New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-06-03
Miss Wagner
Proves Victor
On theCourts
Indoor Champion Defeat,
Miss Pollak; Big
Match To-day
BY FRED HAWTHORNE

Miss Marie Wagner, national indoo,
champion, gave an illustration OF bs.
proves on the courts yesterday hv
defeating Miss Helene Pollak at 6,
o-l, in the senli-iinal round OF N,
Ardsley Clubs invitation women's n,.
triotic singles, at Ardsley-on- Hudson
In the lower half semi-fnal brack,,
Miss Molla Bjurstedt, national ou,doo,
champion, won by the default Of Mis-,
Marion Nanderhoef. who found ,bs
strain OF Two matches in the double,
too great TO permit of her playing Ia.
champion in addition.
Miss Bjurstedt, paired with Mrs
RawSon l.. Wood. worked her way in,a
the final round Of the women's doubles
by defeating Mrs. Benjamin +. Brigg,
and Miss Vandernoef az 3-6. 81
81. Earlier IN the afternoon Mis-,
Vanderhoef and Mrs. Briggs had elm.
mated Miss Dickinson and Miss Lum.
mis- by score of 6-l, 90.
Final Round To-day
Mrs. Homer S. Green, chairman Of
the tournament committee, announced
yesterday that the final round match i,
the singles between Miss Wagner and
Miss BJurstedt would be played az
O'Clock in the afternoon.
At IL O'Clock IN the morning Miss
Wagner and Miss Nathalie Browning
will play Miss Adele Cragin and Mrs,
Lorillard Spencer, Jr., in the semi-fnsl
round of the doubles, and the winners
will meet Mrs. Wood and Miss Blur.
stedt Immediately after the finish Of
the singles match.
The turf courts were dripping wet N
the morning, and after making an in.
specton Reynolds. the club profes.
sional, and Mrs. Green decided il would
not be possible TO play any matches.
Later, however, when the sun shone
forth, the courts dried out consider.
ably, and Mrs. Green sent a fleet Of
automobiles scurrying over the coun.
tryside to round up the various play.
ers. who were told that some matches
would be played after all.
Miss Pollak fell an easy victim to
Miss Wagner in the singles, the indoor
champion picking out her opponents
weak spot, the backhand, and hammer.
ing the vulnerable point with slashng
forehand drives until Miss Pollak grew
overcautious in her anxiety to protee,
herself on the left side and neglected
her forehand.
Miss Wagner was quick to take ad-
vantage of this. and sent her hard
drives skimming by for dazzling place
ment aces. To those who watched this
match it seemed that Miss Polsk
played just the game that suited her
more experienced opponent, for the ma
tional indoor title holder, after ma
npuvring the younger player out Of
in at the net position to finish on her
points by brilliant volleying.
Lobs Too Short
Several times Miss Pollak sought to
drive Miss Wagner back by lobbing, but
a majority OF these were short and
were crashed back for kills" by the
Hamilton Grange star. Miss Wagner
only allowed her opponent a single
game in each set. Playing the way she
did Yesterday, the indoor champion
should give Miss Bjurstedt the hardest
struggle she has had in the East this
season TO escape defeat.
Having conquered in the singles,
Miss Wagner showed her versatility by
acting as umpire in the seml-hnal
round doubles match. This promised
TO develop into a STUBBORN contest, Tor
in the opening set Mrs. Wood and MISS
Bjurstedt were erratic, frequently over
driving the base line and finding the
net with many OF their vo-!eylng shoN.
Mrs. Briggs was power at the net
i'm this set, smashing with great acc9,
racy and severity every time pail
came TO her overhead, while Miss van
derhocf held the opposing PAIR evenly
in the driving rallies from deep cesr"
But the combination play OF ME-
Wood and Miss Bjurstedt underwent
decided change in the last two sols'
and. having gained control OF the'
strokes and found the range OF wv
court, they simply swept the opposing
pair before them.
At times Mrs. Wood and her partner
advanced to the net simu ltaheOus.si
smashing and volleying with unlsu l.n
brilliancy and tallying their points Wv
great rapidity. Mrs. Woods mos, el-
fective shots were her biock-yoileyS
that dropped the ball just over me ne re-
and her cross-court placements 70 'h'
corners. .a
Miss Bjurstedt put tremendous p s'y
into her ground strokes, ana nel IL
volleylng from mid-court brougn' ,,I.
outbursts Of applause from the gallery,
The national champion was always on
the alert for the smallest OF open'hnssi,ii
and never hesitated 20 shoot the oa''
through FOR the winning points.