Maureen Connolly returns a shot during the 1954 Wiesbaden International tennis tournament. (Lou Dombrowski / ©S&S)
WIESBADEN, May 1 — Little Maureen Connolly powered through the women's singles semifinals today in the Wiesbaden International tennis tournament at Nerotal Tennis Club, by crushing Switzerland's Violette Alvensleben-Rigollet in straight sets, 6.0, 6-1, to gain a berth in tomorrow's championship round.
Little Mo will meet Inge Pohmann, Germany, for the women's title, Mrs. Pohmann toppled England's Joan Curry in her semifinal match, 7-5, 0-6, 6-3.
The San Diego slammer also gained entry in the mixed doubles finals along with her partner, Engelbert Koch, Germany. They teamed up to drop Fenny Bosch, Holland. and Bobby Schmidt, Germany, in straight sets, 6-2, 6-1.
It is possible for Mo to be in a third final — the women's doubles. Tomorrow morning at 11 she and Nels Hopman, Australia, will play Inge Buderus and Mrs. Pohmann, both of Germany, in a semifinal match, If Mo and Mrs. Hopman win, they will enter the finals in the afternoon.
In the singles match it took the U.S. and Wimbledon queen 30 minutes to blast Miss Alvensleben-Rigollet off the court. She shut her out in the first set and allowed her one game in the second. That was the first game Miss Connolly lost since the opening game of the tournament two days ago.
The Swiss Miss however was the best thrown at Little Mo thus far in the tourney, But with the opposition better, Mo was brilliant. She kept her foe at the baseline throughout the match with her long drives and once again had "eyes" on her smashes as they found corner after corner, game after game.
In the men's class Sweden's Lenart Bergelin continued his sweep into the finals. The "Systematic Swede" topped Koch, 6-3, 6-4, He will meet Germany's Ernst Bucholtz for the men's championship.
Bergelin will also be seen in the men's doubles. He and Schmidt downed Werner Helmrich, Germany, and Peter Katz, Rhodesia, in three sets, 0-6, 7-5, 6-1. They will play Germany's Rolf Gopfert and Milan Branovic for the crown.
Bergelin has become one of the outstanding stars of the tourney. Top-seeded at the outset in the men's class, but overshadowed by the presence of Miss Connolly, the quick-tempered blond has swept aside everyone in his path to date with torrid tennis authority.
Tomorrow's finals will get under way at 1:45 with the men's singles match. The women's singles finale will follow, so that means Miss Connolly should reign at center court at about 3 pm.
