Françoise Dürr

Françoise Dürr (born 25 December 1942; sometimes referred to by English writers as Frankie Durr) is a retired French professional tennis player. She won 26 singles titles and over 60 doubles titles.

Françoise Dürr
Françoise Dürr (left) besides Edda Buding, 1965
Country (sports) France
Born (1942-12-25) 25 December 1942
Algiers, French Algeria
Height1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)
Turned pro1968 (start of Open Era)
Retired1984
PlaysRight-handed (single handed-backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF2003 (member page)
Singles
Career record101–79
Career titles26
Highest rankingNo. 3 (1967)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenQF (1965, 1967)
French OpenW (1967)
WimbledonSF (1970)
US OpenSF (1967)
Doubles
Career record202–80
Career titles60
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1969)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1969)
French OpenW (1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971)
WimbledonF (1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1975)
US OpenW (1969, 1972)
Mixed doubles
Career titles4
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1967)
French OpenW (1968, 1971, 1973)
WimbledonW (1976)
US OpenF (1969)

According to Lance Tingay, Bud Collins, and the Women's Tennis Association, Dürr was ranked in the world top ten from 1965 through 1967, from 1970 through 1972, and from 1974 through 1976, reaching a career high of World No. 3 in those rankings in 1967.[1] She finished second to Billie Jean King in prize money earnings in 1971.

Dürr reached a total of 27 Grand Slam finals – 1 in singles, 18 in women's doubles, and 8 in mixed doubles. She won 12 of them.

Career

Dürr is best known for winning the singles title at the 1967 French Championships. She defeated Maria Bueno in a quarterfinal and Lesley Turner in the final. In addition to her singles championship, Dürr won seven Grand Slam women's doubles titles and four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She was the runner-up in 11 Grand Slam women's doubles events and four Grand Slam mixed doubles events.

Dürr won eight doubles titles at the French Championships. The first of Dürr's record-tying five consecutive women's doubles titles was in 1967. This record is shared with Martina Navratilova and Gigi Fernández, who, like Dürr, achieved it with separate partners. Dürr teamed with Ann Haydon-Jones to win the titles in 1968 and 1969 and with Gail Sherriff Chanfreau in 1967, 1970, and 1971. Dürr was the runner-up in women's doubles in 1965 with Janine Lieffrig, in 1973 with Betty Stöve, and in 1979 with Virginia Wade. Dürr teamed with Jean-Claude Barclay to win the mixed doubles title in 1968, 1971, and 1973. They were runners-up in 1969, 1970, and 1972. In total, Dürr reached 15 finals at the French Open, winning 9 of them.

Dürr won two doubles titles at the US Open. She won the women's doubles title in 1969 with Darlene Hard and in 1972 with Stöve. Dürr was the runner-up in that event in 1971 with Chanfreau and in 1974 with Stöve. Dürr was the runner-up in mixed doubles in 1969, teaming with Dennis Ralston.

She won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 1976 with Tony Roche. She was the runner-up in women's doubles at Wimbledon in 1965 with Lieffrig, 1968 with Jones, 1970 with Wade, 1972 with Judy Tegart Dalton, and 1973 and 1975 with Stöve. Additionally, Dürr was a singles semifinalist at the Championships in 1970.

Dürr was rarely a participant at the Australian Championships and Australian Open, as she appeared there three times, in 1965, 1967, and 1969. She reached the singles quarterfinals in 1965 and 1967 and the doubles semifinals with Jones in 1969.

Dürr and Betty Stöve won the 1979 WTA Tour Championships in doubles against Sue Barker and Ann Kiyomura, beating them 7–6, 7–6 in the final. She played the French Open ladies doubles event a last time in 1984, reaching the second round and then retired from Grand Slam competition .

Dürr played for France on the France Fed Cup team 14 times, finishing her career with a 31–17 record. She played 27 ties, with a 16–8 singles record and a 15–9 doubles record.

