Stories
Biography
- Won Wimbledon in 1977 on 16th attempt, under the most dramatic of circumstances for a Briton – playing before Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee, marking 25 years of reign, and it was also the Wimbledon Centenary; defeated defending champion Chris Evert in semifinals and Betty Stöve in final… Duly named WTA Player of the Year for 1977… As an amateur, won first Open Era tournament, held in Bournemouth, England, in April 1968... Won first Grand Slam singles title at US Open in 1968 (d. King in F) and second at the Australian Open in 1972 (d. Goolagong in F)… Also won four doubles majors, including Roland Garros in 1973 (all w/Court); remains only British woman to win a title at each of the Slams… Founding member and vice-president of the WTA in June, 1973… Ranked in Top 10 continuously from 1967-1979... Was No.2, her career high, when WTA launched computer rankings on November 3, 1975… Won at least one singles title 11 years running, 1968-78… With 55 singles titles, is tied w/Davenport in eighth place in the Open Era… With 839 career match wins, sits in fifth place on Open Era list (behind Navratilova, Evert, Graf and S.Williams)… At US Indoors in 1978 became third player to pass $1 million in career earnings, after Evert and King… Was among Top 10 earners in 12 seasons across course of career… Represented Great Britain at Federation Cup from 1967 through 1983, and played Wightman Cup 21 times… Began tennis commentary work for the BBC while she was still playing… In 1982, became first woman ever elected to Wimbledon Committee... Appointed an Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in 1986… Inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1989… Moved to South Africa when she was one year old and lived there until the age of 15; father was archdeacon of Durban… Graduated from University of Sussex in 1966 with a degree in mathematics and physics.
Plays
Right-HandedCareer High
2Height
5'7" (1.70m)Birthday
Jul 10, 1945 July 10, 1945Birthplace
Bournemouth, EnglandCareer Highlights
SINGLES
Winner (55): 1968 - US Open, Bloemfontein-RSA, Bournemouth, East London-RSA, Dewar Cup-Crystal Palace; 1969 - Cape Town-RSA, Hoylake, Dewar-Perth, Dewar-Stalybridge, Dewar-Aberavon, Dewar-Crystal Palace, East London-RSA; 1970 - German Indoors, West Berlin Open, Irish Open, Stalybridge, Aberavon; 1971 - (9) Cape Town, Catania Open, Rome, Newport-Wales, Cincinatti, Dewar-Billingham, Dewar-Aberavon, Dewar Cup Final-London, Clean Air Classic-NY; 1972 - Australian Open, VS Indoors-Mass., Merion, Buenos Aires; 1973 - Dallas, Bournemouth, Dewar-Aberavon, Dewar-Edinburgh, Dewar-Billingham, Dewar Cup Final-Albert Hall; 1974 - VS Chicago, Bournemouth, VS Phoenix, Dewar-Edinburgh, Dewar Cup-London; 1975 - VS Dallas, VS Philadelphia, Paris Indoors , Eastbourne, Dewar Cup, Stockholm; 1976 - US Indoors, Dewar Cup; 1977 - Wimbledon, World Invitational Hilton Head, Tokyo Sillook; 1978 - Mahwah, Tokyo Sillook, Florida Open.
ADDITIONAL
British Fed Cup Team 1967-83. British Wightman Cup Team 1965-85.
