- Title: UK: WIMBLEDON TENNIS SEMI-FINAL - SANTANA VERSUS DAVIDSON
- Date: 29th June 1966
- Summary: VARIOUS SHOTS OF PLAY, SANTANA MATCH POINT. (NATSOF). Initials RGM/V/JH/SGM SPORT: TENNIS EDITORS: WE REFER YOU ALSO TO OUR PROD 6311/66 "WIMBLEDON TENNIS SEMI-FINALS - RALSTON VERSUS DRYSDALE" - SERVICED TODAY. Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 14th July 1966 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WIMBLEDON, UK
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVA9E79C9EYDMIOCTUDY6YNZ3X72
- Story Text: SPANISH CHAMPION, MANUEL SANTANA REACHED THE MEN'S SINGLES FINAL AT THE WIMBLEDON TENNIS. CHAMPIONSHIPS TODAY (WEDNESDAY), AFTER ONE OF THE TOUGHEST AND MOST NERVE-WRACKING MATCHES FOR MANY YEARS. HE BEAT THE UNSEEDED AUSTRALIAN, OWEN DAVIDSON, 6-2, 4-6, 9-7, 3-6, 7-5.
SANTANA, FAVOURITE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP, WON THE MATCH IN TWO HOURS 52 MINUTES BEFORE A CAPACITY CROWD AT WIMBLEDON'S CENTRE COURT, PLAYING IN THE HOTTEST DAY YET IN THIS YEAR'S TWO-WEEKS TUSSLE.
DAVIDSON WAS 1-5 DOWN IN THE FINAL SET, BUT STAGED ONE OF THE GREATEST LAST-SET RALLIES SEEN AT WIMBLEDON TO REACH 5-5 AFTER SAVING THREE SUCCESSIVE MATCH POINTS IN THE TENTH GAME.
DAVIDSON HAD OUTPLAYED SANTANA TO WIN THE FOURTH SET AND LEVEL AT TWO SETS ALL, BUT SANTANA GAINED AN EARLY SERVICE BREAK IN THE DECIDER AND RACED ON TO LEAD 5-1 AND 30-LOVE ON DAVIDSON'S DELIVERY.
IT LOOKED ALL OVER, UNTIL DAVIDSON PULLED OFF HIS TREMENDOUS LAST-SET RALLY. HE PULLED UP TO FOUR-FIVE. THEN, WITH THREE SERVICE RETURNS, HE STOOD AT DEUCE, AND THEN WON THE GAME - WITH EVEN SANTANA JOINING IN THE THUNDERING APPLAUSE.
BUT, SANTANA WAS TO GO ON TO WIN, CLINCHING THE MATCH WITH AN ACE THAT DAVIDSON HAD NO CHANCE OF RETURNING.
THE ENCOUNTER HAS BEEN HAILED AS THE GREATEST SINCE THE 93-GAME DUEL BETWEEN DROBNY AND PATTY IN 1953.
IN THE FINAL ON FRIDAY, SANTANA WILL MEET AMERICAN DENNIS RALSTON, WHO DEFEATED CLIFF DRYSDALE, OF SOUTH AFRICA, IN HIS SEMI-FINAL TODAY.
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