(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
She was called 'La Divine.' Some say in the 1920s she was a bigger name in sports than that of Babe Ruth.
Between 1919 and 1926, at a time when three and not four tennis majors were played, she won twelve Grand Slam titles, on three different surfaces, and an Olympic Gold medal (Antwerp). Notably in seven of 81 singles titles she did not lose a game!
She was dominant in a way that only a handful of male stars have been since the open era of tennis. More than that, she imposed her personality on the sport, and the entertainment world of the day. We recognize such a personality in contemporary terms, in modern English, we might call her a diva.
Diva: A talented, imperious, and overly dramatic female performer.
Her command of the media, the crowds of fans drawn to her tennis, but more so because of her immense celebrity, are comparable to divas of contemporary screen and stage. (Here’s a clip of contemporary divas Whitney Houston and Maria Carey going at it).
On Bleacher Report we have a long running argument about whether women should receive the same pay as men for their contributions to the game of tennis. As an example of the enormous draw-power of Ladies' tennis, Wimbledon, in 1922, decided to move the tennis center from Worple Road to its larger, current location on Church Road, in order to accommodate the following of of a single tennis star. None of the male stars of the age commanded such a show of respect. Wimbledon was moved because of Suzanne Lenglen.
Forma Divina:
Most famous for leaping into the air to strike a ball, as shown in the picture that opens this piece, Lenglen was able to create a stunning forehand by leaning into it, and was devastatingly accurate with her first serve. Her accuracy was honed by her coach and father, who used to put a handkerchief down on the court at random to provide a target. She is reported to have had remarkable anticipation and a complete, all-court game. But it was the fact that she played unencumbered by the tight layers of clothing that others wore that also made a contribution to her extraordinary success.
Flappers, The Charleston, and Women in the 1920s:
In Paris Lenglen’s contemporary, Coco Chanel, working in the (otherwise entirely male) world of clothing design, introduced a stunning concept - women's sportswear - at her Paris showroom in 1913. It was only a year later that Lenglen was to begin making her mark in the world of tennis (1914).
Chanel struggled to redefine a woman’s ‘image’; to depart from the clothing structures of the Victorian era. Chanel wanted to introduce "a sense of freedom". She wanted a complete separation from lace, corsets, underclothes, and padding which she felt separated women from their bodies.
A new breed of self-confident young women would be drawn to Chanel's iconic style, a style that is indelibly associated with the image of the 1920s ‘flapper.’ Flappers demonstrated their independence by wearing short skirts and haircuts, openly using cosmetics, and being seen to smoke and drink cocktails.
Flappers exhibited an increased level of activity over their Victorian forebears, driving their own automobiles, and going out to nightclubs where they could listen to jazz, pursuing athletic sports or energetic dances such as the Charleston.
D-delightful; I-invasive; V-vivacious; A-attitude.
Ms. Lenglen entered right into the flapper spirit. Though not particularly attractive from a physical point of view ( she had the looks of ‘Lyndon Johnson in drag’ according to a contemporary blogger), she dressed and wore for competition, shorter, flowing skirts, that allowed her legs freedom of movement (and showed them off, of course).
Thus she was able to tap her considerable athletic talents and demonstrate in dramatic fashion, a different aspect of femininity that had been rejected in the Victorian era.
Like male contemporary tennis stars, Ms. Lenglen was known for screaming at referees over bad line calls – a true departure from the demure standard of the previous era and likely contributing to her reputation for temperamental flair. She also was known for pouting on court and even weeping - actions that were recognized at the time as passion for the game.
1926: Divine Cusp between a Golden Age and the Contemporary World
10 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete