New-York tribune., 1920-08-02

Miss Ballin
Captures | Title
AT W ood1nere
n. J. Champion Beats Miss
Wagner i'm Final Round
After Brilliant Rally
By Fred Hawthorne

Il SpleHulu HRnLlNS HnlSn, a1Ler all
seemed lost; spirit that refused to
admit defeat, even when defeat lurked
at her elbow, enabled Miss Florence
Balm, New Jersey champion, to con-
quer Miss Marie Wagner, the defend
ing title holder, in the final round of
the women's annual Long Island cham
pionship lawn tennis tournament at
Woodmcre yesterday afternoon. Miss
Balm took the match in three sets at
&c, 6-l, 9-7.
Leading at 7--6 on games in the last
set and 100 on points, svith Miss Bal
lin serving, Miss Wagner three times
was within point of winning the
match, the title and permanent pos
session of the Woodmere Challenge
Bowl, for twice before she had won a
leg on the trophy. But Miss Ballin
took the bit in her teeth" if ] may
borrow the expression, and ran off five
points in a row, giving her the game
and bringing the match all square.
That marked the end for Miss Wag
ner. for her opponent took the next two
games, the set, match and champion
ship, and richly did she deserve her
victory From a purely technical ten
mis- standpoint Miss Wagner is at least
IS better than her conqueror of yes
terday, | should say. Her shots are
more varied and under better control,
and her knowledge of court tactics
greater, but she is apparently lacking
in that will to win" that pulls so
many matches out of the fire. Miss
Ballin has this quality, and she won.
Miss BalIn Loses Control
Yet it should be pointed out that
Miss Wagner made fine uphill fight
in this last set, when she herself was
in the trailing position at Is on
games. At that point Miss Balm ap-
pcared headed straight for victory,
hut in the next three games Miss Wag-
ner suddenly started to "stroke" the
oall with all her customary pace, some
thing she had not been doing for sew
eral games, and she won those three
games with the loss Of only one point,
bringing the score to 4-5. Miss Ballin
during this period lost all control of
her shots, her backhand being particu-
larlY weak.
The tanth game was bitterly fought,
both exchanging drives from deep court
before Miss Wagner won after deuce
had been called three times, and the
match was all square once more. But
that seemed to only nerve Miss Ballin
to greater things, for in the last six
games she was hitting harder and with
.AtCt NDIl4QtANS t!lQU uSI LINdl, ana HcI
gets" We're surprising.
The final round match in the mixed
doubles. staged Immediately after the
finish Of the singles, resulted in the
victory OF Miss Margaret Grove and
J. IT, Steinkampf over Mrs. Edward
v Lynch and V alter J. Toussaint, the
sets going at 6--1. Sc. Steinkampf
was the deciding factor in this match,
his aggressive work at the net smother
ing many returns. Miss Grove de-
Tended the backcourt position we'll and
took her turn at the net position when
the opportunities came.
Miss Ballin started service in the
singles match, winning the first game
at love" but then Miss Wagner
working into her real stride. ran off
the next four games, using better
judgment IN placing her returns and
forcing her opponent to Go q great
amount Of running.
Takes Three in Row
Miss Balm had been playing the
ball too short. OWN. the defending
champion to folirv pp to the net cas-
lily and finish OF the points by finely
angled volleys to the corners. With
the start Of the sixth game, however,
the New jersey champion began to hit
with more power. and deeper, 50 that
she took three games in a row, bring
ing the score 70 4-all.
JUS when it looked as though the
challenger had found herself she
fa.tered in her stroking, and Miss
Wagner won the last two games for
the set at 6-4
Miss Ballin began the service in the
second set, but She dropped the open
ing game without getting point, as
Miss Wagner whipped beautiful drives
to her opponents deep backhand. But
the New Jersey title holder steadied
down splendidly then and ran straight
at 6-1, sQuaring the match Miss
" Magner showed signs of worry all
through this set and had "softenedn
her game noticeahly.
In the last set the defending cham
plon began the service, but Miss Ballin
broke through, and then won the next
game ON her own service. Miss Wag-
ner took the next at "love,' catching
her rival several times with hard
drives to her backhand but then Miss
Ballin went through the next three
with flying colors by dint of great court
covering and stirring recoveries of
placed shots
Miss Wagner then made her best and
most dangerous bid for the honors,
succeeding, as | have said. in squaring
the match, only to see Miss Ballin
snatch the laurels in the end.
The point scores:
FIRST SET
MISS MISS WaEaer..d 1a'5'a 5-3i 5-3i
SECOND SET