NEWCOMBE AND PILIC IN PLAY; NEWCOMBE WINS (NATURAL SOUND).




Initials PW/V/RM/SGM


SPORT: TENNIS
EDITORS: NOT MORE THAN A TOTAL OF TWO MINUTES OF TENNIS FILM MAY BE USED IN ANY ONE BULLETIN. THIS FILM IS FOR SCHEDULED NEWS PROGRAMMES ONLY AND MAY BE USED IN NO MORE THAN TWO SEPARATE BULLETINS PER DAY.
EDITORS: VISNEWS PROD NO. 6597 - UK: WIMBLEDON TENNIS - BUNGERT THROUGH TO MEN'S FINAL AFTER FIVE-SET BATTLE WITH TAYLOR - SERVICED TODAY, ALSO REFERS.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: JOHN NEWCOMBE, 23-YEAR-OLD AUSTRALIAN, BLASTED HIS WAY THROUGH TO THE FINAL OF THE MEN'S SINGLE EVENT IN THE WIMBLEDON TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS TODAY, WHEN HE BEAT YUGOSLAV NIKKI PILIC IN FOUR SETS.

THE SECOND OF TODAY'S SEMI-FINALS, BETWEEN THE STRONGLY-FANCIED NEWCOMBE AND THE LEFT-HANDED PILIC WAS A BATTLE OF POWERFUL SERVES AND HARD VOLLEYING. BOTH PLAYERS PRODUCED TENNIS OF THE HIGHEST CLASS, BUT NEWCOMBE HAD THE EDGE ON THE TEMPERAMENTAL PILIC, AND WON 9-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

EARLIER, ALSO ON THE CENTRE COURT, BUNGERT OF WEST GERMANY HAD BEATEN TAYLOR OF BRITAIN TO REACH THE FINAL.

NEWCOMBE IS NOW FAVOURITE FOR THE WIMBLEDON MEN'S TITLE, AND HAS BEEN SO SINCE THE DEFEAT OF EMERSON -- BY HIS OPPONENT TODAY, PILIC. PILIC, THE EXCITABLE AND TEMPERAMENTAL PLAYER, HAD THE SYMPATHY OF TODAY'S CROWD, BUT IT WAS NEWCOMBE WHO WAS CAPABLE OF PULLING OUT THE WINNING SHOTS IN A HARD-FOUGHT AND ABSORBING MATCH.

THE FINAL WILL BE PLAYED ON THE CENTRE COURT ON FRIDAY.