Evening star., 1933-08-20
POINT FROM BRINK,
TAKESF|VE GAMES
5000 at U. S. Title Event
kqhast as Alice Marble
Loses "Safe" Lead.
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

TOREST HILLS, N. Y, August
r Betty Nuthall, thor
1 oughly British and possibly
the "fghtingest" girl ever to
pull on a pair of tennis shorts,
supplied 5000 spectators at the
women's national tennis cham
pionships today with a thrill that
fingered on.
Betty. along with the one and only
Mrs. Helen Wills Moody, won her quar-
ter-flnal match, delayed by yesterdays
rain. She beat blond Alice Marble OF
San Francisco, 6-8, 60. Is, while
Queen Helen was toying with Mary
Heeley of the British forces, 60, So.
But the story is how Betty, faced with
defeat in the final set, given up by the
crowd. pulled back from the brink with
a grand display Of courage and went on
to defeat Miss Marble, regarded as the
finest offthis country's younger crop OF
PLAYERS The oldest regulars around the
press marquee could recall nothing to
compare with the comeback Of Betty.
Comes From Nowhere.
~HE drama was wrapped up in the
final set, after Miss Marble had
= won the first, a long. bitterly
fought affair. and Miss Nuthall had
captured the second without the loss OF
a game to square the match. Returning
for the third set, the tall American girl
flashed superb brand of tennis to be-
fuddle Miss Nuthall and win five OF the
first six games. She was playing mar
velous tennis, and she needed only one
more victory to clinch the set and the
match.
No one would have given dime for
Betty's chances at that iuncture. Tney
would have given even less a rev sec
onds later, when Alice, behind her
powerful service, ran the count to 4O-l5,
one point from victory; two chances to
get it. And that was when Betty chose
TO put on her own, private show.
The first point Miss Marble batted
into the net after long rally. On the
second Betty passed her with clean
placement to deuce the game. She won
the next two points as well to win the
game. She won the next five consecu-
tive games! She won the set, ID, ana
the match and the lasting admiration
of an audience 5000 miles from home.
Plays Daring Game.
"HE CrOWQ SCdTCtly Couiu UcsAeNo ioS
eyes as Betty, putting everything
= she had behind every stroke,
never considered caution for minute,
slowly cut down Miss Marbles SEEM
ingly safe lead. In the tenth game
the American girl again was at match
point on one occasion, only to double
fault in her eagernesS. That was the
last chance she had. The final game
of the match saw Miss Marble turned
back without point on her own service.
She tossed her bat in the air as the
deciding point, a clean placement,
whizzed past.
The match required an hour and
half to play, compared with the 22
minutes Mrs. Moody needed to dispose
of Miss Heeley. Queen Helen won II
straight games before she eased up and
spared her rival white washing. Miss
Heeleys helplessness brought laughter
from the crowd, and there were times
when even Mary joined in the merri-
ment.
Playing as we'll as ever in her career,
which is to say a different brand OF
tennis from other women, Mrs. Moody
quickly demonstrated her superiority
and never was forced to extend herself.
Twice, maybe three times, she con-
sented to go to the net to return q
drop shot, but otherwise she just
planted herself near the base line and
let Mary do the work. And Miss Heeley
was ranked No. l in England last year.