Margaret Smith Court

Margaret Smith Court (nee Margaret Jean Smith) (born July 16 1942) is a retired Australian professional tennis player, who was one of the most successful players in the history of the sport. She was born in Albury, New South Wales in Australia.

Related Topics:
July 16 - 1942 - Australia - Tennis - Albury - New South Wales

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Margaret Smith began playing tennis at the age of eight and was seventeen when she won her first of seven straight Australian Open singles titles. In 1963, her strong serve and forehand allowed her to become the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon Championship and to win the Grand Slam in mixed doubles with partner Ken Fletcher.

Related Topics:
Australian Open - 1963 - Wimbledon Championship - Grand Slam - Ken Fletcher

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Margaret Smith dominated world tennis in the first half of the 1960s until 1966 when she retired, married Barry Court, and started a family. She returned to tennis in 1969, winning three of the Grand Slam singles events that year. In 1970, she won all four of the Grand Slam tournaments, defeating Kerry Melville in the Australian Open final, Helga Niessen in the French Open, Billie Jean King at the Wimbledon championships and Rosie Casals at the US Open. Her Grand Slam achievement was a feat accomplished previously by only one woman, Maureen Connolly, who did it in 1953 and since only by Steffi Graf in 1988.

Related Topics:
1960s - 1966 - 1969 - Grand Slam - 1970 - Kerry Melville - Helga Niessen - Billie Jean King - Rosie Casals - Maureen Connolly - 1953 - Steffi Graf - 1988

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On May 13 1973, Margaret Court lost a nationally televised tennis match to Bobby Riggs in straight sets, 6–2, 6–1, despite being the top-ranked women's player at the time. Billie Jean King beat Riggs to even the score four months later.

Related Topics:
May 13 - 1973 - Bobby Riggs - Billie Jean King

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She retired permanently in 1977 when she learned she was expecting the third of her four children. During her illustrious career, Ms Court won a record 62 Grand Slam titles

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(24 singles, 19 doubles, 19 mixed) and was ranked No.1 in the world seven times: 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, and in 1973. Included in her victories she was the singles champion of the four major tournaments:

Related Topics:
1962 - 1963 - 1964 - 1965 - 1969 - 1970 - 1973

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• Australian Open: 1960–66, 1969–71, 1973 (11 times)
• French Open: 1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973 (5 times)
• Wimbledon championships: 1963, 1965, 1970 (3 times)
• US Open: 1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1973 (5 times)

Court is one of only three players to have a "boxed set" of Grand Slam titles – ie., every possible title (singles, same-sex doubles, and mixed doubles) from each Grand Slam event. The others are Doris Hart and Martina Navratilova.

Related Topics:
Doris Hart - Martina Navratilova

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In 1979 Ms Court was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and in January of 2003, Show Court One at Melbourne Park was renamed Margaret Court Arena. Also in 2003, the Government of Australia honoured her and fellow Australian tennis superstar Rod Laver by putting their images on postage stamps.

Related Topics:
1979 - International Tennis Hall of Fame - 2003 - Government of Australia - Rod Laver - Postage stamps

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Ms Court now lives in Perth, Western Australia, and runs a Christian ministry. Her husband Barry's father Sir Charles Court and brother Richard Court, were both Liberal premiers of Western Australia.

Related Topics:
Perth - Western Australia - Christian - Sir Charles Court - Richard Court - Liberal - Premiers of Western Australia

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Margaret Smith Court: Grand Slam singles titles (24) ►