In an era of giants, Nancy Richey’s career stands as a testament to sustained excellence and a pivotal role in the foundation of modern women’s tennis.
The tenacious Texan was a key member of the Original 9, the trailblazers who changed the game forever when they signed $1 contracts with Gladys Heldman in 1970. The first tournament they played, at Houston, proved such a success it snowballed into a full-blown circuit sponsored by Virginia Slims in 1971 – setting the scene for the WTA Tour as fans enjoy it today.
A two-time Grand Slam singles champion, Richey captured her first major title at the Australian Championships in 1967, defeating Lesley Turner in the final. The following year, her clay prowess reigned supreme at Roland Garros – the first Slam to be staged in the Open Era – where she was victorious over Ann Haydon Jones. All up, the tenacious Texan reached six major singles finals, only missing the title bout at Wimbledon. On home ground in New York she was twice runner-up, to Maria Bueno in 1966 and Margaret Court in 1969.
All the while, Richey amassed some 73 singles titles, as an amateur and professional. Her record is highlighted by a staggering six consecutive US Clay Court Championships from 1963 through 1968 – a run that incorporated a 33-match win streak. Chris Evert also won the prestigious event on six occasions, but over a longer period of time.
Although known for her fearsome baseline game, Richey was also a formidable doubles competitor, winning four major titles and narrowly missing out on a career Grand Slam when she reached the final in Paris in 1969. She won Wimbledon and the US Championships in 1966 with Brazilian legend Maria Bueno, having earlier won the 1965 US and 1966 Australian Championships with fellow American Carole Graebner. She was also a stalwart for her country in team competition, contributing to eight victorious US Wightman Cup squads and the 1969 US Federation Cup winning team.
By the time she stepped away from the game in 1978, Richey had ranked among the world's Top 10 for more than a decade, rising as high as No.2. With her brother, Cliff Richey, she was part of the first brother-sister duo to achieve US No.1 rankings – a proud achievement for their father and esteemed coach, George Richey.
Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame for her accomplished playing career in 2003, Richey later joined her brother's mental health advocacy after he published his book, 'Acing Depression, A Tennis Player’s Toughest Match'. In 2021, she was enshrined into the Hall of Fame for a second time, as a member of the Original 9. When the WTA Finals were staged in Fort Worth in 2022, one of the singles player groups was named in her honor.
