New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-07-11
Miss Bjurstedt Invincibls
in Her Chief Battles
on the Courts.
MISS MARIE WAGNER
FIRST TO BOW KNEE
Winning of National Title n.
Climax to Sensational
Career of Norwegian.
BY FRED HAWTHORNE

lawn tennis season Of 1915 has reach,
its zenith, and with the national cha
pionship at Philadelphia last month
and the clay court title play a. Pits
burgh last week, the feminine star, o,|
the courts have only minor tourr,.
ments ahead in which 70 add 20 ths,,
laurels.
When Robert Lindley Murray. a,
California, blazed sensational tran
in the East last year, capturing N,
New England and metropolitan cham.
pionships and winning the chief honorI
at the Sleepy Hollow and Sou,hamp.
ton tournaments, he was hailed 2, +.
marvel Of the courts, and 50 he was.
What, then, shall We say when a
woman, unknown in this country beior.
last March, starts of BY winning III.
national indoor championship only Al
few days after leaving the steamship
that bore her 20 these shores? WAC
follows this signal triumph BY csp,gr.
ing the metropolitan title from a req.
resentative field at the West Side Ter.
mis- Club, and who CAPS he climax By
going down to the turf courts Of tt.
Philadelphia Cricket Club snd there
comes through a field numbering ii.I
strongest women players in this eoun.
try. and carries or the national TILE
by defeating Mrs. George Wigh,ms-,
the former Hazel Hotchkss, OF Cali.
fornia, in the final round, in a three.ss;
match. taking the last Sc, By a score
Of 60?
In addition to these notable IN.
umphs this latest sensation Of the
courts entered half a dozen Other
tournaments of lesser magnitude and
walked away with the chief cup 1
every instance, except az Morrstowr'
where she was compelled 70 default d
Mrs. Frederick Scnmitz IN the semi
final round, after developing a mus
cular cramp.
Yet that is just what Miss Mo,i
! Bjurstedt, Olympic, Norwegian, "a
tional, metropolitan national indoor
and national clay court champion, las
accomplished all within the space o..
three months.
After she had conquered Miss Nan'
Wagner, plsying-through champion i''
the indoor title, Miss Bjurstedt dld ao.
get the credit she deserved. lhtIe
were many who expressed the belief.
that the Norwegian girl was simply d
flash in the PAM" and that she Tol..
meet defeat the next time she eoz1
peted against a classy field.
Then came the metropolitan, lss,
month, with several former holders !,
the local and national titles among "a.
entries. The most brilliant womt,
players in the East were drawn sgaihil
the foreigner, and those who proies'tI
to be able to pick a winner on 1q
courts prophesied that Miss Blursieci
would never even reach the hnal roul-I
Miss Anne Sheafe, one Of the bnga,l
est stars Of the Longw0Od Cricket Cis'
of Boston, who seems destined 4
achieve a high standing IN Ameueai
lawn tennis next season, was anotasl
who succumbed 70 the remarkable pAiI
ing of the Norweg an. Mrs. MARSHA
Mclean. national champion in 1905, "a
vet another TO fall before the tern
/ deep-court driving and phenomena
placing Of Miss Bjurstedt, and ne
Mrs. Barger- Wallacn, who held the Il
tional title in 1908, lost IN straight Sc
I in the final round.
4 Still there were those who were u
satisfied. wait until she gets on w
in the national championship m JuhiI
/ Wait until she meets one Of our Dc
players. like Mrs. Wightman, then 81
will understand what American "om,
can do on the courts VAS the us-i
run of comment.
Ten days before the national tour.
Miss Bjurstedt sustained the lnIgi
that threatened for a time 70 keep hs
/ out of the quest for the highest hol0''
in the country. Her maryeHo-
physique pulled her through, hoWeys
and she was on hand or June we
/ play began.
The Norwegian was favored in "
early rounds by the luck Of the dis'
and did not encounter serious oppya
ton until the fourth round, when ah)
Sheafe was again her opponent ~
little Boston girl played a game is.
25 per cent stronger than she hAD
the metropolitan the month before, ~!
Miss Biurstedt won in straight sss
lO-S, 60, in one Of the fasS
matches of the tournament.
Miss Martha Guthrie, q orllHs.
young player from Pittsburgh pc.
aged to take a set from the NorWegi
in the semi-fnal round, and was q.
praised because of the feat, ana WV
came Mrs. Wightman. II
Miss Bjurstedt had shown a s"'.
improvement on the turf courts III
rapidly adapted her game 70 Il
changed conditions. but nobody efpI
ed her TO be capable Of the remst1tr, -.
/ exhibition she put mp against tne
mer champion in the final round Il
Mrs. Wightman took the hrst Sc,
6-4, and the great gallery was So.
fed that al last the Norwegian
met her superior. But Miss blprN.
began playing with greater spec y,
confidence in the second seI, ny -,
mendous drives forcing Mrs. "lsh'~
into back court. ,,..- ..,sel
The former Haze HotchHlss 80
gled desperately, smashing. ~hsH ~,
could gain the net and seeking
down her opponent by consisieh' Us
ing 10 the latter's Dackhand' q. a.,
Biurstedt rose TO the occasion 10
sational manner, however. ana Ae..
outplayed the former champion 100
own game, following her vicious o. 4
into the net and there hnisnlns
point by brilliant volleying across
court. - No,ssl
The last set was rout. me ~
gian girl played with ever ,ine.I 'VnI
speed and simply oyerwheliinne..Si, ,t,{
Wightman with series Of seln'l.II'a
shots for placement that amaze aoo,,,
gallery and discouraged her oPpSs II
who seemed dazed and utterly u"''
meet the attack. Ia, III
When Miss Bjursteit had tase5I II
last set at 60, the match suit. ar 4
championship, ending with ~
passing shot down the side ms A. "a
was moment Of silence and s.ns.n-ss.l