Dürr was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003 for her extraordinary career in doubles and for winning the French Championships in singles.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1–0)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1967French ChampionshipsClay Lesley Turner4–6, 6–3, 6–4

Doubles: 18 (7–11)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1965French ChampionshipsClay Janine Lieffrig Margaret Court
Lesley Turner
3–6, 1–6
Loss1965WimbledonGrass Janine Lieffrig Maria Bueno
Billie Jean King
2–6, 5–7
Win1967French ChampionshipsClay Gail Chanfreau Annette Van Zyl
Pat Walkden
6–2, 6–2
Loss1968WimbledonGrass Ann Haydon-Jones Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
6–3, 4–6, 5–7
Win1968French OpenClay Ann Haydon-Jones Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
7–5, 4–6, 6–4
Win1969French OpenClay Ann Haydon-Jones Nancy Richey
Margaret Court
6–0, 4–6, 7–5
Win1969US OpenGrass Darlene Hard Margaret Court
Virginia Wade
0–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win1970French OpenClay Gail Chanfreau Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Loss1970WimbledonGrass Virginia Wade Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
2–6, 3–6
Win1971French OpenClay Gail Chanfreau Helen Gourlay
Kerry Harris
6–4, 6–1
Loss1971US OpenGrass Gail Chanfreau Rosemary Casals
Judy Tegart
3–6, 3–6
Loss1972WimbledonGrass Judy Tegart Billie Jean King
Betty Stöve
2–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win1972US OpenGrass Betty Stöve Margaret Court
Virginia Wade
6–3, 1–6, 6–3
Loss1973French OpenClay Betty Stöve Margaret Court
Virginia Wade
2–6, 3–6
Loss1973WimbledonGrass Betty Stöve Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
1–6, 6–4, 5–7
Loss1974US OpenGrass Betty Stöve Rosemary Casals
Billie Jean King
6–7, 7–6, 4–6
Loss1975WimbledonGrass Betty Stöve Ann Kiyomura
Kazuko Sawamatsu
5–7, 6–1, 5–7
Loss1979French OpenClay Virginia Wade Betty Stöve
Wendy Turnbull
6–2, 5–7, 4–6

Mixed doubles: 8 (4–4)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1968French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Billie Jean King
Owen Davidson
6–1, 6–4
Loss1969French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Margaret Court
Marty Riessen
3–6, 2–6
Loss1969US OpenGrass Dennis Ralston Margaret Court
Marty Riessen
4–6, 5–7
Loss1970French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Billie Jean King
Bob Hewitt
6–3, 4–6, 2–6
Win1971French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Winnie Shaw
Toomas Leius
6–2, 6–4
Loss1972French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Evonne Goolagong
Kim Warwick
2–6, 4–6
Win1973French OpenClay Jean-Claude Barclay Betty Stöve
Patrice Dominguez
6–1, 6–4
Win1976WimbledonGrass Tony Roche Rosemary Casals
Dick Stockton
6–3, 2–6, 7–5

Other tournaments and team competitions

1959–1970

  • Junior Singles Champion of France, 1959 and 1960.
  • French Singles Champion in the National (closed) Championship, 1962, 1964, 1965 and 1966.
  • French National Champion in Ladies Doubles 8 times between 1961 and 1970 with various partners.
  • French National Champion 5 times in Mixed Doubles between 1964 and 1970 mainly partnered by Jean-Claude Barclay.
  • Winner of the Wimbledon Ladies Plate in 1963.
  • South African (East London) Singles champion, 1965; other singles titles in 1965 were the Dutch Open, the Turkish in Istanbul, Saint-Moritz, Swiss Open, Caracas, Colombia and Montecarlo.
  • Dürr defeated Judy Tegart in the final to win the 1966 British Grass Court Championship at Queens Club London; other singles titles in 1966 were the Dutch Open (defended), Swiss Open (defended) and Perth, Western Australia.
  • German Open Singles champion, 1967; other singles titles in 1967 were the Pacific Southwest, Kitzbuehel, Canberra, New Zealand Open, Kingston and Båstad.
  • Swiss Open Singles champion, 1969.
  • Italian Open Doubles champion with Ann Jones, 1969.
  • Losing finalist with Ann Jones in the 1969 Pacific Southwest Doubles Championship to King and Casals 6–8, 8–6, 11–9.
  • Italian Open Doubles losing finalist with Virginia Wade 1970. Winners King and Casals 6–2, 3–6, 9–7.
  • Losing finalist in the Swiss Open in Gstaad in 1970 6–2, 5–7, 6–2 to Rosemary Casals.
  • Doubles Champion with Rosemary Casals Gstaad 1970 defeated Helga Niessen and Betty Stöve 6–2, 6–2.
  • British Indoor singles champion at the Albert Hall, London, 1970.

