit_open) on Jul 5, 2020 at 12:18pm PDT

????What a weekend. Thank you for the support and this opportunity. It was wonderful to play here (and win obviously) in Montreux. I loved every minute of it. Hope to see you all soon!????#teamSwiatek pic.twitter.com/UH8AePZmnE

— Iga Swiatek (@iga_swiatek) July 5, 2020

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Le titre pour @fioferro dans la première étape du #ChallengeEliteFFT à Nice ! 📷FFT / Julien Crosnier

A post shared by FFT (@fftennis) on Jul 11, 2020 at 7:50am PDT

#WTT2020: @SloaneStephens holds things down for the Smash, securing a 5-1 win over Puig to give Chicago a 10-4 advantage. Watch the @ChicagoSmashWTT take on the @VegasRollersWTT right now on @CBSSportsNet! #CHIvsLAS #EveryPointCounts pic.twitter.com/sKzaldusuc

— World TeamTennis (@WorldTeamTennis) July 12, 2020

Ranking system update:

After extensive review of the ranking process, the WTA Rankings will follow the "Better of 2019 and 2020" point model, in alignment with the ATP Tour--> https://t.co/qb83rnNuoZ pic.twitter.com/udN7fYxmCD

— wta (@WTA) July 9, 2020

Amazing news from @Wimbledon - there will still be prize money for players and officials this year, despite the cancellation of the tournament ---> https://t.co/hGZ20Y2Mtz pic.twitter.com/x08rKitnSZ

— wta (@WTA) July 11, 2020

AELTC announces prize money in lieu of The Championships 2020 alongside initial decisions for The Championships 2021 ??#Wimbledon

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 10, 2020

?? UPDATED TOUR SCHEDULE

The 2020 provisional calendar now includes two additional WTA International-level events in Prague and Lexington, Kentucky ---> https://t.co/HvQNJmaSFH pic.twitter.com/u9vcCgWoqk

— wta (@WTA) July 9, 2020

USTA Cancels All ITF World Tour August Events in US; Striplin Lynch Named Head Coach at Clemson, Vanderbilt's Announcement on Tsoubanos, Atawo Hired at Auburn, More College News; Tiafoe Out of World Team Tennis:https://t.co/LdRr7dlARm pic.twitter.com/AyfhIfybHZ

— Colette Lewis (@zootennis) July 6, 2020

Very rough news for the WTA in particular unless there is some loophole. Would wipe out most of their fall schedule and the WTA Finals in Shenzhen, which is the major revenue source for the tourhttps://t.co/kqjduQZ9rz

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) July 9, 2020

Steve Simon, WTA chief, tells me that it is not yet clear that China will call off all international sports events, including WTA tournaments, for rest of 2020. He says, despite reports, the decision not yet definitive and no order has yet been given https://t.co/5ogbzzU0nm

— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) July 9, 2020

More coaching news to round out the day as @juliagoerges is working with @raemonsluiter on a trial basis.

She’s been training with him in the Netherlands for the past ten days, first tournament together will be next week’s @bett1aces. pic.twitter.com/k6CcORPtYW

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) July 8, 2020

Donna Vekic and Torben Beltz have ended their coaching relationship after two and a half years of working together. pic.twitter.com/SCu5OuQS19

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) July 8, 2020

i know dayana yastremska is a 20 year old eastern european woman who probably was completely unaware of how stupid this would look, but surely someone would've told her before posting https://t.co/LuESIN13SU

— David Dixon (@davidixon) July 9, 2020

About my last post. pic.twitter.com/gtsTJuU05F

— Dayana Yastremska (@D_Yastremska) July 9, 2020

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Today would have been the ladies’ final. Thank you @wimbledon for your generous gesture to players and for taking such amazing care of us, even when the tournament is cancelled. True class. I didn’t get to wear this beautiful @nikecourt dress on Centre Court this year, but I cannot wait to be back as defending champion in 2021 ?? #wimbledonrecreated @nikecourt

A post shared by Simona Halep (@simonahalep) on Jul 11, 2020 at 7:16am PDT

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Be you Do you For you ??????

A post shared by Victoria Azarenka (@vichka35) on Jul 12, 2020 at 8:09am PDT

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??? #niepotrzebahasztagów ?? #nohashtagneeded Fot.@felixalfred

A post shared by Agnieszka Radwanska (@aradwanska) on Jul 7, 2020 at 4:51am PDT

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The big 3??0?? started off great!!?? #dirtythirty #birthdaygirl

A post shared by Caroline Wozniacki (@carowozniacki) on Jul 11, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

"Standing in front of the royal box, in front of my team... it was just very, very special."@Petra_Kvitova looks back on her 2011 @Wimbledon victory ?? pic.twitter.com/M3C6LWpl0V

— wta (@WTA) July 11, 2020

Wimbledon Juniors 2011: Daria Gavrilova [01/02/03] ?? @Daria_gav @Wimbledon ???? #WimbledonAtHome #ThrowBack #WeLoveWimby ?? pic.twitter.com/ME1YEjjv8L

— Elisa (@elissetennis) July 6, 2020

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Playing on grass court feels like coming home ?????? @badhomburgopen

A post shared by Angelique Kerber (@angie.kerber) on Jul 11, 2020 at 12:15pm PDT

Kanye West is ... #what pic.twitter.com/mRl77JxqYw

— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) July 5, 2020

Happy Sunday everyone ??!! ??
This week we are in Berlin for an exhibition event @bett1_aces. ??
Finally a different scene to stay sane in this crazy times ??. Keep practicing social distancing you all ???
? pic.twitter.com/5jFXjrz9xd

— Elina Svitolina (@ElinaSvitolina) July 12, 2020

?? ?? ??

