Margeret Court and Billie-Jean King contested one of the
great Wimbledon finals in 1970. As veteran commentator John
Barrett has said, "It produced one of the most dramatic
finals ever seen at Wimbledon." The fact it was televised
in colour rather than black and white added to the spectacle
while also underlining the changing times of a sport that
only two years earlier had turned professional.
Court sealed the two hour, 28 minute 14-12, 11-9 victory
on her sixth match point in an extraordinary encounter that
produced a record number of games in the Ladies' final at
Wimbledon. Four times the Australian had her serve broken
in the first set and four times she came back. In the second
set, she saved match point at 7-6 and four more at 10-9.
The indominitable spirit that refused to accept defeat and
sparked one of the sport's most successful careers (her
record 20 Wimbledon title win was only equalled by Martina
Navratilova in 2003) was evident as King fought as if her
life depended on the outcome.
The deciding 46th game symbolised the titanic qualities
of the struggle. King was 15-40 down in the twentieth game
of the second set after three overhead smashes from her
Australian opponent. She produced one herself to save one
match point and then brought it back to deuce with a service
winner.
A running forehand gave Court her fourth match point which
King saved with a sliced backhand. A forehand pass brought
up No.5 but a flashing forehand crosscourt pass by the American
left Court frustrated yet again. A forehand gave Court a
sixth match point. This time it was taken with a backhand
return off a second serve by an attacking Court which forced
King to place her own into the net.
Court looked exhausted. She threw her head back in relief
and trudged a few steps to the net to say 'well played'
to King who skipped from the back of the court. The great
Australian, her shortish hair matted with sweat, had given
everything and it was enough.
It was the third of a Grand Slam - following glory at the
Australian and French Opens - completed at the US Open against
American Rosie Casals in the autumn, a feat only previously
done in the female game by Maureen Connolly 17 years previously.
Court, who had won three of the four in 1962, 1965 and 1969,
also went on to complete 62 Slam triumphs. But Court, nee
Smith, had retired and was enjoying married life to Olympic
yachtsman Barry Court. Her first two Wimbledon triumphs
were against the unseeded King (using her maiden name Moffitt)
in 1963 and Maria Bueno, from Brazil, two years later.
However, Court was tempted to come back and make history.
She told the BBC: "I don't know why but I said to my
husband 'why don't we go for one more year so you can see
the life I led on the tennis circuit. In that first year
I got to world No.2 and somebody said to me 'you've gone
so close with three why don't you go for four Grand Slams
in a year."
John Newcombe made it an Australian singles double when
he won the men's title, although it could not have been
avoided the day of the final as he faced compatriot Ken
Rosewell for the crown. Rosewall was in his third final
in 16 years and the sentimental favourite but second seed
Newcombe, the last amateur to win the title three years
before, was in no mood to roll over.
He was taken to five sets by Rosewall, then 36, before emerging
a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 winner. Newcombe went on to win
a third Wimbledon singles crown in 1971 while Rosewell lost
his fourth and last final to Jimmy Connors in 1974.
Written by Mike Donovan
