Sports: Maria Esther Bueno: Brazilian star of 1960s women's tennis dies

South America's most successful female tennis player, Maria Bueno of Brazil, has died at the age of 78.
Bueno won 19 major titles during her career in the 1950s and 60s, including three Wimbledon singles titles and four US championships.

The "Sao Paulo Swallow" had recently been admitted to hospital suffering from mouth cancer. A self-taught prodigy, she brought grace to the game and was a dominant force, BBC Americas editor Leonardo Rocha writes.

However, her career was shortened by elbow problems, which she blamed on the heavy wooden rackets of the time. Brazilian President Michel Temer has led tributes to the star, tweeting that she would be remembered as "the number one of tennis in the hearts of all Brazilians". Born in the city of Sao Paulo, Maria Esther Bueno made history as the first South American woman to win the Wimbledon singles title.

Despite having no formal coaching in her teenage years, she swept the Brazilian scene before gaining international acclaim by winning the Italian Championships in 1958, beating the best English and Australian players.