The New York herald., 1922-03-03
Tennis FavOrite Within
7WO Strokes of Defeat
Miss Martha Bayard Steadies Just in Time to Defeat
Miss Ceres Baker in Metropolitan Indoor
Championship Final To-day.
BY SAMUEL J. BROoKMAN.

Whatever the result of the title match
in which she is to meet Miss Marie
Wagner at the Seventh Regiment
Armory this morning. Miss Martha
Bayard will have good cause to re-
member yesterdays semi-final in the
women's metropolitan indoor tennis
championship as vividly as any other
in the tournament. She was very close
to being beaten, and In straight sets
at that, at the hands of Miss Ceres
Baker of Orange, whose brilliant. scin-
tillating tennis has been the feature of
the week. That Miss Bayard. who has
been favorite for the title from the
first, was able to stem the tide in time
was due, first. to her own steadiness
in a pinch and to her opponents over
anxiety when she appeared 10 have the
match we'll in hand.
Miss BAKER. by another exhibition of
aggressive play at the net. of speed
in court covering and alert, crisp vol
leying had fairly run away with the
first set. as the score of 6-i indicates
In the second set. too, despite de-
termined rally on the part of her op-
ponent. Miss Baker had held slight
lead and the score had gone to O. and
30-all in her favor.
1t was then that Miss Baker had her
chance to end the match i'm a hurry
There was a long rally in the seventh
or eighth stroke, of which Miss Bay
ard. forced TO hurry her return, sent
an easy floater over the net. Miss
Baker came rushing up for IL and
swung hard backhan9. but in her over
anxiety to "kill' the ball. drove IL into
the net and very valuable point not
only was lost, but was credited to her
opponent. The error Disconnected Ceres
and her control lapsed long enough to
enable Martha TO catch up and pass
her. Miss Bayard took the set even
tually at s-6.
steadfness the Thing.
The extraordinary effort Miss Baker
made from the start in her persistent
net attack began TO show its leffects
in the extra division OF play. She was
not quite as fast in getting up with
the ball, and she had to stay closer to
the baseline at alternate periods. And
when IL came 10 baseline exchanges
Miss Bayard's clever maneuvering ana
unshakable steadiness gave her an ad-
vantage Miss Baker, however. never
stopped trying. She moved up from
q i'm games to 4--alI. and later In the
twelfth game turned Martha back four
times when she was within point or
clinching the match. Each time Ceres
PLAYED daringly at match point. NOV
ing to the net for volley or smash
and coming through decisively. MISS
Bayard finally recovered one OF the
yolleys. noweyer and passed Miss
Baker for the winning point.
Just how close the tussle was may
be further understood from the fact
that Miss Baker actually earned one
more game than the winner and two
more points. during the match llg to III
In the long run IL was Miss Bayard $
superior control that prevailed. Not
that Miss Baker was unsteady In the
true sense of the word, for nearly half
OF her errors were excusable, the shots
hitting the top Of the net or sailing out
OF bounds only by a matter Of Inches
In the other semifinal Miss wagner
was axtesded TO the limit la the first
act Of her match with Mrs. Percy VIII
bourn The latter's splendid control,
both backhand and forehand almost
made up for the advantage Miss Wag-
nor had in versatility and generalship
and the score went 10 TO. Mrs. VIII
bourn's control was aided by some alert
court covering and by the earnestness OF
her play. In the second set, however,
Miss Wagner began timing her fast
deep returns to nlcety. and catching
her opponent out OF position. forced her
10 Keep chasing the ball from one corner
TO the other. n was not long before
Mrs. wilbourn tired MS result OF this
mancuvering. and she was unable 70
win more than one game In the set.
There was near upset In one of
the semifinals in doubles. Miss wagner
and Mrs. Bernard +. Stenz. title hold