Evening star., 1938-07-08
BY BILL DISNER, Jr.

by DILL OlSME6, II.
Only the Grecian-like figure Of Anne
Ellis today remained as . potential
preventive of . match tomorrow for
the women,s District tennis Champion
ship between the same two girls who
played for the title last year.
While defending champion. Edith
Clarke was an odds-on choice to defeat
little Willie O'Steen in one Of today's
semifinal matches at Columbia Coun-
try Club, Margaret Robinson, Miss
Clarke's flnal-round victim in 1887, by
no means was . sure thing over Miss
Ellis In the other semi. Seeding
which rate Miss Clarke, Mrs. Robinson,
Miss Ellis and Miss O'Steen in that
order-indicate victories for the first
two, but the second seeded star hasn't
had any easy time Of it in reaching
today's next-to-last bracket.
For instance. she was severely
pressed yesterday to defeat Margo
Lee. 2-6, 81, IS. and while Miss
Lees rapidly improving game Is des-
tined to earn her high District rank
ing this year, observers were of the
opinion that Miss Clarke could have
taken Margo in straight sets. On the
other hand, Miss Ellis has yet to lose
. set and her three victims Charlotte
Decker, Dorothy Bender and Anne
Dayett-are all players of above-aver-
age ability.
Champion at Peak.
No one, though, has advanced to the
semis with the ease which has marked
Miss Clarke's routs Of all opposition.
Not only has she beaten three oppon-
ents in straight sets. but she has lost
only four games ir - sets. Dorette
Miller, still one of he toughest net
women in the District to beat, took all
four Of the games dropped by Miss
Clarke.
Miss O'steen probably would be
ready for the champion in two or three
more years, but her power strokes do
not begin to come up to the hard
driving No. l star. Willie showed
plenty OF grit In downing Hazel
(Jinmy) Bkhopp, e6. IS yester-
day, but Miss Bishopp still is q year
or 80 away from being in Miss Clarke's
class.
Incidentally, all but one of today's
singles semifinalists seem destined to
11ght 1t out for the doubles champion
ships. Miss Clarke and Mrs. Robinson.
defending champions and the No. /
seeded team. and the Misses Lee and
Ellis, the second-seeded team seem as
certain to reach the finals as they are
to play on Columbia's courts. That.
because no other team in the COMPETE
ton seems worthy Of extending either
Of the seeded teams even to the limit
of three SETS
Singles Hard-Fought.
II Miss Clarke and Mrs. Robinson
and Miss Lee and Miss Ellis do reach
the fnal, the championship doubles
match will pit the same players, with
one exception. against each other as
battled for The Star Tournament title
In May. Then, Mrs. Robinson had
Dorette Miller as q partner and lost
to the Ellis-Lee combination in three
sets. Miss Clarke seems capable Of
turning defeat into victory for Mrs
Robinson in the pending return match
with the same opposition.
All Of yesterdays three quarter
final matches (Miss Clarke had
reached the semifnals the previous
day. were hArd-fought Affairs with
Mrs. Robinson, Miss O'Steen and Miss
Ellis forced to exert al their ability to
nip Miss Lee, Miss Bishopp and Miss
Dayett. Indeed, Just as she did in
The Star Tournament, Miss Lee took
the nrst set from Mrs. Robinson, 60,
only to fall victim to her opponent s
crafty use Of the drop-shot to lose the
second set at love. Then followed q
real battle which found Miss Lee tax
ing . 4-2 lead in the decisive set.
Mrs. Robinson commenced to volley II
her own inimitable style. however, tied
the count at ~, and four games
later volleyed . drop-shot for match
point.
Miss Ellis had just a. hard time OF