LAWN TENNIS Misses Hard And Bueno In Wimbledon Final

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28938, 4 July 1959, Page 7

LAWN TENNIS Misses Hard And Bueno In Wimbledon Final

(N.Z Press Association —Copyright i LONDON, July 3. Darlene Hard, a 23-year-old Californian who worked as a waitress to earn enough money to play lawn tennis and who is now studying to be a children’s doctor, will contest the Wimbledon singles final tomorrow with a 20-year-old Brazilian, Maria Bueno.

In the semi-finals yesterday, which were a triumph for the “big game,” Miss Bueno beat Sally Moore, aged 19, of Bakersfield, California, 6-2, 6-4, while Miss Hard defeated Sandra Reynolds, of South Africa, 6-4, 6-4.

A Wimbledon singles final will be a new experience for Miss Bueno but not so for the buxom Miss Hard, who lost to Althea Gibson two years ago. Miss Bueno is the first South American ever to reach the final.

The men’s doubles final will be an all-Australian affair. Yesterday the top-seed, Neale Fraser and Roy Emerson beat Ladislav Legenstein (stateless) and Denmark’s Torben Ulrich 6-3. 6-2, 6-2. and Rod Laver and Bob Mark won with equal ease against the Italians Nicola Pietrangeli and Orlando Sirola, who had been seeded second.

Today Laver will attempt to make Wimbledon history by becoming the first unseeded player ever to win the world’s most famous tennis tournament. Laver, who is 20. and is playing in his third Wimbledon, will meet the tournament's favourite and number one seed. Alejc Olmedo, of the United States. The,only other unseeded players to reach the Wimbledon final in the 82 years of its history were Wilmer Allison of the United States and Kurt Nielsen, of Denmark. They both lost—Allison to another American, Bill Tilden in 1930 and Nielsen to the Americans Vic Seixas in 1953 and Tony Trabert in 1955. Nielsen was unseeded both years. Strangely, Nielsen, seeded seventh this year, was Laver’s first big victim in his great run to the present final. He beat him in straight sets in the second round.

Olmedo has met Laver only once before—in the West Austra-

lian championships this year when, he won the five sets. If Laver wins he will become only the third left-hander to do so. The others were Australia’s Sir Norman Brookes—in 1905-7-14—and Jaroslav Drobny (Egypt) in 1954. . Results of yesterday’s matches were:— WOMEN’S SINGLES Holder Miss A Gibson (United States). Semi-finals Miss M. E Bueno (Brazil) beat Miss S. Moore (United States), 8-2. 6-4; Mis'- D R Hard 'United States) beat Miss S. Reynolds (South Africa). 6-4, 6-4. MEN’S DOUBLES Holders: S. Davidson and U. U. Schmot (-.weden). Semi-finals R. Emerson and N. A. Fraser (Australia) beat L. Legenstein (Stateless) and T. Ulrich (Denmark), 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; R. Laver and R Mark (Australia) beat N. Pietrangeli ano O Sirola (Italy). 6-4. 6-4. 6-3 MIXED DOUBLES Holders: R. N. Howe and Miss L. Coghlan 'Australia). Fifth Round W. A. Knight (Britain) and Miss Y. Ramirez > Mexico) beat J. Javorsky and Miss V. Puzejova (Czechoslovakia), 6-4, 9-7; N. A. Fraser (Australia) and Miss M. E. Bueno (Brazil) beat R. Emerson (Australia) and Miss S. Reynolds (South Africa), 6-3 6-3, R. Mark and Miss J Arth (United States) beat R. N. Howe (Australia) and Miss S. Moore (United States), 6-3, 7-5; R. Laver (Australia) and Miss D. R. Hard (United States) beat H. E. Truman and Miss C. C. Truman (Britain), 6-3, 7 5