Martire Clinches Indoor Nationals Berth

Almost was good enough for sophomore Alexis Martire, who finished second in this weekend’s ITA Eastern Championships at the Murr and qualified for Indoor Nationals next week in Dallas.

Martire defeated Maryland’s Delila Causevic 6-3, 6-1 in the semis yesterday morning before losing a heartbreaking final, 6-1, 6-7 (7), 3-6 to Megan Muth of William and Mary. Muth had downed Harvard sophomore Susanna Lingman 6-4, 6-1 in the other semifinal.

The championship was a gripping, back and forth battle. Martire dominated the first set, running Muth all over the court, hitting winners and capitalizing on errors.

“[Martire] played some of her best tennis,” Harvard coach Gordon Graham said.

Martire was ahead 4-1 in the second when Muth tightened up her game and began fighting back.

“I was frustrated,” Muth said. “I couldn’t figure out a way to win points. My coach told me to go for angles, don’t go for winners, be consistent.”

Muth, a freshman, held serve to go to 4-2 and then took Martire to deuce in that crucial seventh game. On the third deuce point, Muth hit a terrific drop-shot winner. In frustration, Martire whacked the ball in to the stands.

“That wasn’t on purpose,” Martire said. “I meant to hit it in to the net and it went in to the stands.”

The line judge penalized Martire one point, giving the game and break to the Muth.

“I was confident that I could have won that game,” Muth said. “But I got a lucky break.”

Muth then held serve to even the set and broke Martire at love to go up 5-4. With the pressure on, Martire came back, was broken at love again and broke back a final time to force the tie-break.

The tie-break was a microcosm of the entire match.. The Crimson sophomore took a 5-4 lead, then fell behind and was forced to save two set points. An unforced error by Martire gave Muth the tie-break, 9-7.

Martire broke Muth to open the second set and then held serve for 2-0, but the momentum had already shifted. Cramps and back spasms set in as Martire lost 13 points in a row and the next four games.

Martire broke back at 4-3, but was herself broken yet again, giving Muth the opportunity to serve for the match. Muth went to double match point, but two unforced errors brought the game back to deuce. Martire saved a third match point before pounding a return in to the net to end the match.

“Muth just picked it up and quit making mistakes,” Gordon said. “Alexis was playing well. Her game didn’t drop off, [Muth] just stepped up and put a lot of pressure on Alexis.”

Though the seventh game of the second set was the turning point, Martire did not blame her loss on the point penalty.

“I didn’t deserve that game, I didn’t deserve that set.” Martire said. “She’s a great competitor. Good job to her.”

In a morning that began with the potential for an all-Crimson final, yesterday’s matches were too much Muth for Harvard.

In her semi-final match, Muth took a tough first set from Lingman before dominating in the second.

“I played right into her game,” Lingman said. “It’s frustrating, because I had plenty of chances in the first set, plenty of game points, but I didn’t convert.”

In the second set, Lingman’s frustration was evident as Muth had her running all over the court.

“She likes to move the ball, hit it right in her strike zone,” Lingman said. “I didn’t move her, didn’t mix up my balls, hit it high...I wasn’t playing smart enough to get her out of her groove.”

Martire, for her part, had a surprisingly easy semifinal against Causevic, a big player who Gordon described as having pro potential.

“I’m thrown for a loop,” Martire said in tears of joy after her nationals-clinching semifinal victory. “I don’t know how that just happened.”

Martire, who usually overpowers her opponents, was facing a heavy-hitter stronger than herself.

“She is really powerful, but was a little inconsistent today,” Martire said. “The key was to get it back in the three-quarters court [between service line and base line] and to stay in the points and not let up.”

Martire played brilliantly against Causevic and maintained that level of play for one and a half set against Muth. Even after losing the second set, Martire played through pain and fought hard to win the match.

“I knew I had a chance to win,” Martire said. “But I was playing my best all weekend, and it’s hard to keep that going.”

Despite the loss to Muth, Martire is still basking in her win over Causevic and the invitation she earned to the Indoor Nationals in Dallas on November 7-9.

“I am ecstatic—I can’t believe this weekend,” Martire said. “I can’t tell you how happy I am.”

—Staff Writer David A. Weinfeld can be reached at weinfeld@fas.harvard.edu.