1971–1979

  • Winner in singles against Wimbledon and French Open champion Evonne Goolagong 6–4, 6–2) at the Canadian Open, 1971.
  • Dürr and Casals defeated Goolagong and Bowrey 6–3, 6–3 to win the Canadian Open Doubles Championship of 1971.
  • Winner against Billie Jean King 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 in the 1971 US Clay Courts International Tennis Championship at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • Winner against Lesley Hunt 6–3, 6–3 in the 1971 Swiss Open in Gstaad (the last of her four Swiss Open wins).
  • Winner against Billie Jean King 6–3, 6–0 in the 1971 Benson and Hedges New Zealand International Grass Court Championships in Christchurch.
  • Winner against Billie Jean King 6–4, 6–2 in the 1971 Clay Court International Championship at Lake Bluff, Chicago, Illinois.
  • Losing finalist 6–1, 5–7, 7–5 to Billie Jean King in the 1971 Embassy British Indoor Championship at Wembley, London.
  • Losing finalist 6–2, 3–6, 6–2 to Rosemary Casals in the 1971 Philadelphia Indoor Championship Singles.
  • Losing finalist 6–3, 7–5 to Virginia Wade in the 1972 USA Indoor Championship in Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Losing finalist 6–2, 6–7, 6–3 to Rosemary Casals in the 1972 Longbeach CA Singles Championship.
  • Losing finalist 6–7, 7–6, 6–0 to Rosemary Casals in the 1972 Virginia Slims Columbus Ohio Singles Championship.
  • Winner against Rosemary Casals 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 in the 1973 Virginia Slims Championship, Houston. TX.
  • Member of 1974 World Team Tennis champion Denver Racquets.[2]
  • Losing finalist in the 1975 Swedish Open in Stockholm to Virginia Wade 6–3, 4–6, 7–5.
  • Dürr and Stöve defeated Wade and Goolagong 6–3, 6–4 to win the 1975 Swedish Open Doubles Championship.
  • Dürr and Casals defeated Evert and Navratilova to win the 1976 Virginia Slims of Houston Doubles Championship.
  • Dürr and Casals defeated Wade and Stöve 6–0, 6–4 to win the 1976 U.S. Indoor Doubles Championship held in Atlanta.
  • Losing finalist against Chris Evert at Palm Springs in the Colgate Inaugural Singles Championship 1976. In the semi-final she had beaten Martina Navratilova (who was then ranked number 2 in the world) 6–1, 6–1; four months earlier at Wimbledon Dürr had lost to Navratilova in the 4th Round of the singles 2–6, 6–3, 7–5 having held match points.
  • Dürr and Wade won the 1977 Colgate Series Championship Doubles at Palm Springs defeating Helen Gourlay-Cawley and Joanne Russell 6–1, 4–6, 6–4 in the final.
  • Dürr and Wade were runners up in the 1977 Family Circle Hiltonhead Doubles won by Casals and Evert 1–6, 6–2, 6–3.
  • Dürr and Navratilova were runners up in the 1977 Virginia Slims of Seattle Doubles . Won by Casals and Evert 6–4, 3–6, 6–3.
  • Losing finalist with Virginia Wade in the 1978 Virginia Slims of Hollywood CA Doubles won by Casals and Turnbull 6–2, 6–4.
  • Dürr lost in the final of the 1978 World Tennis Classic in Montreal to Caroline Stoll 6–3, 6–2 .
  • Dürr and Stöve won the 1979 Avon Masters in New York defeating Barker and Kiyomura 7–6, 7–6 .
  • Dürr and Stöve won the 1979 Bridgestone World Doubles Championship defeating Barker and Kiyomura 7–5, 7–6.
  • Dürr and Stöve were WTA year end Doubles Champions in 1979 .

