The New York herald., 1921-03-10
TENNIS CHAMPION
Is HARD PRESSED
Mrs. E. A. Falk Finds OPP
ponent of Unexpected Skill
i'm Miss Sharman.
BY SAMUEL :. BRoOKMAN.

| Only the most persistent sort OF get
| ting and continued hard hitting enabled
| Mrs. Edwin A. Falk. national indoor
champion, to reach the semi-final round
of the womens metropolitan indoor ten
mis- tournament at the Seventh Regiment
Arynory yesterday. To her surprise she
found Miss Lillian Sharrnan. girl Of
| comparatively limited tournament ex-
! perience, meeting drive for drive, strok-
| ing boldly and covering every bit as
much ground in a baseline exchange.
| AS the match advanced and games went
/ on service the title holder discovered
! that she could not afford to relax for a
/ moment the vigilant defence Of her court
1 or the careful deep court driving that
has helped her 10 the front rank of ten
mis- players Better control, however, in
the closing games OF each set, finally
gave Mrs. Falll the necessary winning
margin. and the victory was hers at
I 7-5, Cd.
"A little knowledge OF net play easily
I might have turned the match In Miss
I Sharmans favor On numerous occasions
| when Mrs. Falk made more or less
weak return Of one OF her sharp drives
Miss Sharman had plenty of time to
| come up to net and meet the ball on the
! voiley for a decisive stroke. But whether
| II was inexperience or a desire to avoid
being passed at the net, she followed
Mrs. Falk's example Of staying in deep
| court and taking every return. no mat
| ter how soft. on the bound. Thus some
| splendid opportunities were allowed TO
pass unnoticed. After tieing the score
at 5-ail In the first set Miss SharInan
took the LEAD In the eleventh game but
saA d., ~ 1ta-
and dropped the game, as well as the
next. In the second set Miss Sharman
on her own service led 40 love In the
ninth game, when the score was 4-all.
and again failed to hold her advantage.
Three in Semi-FinaI.
The victory brought Mrs. Falk into
I the semi-final round In which she Is
bracketed with Mrs. David Z. Mills. In
the other half Of the draw Mrs T. j.
Strauss made a similar advance as the
result OF a hard three set match with
Miss Mary Hurd, and now awaits the
winner of the fourth round contest be-
tween Miss Martha Rayard and Miss
Caroma Winn which Will be played to-
day.
The surprise Of the day was the de-
cisive triumph of Miss Martha Bayard
one Of the younger tennis set, over Mrs
Frederick Schmtz. who not SO long ago
was the national indoor champion The
! girl was remarkably steady throughout
the match and had plenty OF sting to
both service and drive. In the poor
light that prevailed because OF the lull
drab day, Mrs Schmitz was unable at
| times TO follow the flight or the ball
Many of her returns were necessarily
hurried and found the net The so~-
lice. too. every once in while es-
capped Mrs. Schmitz entirely. but the
| speed Of the ball had as much 20 do
with 1t as the light. Unable to take
the aggressive. Mrs. Schmitz was out
scored. e, 6--1.
Mrs. Mills scored with surprising ease
over Miss Rene Christy. 6---1. 6--1. and
\ is considered to have an even chance
of defeating Mrs. FallS in the semi-final
She has been playing very skilfuly and
WITH good control despite fast pace.
Spirited Doubles Play.
There were some evenly contested
matches In doubles in the most spec
tacular Of which Mrs. Benjamin F.
Briggs and Mrs. Louis G.. Morris de-
feated Miss Carona Winn ard Miss Ger
trude Della Tore after three well played
sets. e-S. ca, 6--3. The four players
were on their toes throughout the tussle
and Kept the rallies going by their per-
sistency in covering the court All
played we'll, but In TIE long run Mrs.
Briggss steadier driving from deep
court and Mrs. Morris's alert blocking at
the net turned the tide in their favor
Mrs. Frederick Schmitx and Mrs Al
bert Humphries were hard pressed 10
defeat Miss Martha Bayard and Miss
Jessie Gott IL another extra set match.
The other winners were Miss Marie
Wagner and Mrs. Bernard L. Stenz and
Miss Adele Cragin and Miss Ceres
Baker. both OF which teams scored II,
straight sets.
The summary:
Women's metropolitan indoor tennis chanl-
pionship singles. Third Round-Miss Martha
Bayard defeated Mrs. Frederick Schmitg
i CO, 6-j.
Fourth Round-Mrs. Edwin A. Faik defeat
ed Miss LILLIAN ShaFrnan. I'D, c. Mrs.
! David 9. Mills defeated Miss Rene christy,
G-1. 6-1. Mrs. Il. J. Strauss defeated Mlss
Mary Hurd. Ct. So G..
Doublos.--First Round--Mrs. Lou!s C. Nor.
ris and Mrs. benjamin =. Briggs defeated
! Miss Caroma Winn and Miss Gertrude Della
Tore. 6--s, G--4, G-3 Miss Adele Cragin
! Kaltenborn aud Mrs. Walker Fuicher, a-f
G-3 Miss Marie Wagner and Mr.. Bernard
J.. stenz defeated Mrn. Percy v'ilboarn and
Mrs. r. II. Thompson 6-i, 8-2. Mrs Fred
| erick Schmtz and Mrs Albert Humpnrler
defeated Miss Martha Bayard and Migg
Jessie Gott. 6-3. J--T. G--3.