RALSTON SERVING TO SANTANA; GAME IN PROGRESS; SANTANA WINS; PRINCESS MARINA PRESENTS TROPHY TO SANTANA.




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Background: MANUEL SANTANA OF SPAIN WON THE MEN'S SINGLES TITLE AT WIMBLEDON TODAY (FRIDAY) AFTER BEATING AMERICAN DENNIS RALSTON 6-4, 11-9, 6-4.

THE MATCH REALLY HINGED ON TWO GAMES. THE FIRST WAS THE GAME WHEN SANTANA GAINED THE ONLY BREAK OF THE FIRST SET WITH A BEAUTIFUL CROSS-COURT SHOT AND THEN HELD SERVICE TO CLINCH THIS IMPORTANT SET.

THE OTHER WAS IN THE NINETEENTH GAME OF THE SECOND SET. SANTANA HAD BEEN LIVING DANGEROUSLY IN THIS SET, ALWAYS STRUGGLING TO KEEP ABREAST OF THE AGGRESSIVE AMERICAN. AT 15-ALL IN THE 19TH GAME, RALSTON SMASHED TO THE BASELINE AND THERE WAS DOUBT OVER WHETHER THE BALL WAS IN OR OUT. THE LINESMAN CALLED THE BALL "OUT" AND THIS SHOOK THE AMERICAN PLAYER OUT OF HIS RHYTHM. RALSTON IMMEDIATELY SERVED TWO DOUBLE FAULTS TO LOSE THE GAME AND SANTANA EASILY HELD DELIVERY IN THE NEXT GAME TO LEAD BY TWO SETS TO LOVE. THIS WAS VIRTUALLY THE END OF THE AMERICAN CHALLENGE.

WHEN THE 28-YEAR-OLD LITTLE SPANIARD PUNCHED AWAY A VOLLEY ON HIS MATCH POINT IN THE LAST SET, HE TOSSED AWAY HIS RACKET IN TRIUMPH, JUMPED FOR JOY AND THEN HUGGED RALSTON AT THE NET. AS HE WALKED TO THE UMPIRE'S CHAIR HE BLEW KISSES TO HIS WIFE MARIA IN THE STANDS.

SANTANA WAS PRESENTED WITH THE HUGE WIMBLEDON TROPHY, THE WORLD'S PREMIER INDIVIDUAL TENNIS AWARD, BY PRINCESS MARINA, DUCHESS OF KENT AND PRESIDENT OF THE ALL ENGLAND CLUB.