Dürr won over 60 major doubles titles in her career with various partners and featured in many more finals and semi-finals. Dürr featured in many major singles finals and semi-finals in a career spanning over 20 years. She was French number 1 for almost all that time. Dürr was an integral member of France's Fed Cup team in 1963–1967, 1970, 1972, and 1977–1979. Her career win-loss record was 16–8 in singles and 15–9 in doubles.

Dürr was the first woman to play 100 events on the Virginia Slims Tour (1978). Dürr, Ann Jones, Billie Jean King and Rosemary Casals were the first women to sign professional contracts and organise their own tours at the start of the open era in 1968. Dürr played consistently on the World Team Tennis circuit from 1974 to 1978.

Career and awards after retiring from the tour

In 1993, Dürr was appointed the first Technical Director of Women's Tennis for the French Tennis Federation (FFT). She was the captain of the French Fed Cup team from 1993 through 1996 and the co-captain of the team with Yannick Noah in 1997 when they won the competition. She retired from the FFT in February 2002.

She received the WTA Tour's Honorary Membership Award in 1988 for her contributions to the founding, development, and direction of women's professional tennis. In 2003, Dürr was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. She received the Fed Cup Award of Excellence in 2005, presented jointly by the International Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In April 2010 a French national honour was presented to Françoise Dürr in recognition of her contribution to sport and the advancement of women in sport. She received the Medal and title of Officer of the National Order of Merit (Officier de l'Ordre national du Mérite, France).[3]

Personal life

Françoise Dürr played her last official match in 1984 at Roland Garros. She had married Boyd Browning, an American radio executive in 1975 and later moved to the United States where she stayed for 10 years. A son Nicholas was born in 1980, and a daughter Jessica was born in 1985. In 1992, she returned to live near Paris.[4]

Grand Slam performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Singles

Tournament19601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979 W–L
Australia A A A A A QF A QF A 2R A A A A A A A A A A A 6–3
France 3R 3R 4R 4R 2R QF QF W 4R 3R 3R QF SF SF A A A A A 1R 40–15
Wimbledon A A A 2R 2R 4R QF 3R QF 2R SF QF QF 4R 3R 2R 4R 3R 3R 2R 35–17
U.S. Championships A A 3R A 3R QF QF SF 3R 3R QF 3R 3R 1R 2R 2R 4R 1R A 1R 28–16

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Doubles

Tournament1960196119621963196419651966196719681969197019711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984 W–L
Australia A A A A A QF A QF A SF A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 5–3
France 2R 2R QF QF 1R F QF W W W W W SF F A A A A A F 1R 2R A A 2R 43–12
Wimbledon A A A 1R 2R F 1R QF F 3R F SF F F QF F QF SF SF SF A A A A A 51–17
U.S. Championships A A A A A A SF A SF W SF F W QF F SF QF QF SF 1R A A A A A 39–11

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Mixed doubles

Tournament196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977197819791980 W–L
Australia A A A A A QF A SF A 1R NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH 4–3
France 3R 1R 2R 1R A SF QF 2R W F F W F W A A A A A QF QF 40–10
Wimbledon A A A 1R 4R QF SF 3R 2R 1R 2R 2R 3R 4R SF 3R W 3R SF 2R A 29–16
U.S. Championships A A A A A QF 2R A A F SF 2R 3R QF A 2R QF 1R QF QF A 20–10

Note: no mixed-doubles tournament was held at the Australian Open from 1970 to 1986

See also

References

  1. Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: an authoritative encyclopedia and record book. New York, N.Y: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 703–04. ISBN 978-0-942257-41-0.
  2. "Mylan WTT Player Database (seasons completed) - as of September 25, 2014 - (Seasons 1974-2014)" (PDF). World TeamTennis. 25 September 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 February 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  3. Décret du 13 novembre 2009
  4. Culley, Jon (24 May 1994). "Where are they now?: Francoise Durr". London: Independent, The. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
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