WIMBLEDON FINAL

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30178, 9 July 1963, Page 18

WIMBLEDON FINAL

Odds Favour Miss Smith

(N.Z. Press LONDON, July 8. Miss M. Smith, of Australia, is favourite to beat Miss J. Mofftt, of the United States, in the Wimbledon women’s singles final. Miss Moffitt surprised by beating Miss Smith in the first round at Wimbledon last year. When the tournament began the odds against Miss Smith winning the title ’vere 7/4-against and those against Miss Moffitt were 16'1. Bookmakers now' quote Miss Smith as 4'l -on favourite, and are offering 3'l against Miss Moffit. A film of Miss Moffitt practising on a broad court today was taken for television and shown tonight. Miss Smith declined to appear before the cameras.

The big question tomorrow will be whether the week-end wait has affected Miss Smith's nerves. Although she denies it, she is as highly strung as one of her own tennis rackets. Miss Moffitt, whose nickname is “Miss Chatterbox,” is likely to be less put out by Saturday's postponement than "Big Marge.”

The 19-year-old daughter of a Long Beach fire-engine driver. Miss Moffitt has already won two Wimbledon titles—the 1901 and 1962 women’s doubles with Miss K. Hantze, now Mrs Susman.

Miss Smith has yet to win a title of any sort at Wimbledon although she took every other major singles title on the international circuit last year and is indisputably the world's leading woman player. She will play in three finals tomorrow and could finish emulating Misses S. Leng!eng, A. Marble, L. Brough, and D. Hart by becoming a triple Wimbledon champion in one year. Miss Smith’s singles with Miss Moffitt is timed to start on the centre court at 1 p.m. After a break for the men’s doubles final between Mexico's Osuna and Palafox, and the French pair, Daemon and Barclay, she will be back on court with Miss R. Ebbern to face Misses M. Bueno and D. Hard in the women's doubles.

Her third match of the day will be with K. Fletcher against R. Hewitt and Miss Hard in the mixed doubles.