Evening star., 1941-06-01
Keen Scrap for Title
Looms as Champion
Files Late Entry
Eight Notable Rucketers
Among q to Contest
On Army Navy Courts
By BILL DISMER, Jr.

The laSt-minute and unexpected
entry of Margo Lee, defending
champion in The Stars City of
Washington womens tournament,
last night set the stage for one of
the most bitter title quests in local
tennis history, with eight exceptional
netwomen in field of % which will
lnaugurate competition at Army
Navy Country Club tomorrow after
noon.
Having announced that she would
forego defense of her title in view
of preparations for her pending
marriage a week from tomorrow,
Miss Lee notified The Star just be-
fore the deadline that she desired
to play.
Because she is the defending
champ and the No. l player of the
District. she topped the seedlings.
Willie O'Steen Herbert, who lost to
Miss Lee in last years final, was
seeded second; Mary Cootes Belin,
winner of the tournament in 1887
and 1899. third, and Charlotte
Decker, the city's fourth-ranking
netWoman, fourth.
Unseeded, but every bit as formid-
able contenders as the rated entrants
are Sara Moore, the tournaments
1885 champion, who will be returning
to local net wars for the first time
In three years; Peggy Keyser Smith,
former girls champion of the Dis
trict, now ranked No. 6 in the Wom-
ems division: Frances Rowan, a
doubles winner in the 1929 tourna-
ment and now seventh in local rank
tngs. and Lib Sewers, No. s on the
Capitals list.
Other threats. not to be over
looked, are Betty Jacob, former
girls champion of the District, ready
for shot at women's honors; Elinor
Finckel Columbia Country Clubs
womens champ; Julie Fisk, prom
Using youngster of the host club,
and Margaret Graham, always a
trouble-maker
Fifteen matches, seven first-round
and eight second-round, are destined
to prune the field TO quarterfinal
proportions by tomorrow night. Com
petition is scheduled to begin at l
O'Clock and continue until dark.
Interesting pairings will send
Peggy Smith against Margaret Gra-
ham, and Betty Jacob against Flea.
nor Fishburn. The winner of the
latter match must meet Charlotte
Decker at $50 O'Clock, while the
Smith-Graham survivor will go
against either Elinor Finckel or
Eleanor Mayfield, dependent upon
the outcome of that match.
Because there is possibility that
several of the tournament out
standing stars will go up to Boston
for the Sears Cup matches on
Thursday, efforts are being made
to reach the finals by Wednesday
night. In that event, the title
match would be held next Sunday
afternoon.
Doubles will start Tuesday, en-
tries closing at o'clock tomorrow
when the draw will be made.
Tomorrow's pairings:
l:Oo-Margo Lee VS.. Mrs. Creighton
Yorke. N0' 'Ae' man w. MI J. L. L.
2:00-Jane Wilmerdng VS.. Lib Sewers
3:00-Bettv Zimmerman VS.. Virginia
McMenamin. Mary Belin VS.. Frances Stur-
tevant: winner, Lee-Peet VS.. winner Zuck-
Yorke
5:oo-Julie Fiske VS. Frances Rowan.
420-Geneva King vs. Sara Moore
Betty Jacob VS.. Eleanor Fishburn. Enor
.Flnckel VS.. Eleanor May1eld, Margaret
Graham VS. Peggy Smith.
5:30-Charlotte Decker VS.. winner, ia
cob-Flshburn match; winner Zimmerman
McMenamin winner. Fiske-Rowan.
6:0O-Winner. Finckel-Mayield VS.. win
ner. Graham Smith.