Preparing for Tuesday training, @SabalenkaA style... #FedCup pic.twitter.com/A9R6nclvM2

— Fed Cup (@FedCup) July 7, 2020

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ON THIS DAY EXACTLY 20 YEARS AGO!!! On this day 20 years ago,at 17 years of age,I made my first @wimbledon semi final. Very grateful for the experience and memories. Thank you @wimbledon ,it was an honour and a privilege. Photo credit:Getty Images ???????????????????????? #wimbledon #wimby #tennis #tennis?? #?? #onthisday #tb #tbt #grandslam #wta #tennisaustralia #aussie #australian #womenstennis #sport #instatennis #tennisplayer #tennislove #love #passion #tennislife #tennisworld #australia #memories #memoriesforlife #grasscourt #moments #wimbledontennis #centrecourt #jelenadokic

A post shared by JELENA DOKIC ???????????? (@dokic_jelena) on Jul 10, 2020 at 2:36am PDT

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South of France? Italia? Nope, California ????I’m not yet sure what defines the perfect getaway in today’s new circumstances, but if it’s anything like the few days we spent here, it felt refreshing to say the least. Thank you, @belmond for making everyone feel so safe. More on those baby ??’s later. #theartofbelmond

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) on Jul 6, 2020 at 8:40am PDT

Who’s working out ( or dancing ??) this weekend? ?????? pic.twitter.com/MkmI5onqns

— Maria Sharapova (@MariaSharapova) July 11, 2020

Or, as we like to call it in America, the rule of law. https://t.co/V7lJSYPFJt

— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) July 9, 2020

He will start his own TV network if he loses https://t.co/QA1fqmC70a

— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) July 5, 2020

I saw a teacher friend of mine post "I wonder how social distancing will work when we run school shooter drills in the classroom this Fall."

Everything. About. This. Sentence. Is. Wrong.

Ask yourself how we got here?

— Josh from Network 1901 (@ModernMouseJosh) July 11, 2020

Here...here is why teachers are scared. pic.twitter.com/SFbpqBWpgr

— Dave Gorman (@_davegorman) July 12, 2020

?? might be the best yet https://t.co/2zhXGQpFkO

— Darren Cahill (@darren_cahill) July 6, 2020

How to cognitive pic.twitter.com/YM51OJ58qA

— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) July 10, 2020

Some day someone will do a study on how many lives might have been saved if this happened in February or March https://t.co/Y5iL9XFPC6

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 11, 2020

That it’s news that the president of the United States wore a mask amid a global pandemic is incredibly depressing

— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) July 12, 2020

"As you wish." ?? In his final performance, Carl Reiner shares a special goodbye with his son Rob as part of the fan-film version of The Princess Bride: https://t.co/ykEQy1KN5w pic.twitter.com/EgE4djHvRh

— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) July 10, 2020

So, not STEFANIE Graf Stadium...?

First look at Steffi Graf Stadium getting all pretty for the @bett1aces next week.

So cool to see big name tennis players return to this historic venue after the last German Open some 12 years ago. pic.twitter.com/I5f1lcKvSu

— Jimmie48 Photography (@JJlovesTennis) July 7, 2020

I thought I would share this photo on this day:), apparently I won my 9th at Wimbledon 30 years ago today against Zina Garrison. This is my first ever tennis photo taken, I was 9 years old at my first tournament and using my grandmothers racquet... handle just a wee bit too big:) pic.twitter.com/lgzyO8537P

— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) July 7, 2020

Coco Gauff https://t.co/4zmkA5cHJn

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) July 7, 2020

Kimiko Date who turns 50 this September took time to hit some balls yesterday in Tokyo pic.twitter.com/inGQ82X0ev

— Grigor. (@Scores_WTA) July 5, 2020

50 years ago, nine women changed the face of our sport forever.

This is their story...#Wimbledon

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2020

??? 1977
?? @Wimbledon Women's Final

The rest is history #WimbledonRecreated pic.twitter.com/tPNqwAlvfX

— LTA (@the_LTA) July 11, 2020

Ohhhhhhh....so young, and cute, and lucky....?? https://t.co/i8gagf9nQy

— Chris Evert (@ChrissieEvert) July 12, 2020

Delta flight to LGA diverted to JFK after it was hit by hail tonight. Wow pic.twitter.com/V4qBzUA4kr

— Bill Ritter (@billritter7) July 7, 2020

??

When you finally realize your

cat has opposing thumbs!

??#Caturday #Evolution @LouDPhillips
via @aaronwaltke on tiktok pic.twitter.com/EVrJclBfGT

— Tom Hall ? (@TomHall) July 5, 2020

As we go through the mental scrapbooking in an attempt to take stock, what are the images or moments or actions that will best define what we’ve just survived?

Here’s what @michele_norris writes that catalogue might include so far: https://t.co/OyYw2Kygv6

— Washington Post Opinions (@PostOpinions) July 6, 2020

What a strange timeline we're living in pic.twitter.com/ACrBQlFWw2

— Alexis Benveniste (@apbenven) July 12, 2020

still my favorite clip of the year pic.twitter.com/fJOW7fxSSs

— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) July 5, 2020

Oh nothing, just a puppy driving around a kid... pic.twitter.com/mhcof06ZEO

— Rex Chapman???? (@RexChapman) July 7, 2020

How the 1918 pandemic was conquered without a vaccine. pic.twitter.com/Er7Zfh9p5X

— Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) July 3, 2020

Sign outside the Chicago Bagel Authority on Belmont Avenue: pic.twitter.com/rUE49UGd2P

— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) July 4, 2020

Me trying to get 2021 to let me in pic.twitter.com/5rsTBk1Bks

— chris evans (@notcapnamerica) July 5, 2020

Be safe.
All for now.