1.
GV PEOPLE ENTERING WIMBLEDON.
0.08

2.
GTV TENNIS COURTS.
0.16

3.
SCU MISS SMITH INTERVIEW (SOF)
1.52


(SOF BEGINS)



QUESTION: MISS SMITH, HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL YOUR DISAGREEMENT WITH THE AUSTRALIAN LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION HAS AFFECTED YOUR PLAY THIS YEAR?



ANSWER: WELL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW. I WOULDN'T SAY IT HAS AFFECTED MY PLAY. I KNOW SINCE I LEFT HOME I HAVEN'T PLAYED VERY WELL. I DIDN'T PLAY WELL IN ROME AND IN FRANCE.... TO WIN MY STRUGGLE THROUGH DETERMINATION TO WIN.... BUT I HAVEN'T PLAYED WELL AT ALL SINCE I LEFT HOME.



QUESTION: WHY DO YOU THINK YOU LOST YOUR MATCH TO MISS MOFFITT?



ANSWER: I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE DAYS. I WAS REALLY AT SEA, AND DIDN'T PLAY WELL AT ALL.



QUESTION: HAVE YOU HAD MANY MESSAGES OF SUPPORT FROM AUSTRALIA SINCE YOU HAVE BEEN HERE AT WIMBLEDON?



ANSWER: YES, I'VE HAD LOTS OF LETTERS FROM PEOPLE WISHING ME LUCK, AND LOTS OF THINGS LIKE THAT.



QUESTION: HOW DO YOU THINK YOU WILL GET ON IN FOREST HILLS LATER IN THE MONTH?



ANSWER: WELL, I DON'T REALLY KNOW. I WILL BE FIGHTING BACK TO TRY AND GET BACK INTO FORM, AND I WILL BE TRYING VERY HARD IN AMERICA.



QUESTION: WHO DO YOU THINK WILL WIN THE LADIES SINGLES FINALS THIS YEAR?



ANSWER: I DON'T REALLY KNOW, BUT DARLENE HARD IS PLAYING EXCEPTIONALLY WELL.



QUESTION: CAN I HAVE YOUR SIDE OF THE DISPUTE BETWEEN THE AUSTRALIAN L.T.A.?



ANSWER: WELL I'D RATHER MAKE NO COMMENT ON THAT. AS FAR AS I AM CONCERNED, IT IS ALL FINISHED WITH.



QUESTIONS: HAVE YOU ANYTHING ELSE TO SAY ABOUT YOUR PERSONAL FUTURE: ABOUT PROGRESS IN MATCHES FOR THE FUTURE?



ANSWER: WELL, No. I AM JUST GOING TO TRY AND GET BACK INTO FORM, AND TRY AND REALLY MAKE A FIGHT OF IT AGAIN.



QUESTIONER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. (SOF ENDS)




Initials EHR/V/AW/LW


SPORT: TENNIS
FOR USE IN SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: MARGARET SMITH, THE AUSTRALIAN No. 1 SEED, WHO WAS BEATEN 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 BY BILLIE JEAN MOFFITT, THE UNSEEDED UNITED STATES PLAYER, IN THE OPENING MATCH OF THE WOMEN'S SINGLES AT WIMBLEDON, UK, JUNE 26, WAS INTERVIEWED BY VISNEWS JUNE 28.

MISS SMITH - OFFICIALLY SHUNNED BY HER TEAM-MATES BECAUSE OF A DISPUTE WITH THE AUSTRALIAN LAWN TENNIS ASSOCIATION - IS AGED 19 YEARS