Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-05
Brazilian Girl
EndsU.S. Hold
Al Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England, July
4 (APl Maria Bueno of Brazil
today broke the United States
2l-year domination of women's
tennis by defeating Darlene
Hard of Monticello, Calf, Ga,
6-3, for the Wimbledon singles
title.
The 19-year-old girl from Sac
Paulo served and volleyed at a
killing pace while covering the
court with the grace of a ballet
dancer. She played steadier and
harder on the sun-baked CEN
ter court than the sturdy Miss
Hard, who never quite got
going.
Until today, women from the
United States had paraded in
unbroken succession to the
throne room since 1887. when
the crown was won by Dorothy
Round of England. There has
been an American titleholder
"a times since World War l.
one Of the most remarkable rec
ords in international sports
competition.
First Latin American Champs
But this was a different
Fourth of July. Miss Bueno's
victory made 1t a Latin Ameri-
can Wimbledon. It came on the
heels Of Alex Olmedo's triumph
| yesterday in mems singles. Oh
medo, a Peruvian now living
in Los Angeles. crushed Aus
tralia's Rod LAYER in straight
sets.
Never before had a Latin
American won a singles cham
pionship in this tournament.
Miss Hard, 23-year-old pre-
medical student at Pomona
College in California, saved one
match point in the ninth game
of the second set with a des-
perate smash. The next time,
she hit a running backhand
wide of the court.
Both girls broke into tears
as they trotted to the side
lines to receive trophies from
the Duchess of Kent. Miss
Bueno was weeping for Joy;
Miss Hard was wiping her eyes
in despair. In her moment of
victory, the Brazilian girl
crossed herself.
Miss Bueno succeeds Althea
Gibson of New York, who won
the title the last two years
beating Miss Hard in the 1857
final-and who now is on q
years leave from competition
The Harlem girl watched to-
days final from the press box.
Later, Miss Hard teamed
with Jeanne Arth of st. Paul
Mimi, and won the women
doubles, 2-6, 60, 6-3 over
Beverly Baker Fleitz of Long
Beach, Calf, and Christine
Truman. Britain's amazonian
schoolgirl. Miss Hard and Miss
Arth were top-seeded while
Mrs. Fleitz and Miss Truman
were seeded third.
Darlene also paired with
Australia's Rod LAYER and won
the mixed doubles. They de-
feated Neale Fraser of Aus
tralia and Miss Bueno, GA,
6-3.
Miss Bueno was a sensation
on the American and Euro
pean circuit two years ago, but
she never hit her true potential
because of temperament and
lapseS in concentration.
Battle of VOlleys
Today she had full control
of both and a SlaShing service
which scored II aces and COM
mitted only one double-fault.
The aggressive Miss Hard had
no aces and served five double
faults.
There were five service
breaks, three against Miss Hard
in the first set but only one in
the second, with Miss Bueno
taking Miss Hard'S delivery at
love in the fourth game.
This game produced the most
exciting point of the match.
Down 0-40 on service, Miss
Hard engaged the Brazilian in
a long volleying duel before
Miss Bueno finally scored on a
shot at the Californian's feet
Neale Fraser and Roy Emer-
son won the mems doubles
championship in an all-Aus-
tralian final, defeating Rod La
yer and Bob Mark 8-6, 6-3
l4-16, 81.