Elizabeth Smylie
Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one of them in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles.
Country (sports) | ![]() |
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Born | Perth | 11 April 1963
Turned pro | 1982 |
Retired | 1997 |
Prize money | US$1,615,247 |
Singles | |
Career record | 181 – 213 (45.93%) |
Career titles | 3 |
Highest ranking | No. 20 (14 September 1987) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1987) |
French Open | 2R (1983) |
Wimbledon | 4R (1984, 1985) |
US Open | 2R (1986, 1987, 1989) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 483 – 215 (69.19%) |
Career titles | 36 |
Highest ranking | No. 5 (28 March 1988) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | F (1993) |
French Open | SF (1984) |
Wimbledon | W (1985) |
US Open | F (1987) |
Other doubles tournaments | |
Tour Finals | W (1990) |
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1990, 1991) |
French Open | SF (1993) |
Wimbledon | W (1991) |
US Open | W (1983, 1990) |
Medal record
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Career
Smylie turned professional in 1982. She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1985 with Kathy Jordan. In mixed doubles, she teamed with John Fitzgerald to win the 1983 US Open and 1991 Wimbledon titles and with Todd Woodbridge to win the 1990 US Open. She won the Virginia Slims Championships with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.
She played Fed Cup from 1984 to 1994. She won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
Over the course of her career, Smylie won 3 singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.
Personal life
She is married to player-manager Peter Smylie and they have three children, Laura, Jordan and Elvis. She was the long-time tournament director of the Australian Women's Hardcourts and also works as a sports television commentator.
Major finals
Doubles: 5 (1 win, 4 losses)
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
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Win | 1985 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 1987 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–5, 7–5 |
Loss | 1987 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
Loss | 1990 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 1993 | Australian Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–4, 6–3 |
Mixed doubles: 8 (3 wins, 5 losses)
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1983 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 1984 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
Loss | 1985 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 |
Loss | 1985 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 1988 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–5, 6–3 |
Loss | 1990 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–5, 6–2 |
Win | 1990 | US Open | Hard | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 6–4, 6–2 |
Win | 1991 | Wimbledon | Grass | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–6(7–4), 6–2 |
Doubles: 1 medal (1 bronze medal)
Result | Year | Location | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bronze | 1988 | Seoul | Hard | ![]() | Tied | DNP |
Smylie and Turnbull lost in the semi-finals to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 7–6(5), 6–4. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semi-final pairs received bronze medals.
Doubles: 1 final (1 title, 0 runners-up)
Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1990 | New York City | Carpet (i) | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | 7–6(7–4), 6–4 |
WTA Career finals
Singles: 6 (3–3)
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Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1. | Apr 1982 | Sardinia | Clay | ![]() |
6–3, 6–0 |
Win | 2. | Sep 1983 | Kansas City | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1 |
Loss | 1. | Nov 1984 | Brisbane | Grass | ![]() |
4–6, 4–6 |
Win | 3. | Feb 1987 | Oklahoma City | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
Loss | 2. | Apr 1989 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
4–6, 2–6 |
Loss | 3. | Apr 1990 | Tokyo | Hard | ![]() |
3–6, 2–6 |
Doubles: 69 (36–33)
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Grand Slam performance timelines
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | NH |
Singles
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | NH | QF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 12 |
French Open | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 8 |
Wimbledon | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 4R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 3R | A | 2R | 1R | 0 / 13 |
US Open | A | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 10 |
SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 43 |
Year End Ranking | 96 | 225 | 115 | 73 | 36 | 43 | 114 | 27 | 154 | 66 | 53 | 115 | 336 | 119 | 194 |
Doubles
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | QF | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | NH | 1R | SF | QF | 3R | QF | A | F | SF | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 15 |
French Open | A | A | 3R | 2R | SF | A | A | QF | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 2R | A | 3R | A | 0 / 10 |
Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | 1R | 2R | W | QF | F | QF | 3R | F | 3R | 1R | SF | QF | A | SF | 1R | 1 / 15 |
US Open | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | QF | F | 1R | 2R | SF | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 15 |
DR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 55 |
Year End Ranking | 13 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 54 | 9 | 13 | NR | 27 | NR |
- NR = not ranked
Mixed doubles
Tournament | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | NH | NH | NH | NH | 2R | QF | QF | SF | SF | A | QF | 2R | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 9 |
French Open | 2R | QF | A | A | 1R | A | A | 3R | A | A | SF | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 6 |
Wimbledon | A | SF | F | QF | QF | SF | 2R | F | W | 2R | 3R | QF | A | 3R | A | 1 / 12 |
US Open | W | F | F | SF | 2R | F | 2R | W | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 2 / 13 |
XR | 1 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 3 / 40 |