ROLL 4



EMERSON SERVES TO LOSE



??? Sel. 6-4



EMERSON WINS & JUMP



net



Princess Marina presents



Cap




Initials DE/V/MGT/PN


SPORT: LAWN TENNIS
EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: NOT MORE THAN TWO MINUTES MAY BE USED IN SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ROY EMERSON OF AUSTRALIA - THE WORLD'S TOP RANKED AMATEUR LAWN TENNIS PLAYER - TODAY (FRIDAY) BEAT FELLOW AUSTRALIAN FRED STOLLE IN THE FINAL OF THE MEN'S SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIP AT WIMBLEDON. IT WAS EMERSON'S NINTH ATTEMPT AT THE TITLE.

THE MATCH WAS MARRED IN THE SECOND SET - A MARATHON THAT RAN TO TWENTY-TWO GAMES - BY SHOWERS THAT THREE TIMES FORCED THE GROUNDSMEN TO COVER THE COURT. THE MATCH LASTED FOR TWO HOURS SEVEN MINUTES.

EMERSON WAS NOT LONG IN FINDING HIS TOUCH TODAY. IN THE NINTH GAME OF THE FIRST SET HE BROKE THROUGH STOLLE AFTER A DOUBLE FAULT BY HIS OPPONENT. EMERSON NEEDED ONLY TO RETAIN HIS SERVICE TO WIN THE SET - AND THIS HE DID WITH POWERFUL SERVES THAT AT TIMES BEAT STOLLE COMPLETELY. EMERSON WON THE SET 6-4.

RAIN STOPPED PLAY WHEN THE SCORE STOOD AT SIX-ALL IN THE SECOND SET AND FOR ELEVEN MINUTES THE CROWD WAITED. THE PLAYERS CAME BACK AND THE DEADLOCK CONTINUED. NINE-ALL WAS THE SCORE WHEN ANOTHER SHOWER SENT THE PLAYERS SCURRYING FOR SHELTER. A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS SAW THE PLAYERS OUT AGAIN AND THE SCORE MOUNTED TO 10-ALL BEFORE A VERY HEAVY SHOWER SUDDENLY BURST. STOLLE AND EMERSON CAME BACK AFTER FOURTEEN MINUTES BUT THE DELAYS SEEMED TO HAVE UPSET STOLLE AND HIS ERRORS GAVE EMERSON THE SET BY 12 GAMES TO 10.

A MORE CONFIDENT STOLLE, USING SOME VERY ACCURATE LINE SHOTS LED EMERSON 5-4 IN THE THIRD SET. HIS CHANCE CAME WHEN EMERSON BALLOONED A SMASH OUT OF COURT AND HE WON THE SET 6-4.

EMERSON BROKE STOLLE'S SERVICE IN THE OPENING GAME OF THE FOURTH SET AND CLINCHED VICTORY WITH ANOTHER BREAK IN THE TENTH GAME. STOLLE NETTED A BACKHAND ON MATCH POINT.

THE RESULT - EMERSON BEAT STOLLE 6-4, 12-10, 4-6, 6-3.

A HUGE CROWD GAVE EMERSON A WARM OVATION AS HE RECEIVED THE CUP FROM PRINCESS MARINA. THE CUP, AND THE ONLY MAJOR SINGLES TITLE IN THE WORLD OF AMATEUR TENNIS THAT HE HAS NOT PREVIOUSLY WON.....