Lea Antonoplis

Lea Antonoplis (born January 20, 1959) is a former professional tennis player from the U.S. who won the Wimbledon Girls' Singles in 1977 and four WTA doubles titles.[3]

Lea Antonoplis
Country (sports) USA
Born (1959-01-20) January 20, 1959
West Covina, United States
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Turned pro1979[1]
Retired1991
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record78–96
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 50 (December 31, 1981)[2]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open3R (1988)
French Open1R (1983, 1984)
Wimbledon4R (1977)
US Open3R (1976)
Wimbledon JuniorW (1977)
Doubles
Career record99–110
Career titles4
Highest rankingNo. 55 (September 14, 1987)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open2R (1982, 1984)
French Open3R (1983, 1987)
Wimbledon3R (1978, 1979, 1983)
US Open3R (1977)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
French Open1R (1987)
Wimbledon2R (1979, 1987)
US Open1R (1979)

Early life

Antonoplis attended Glendora High School from 1974 to 1977 and graduated from the University of Southern California. In 1974, she played an exhibition in Claremont, CA at the Roadway Inn Tennis Club with Elgin Baylor, Lawrence Mc Cutcheon, and Tracy Austin, arranged by Dale Jensen.[4]

Tennis career

In 1974, Antonoplis played her first Grand Slam match in the US Open, losing to Sue Mappin in three sets. In the 1976 Wimbledon Championships, she lost to Natasha Chmyreva in the quarterfinals of the girls' singles. In the 1977 Wimbledon Championships, Antonoplis won the girls' singles, beating compatriot Peanut Louie-Harper in the final in straight sets.[5]

In 1979, she won her first WTA doubles title in the Player's Canadian Open with Diane Evers, winning the final against Chris O'Neil and Mimmi Wikstedt 2–6, 6–1, 6–3. In 1983, she won two doubles titles with Barbara Jordan. In Indianapolis, they beat Rosalyn Fairbank and Candy Reynolds 5–7, 6–4, 7–5 in the final, and in Hershey they beat Sherry Acker and Ann Henricksson 6–3, 6–4. In 1986, she won her fourth and last WTA doubles title with Barbara Gerken, beating Gigi Fernández and Susan Leo 6–1, 6–2 in the final.[3]

Antonoplis also acquired some notability at a 1976 satellite tournament in South Orange, New Jersey when she won a three-set semifinal match against Renée Richards. This was the first tournament in which Richards competed after it was revealed that she had undergone a sex-change procedure.

WTA Tour finals

Doubles 10 (3–7)

Legend
Grand Slam0
WTA Championships0
Tier I0
Tier II0
Tier III0
Tier IV & V0
Titles by surface
Hard2
Clay0
Grass0
Carpet1
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. Feb 1983 Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Hard Barbara Jordan Rosalyn Fairbank
Candy Reynolds
5–7, 6–4, 7–5
Win 2. Feb 1983 Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA Hard Barbara Jordan Sherry Acker
Ann Henricksson
6–3, 6–4
Loss 3. Nov 1983 Ginny Championships, US Carpet (i) Barbara Jordan Rosalyn Fairbank
Candy Reynolds
7–5, 5–7, 3–6
Loss 4. Aug 1984 Newport, Rhode Island, US Grass Beverly Mould Anna-Maria Fernandez
Peanut Louie
5–7, 6–7
Loss 5. Dec 1985 Auckland, New Zealand Grass Adriana Villagrán Anne Hobbs
Candy Reynolds
1–6, 3–6
Win 6. Oct 1986 Taipei Carpet (i) Barbara Gerken Gigi Fernández
Susan Leo
6–1, 6–2
Loss 7. Aug 1987 Aptos, California, US Hard Barbara Gerken Kathy Jordan
Robin White
1–6, 0–6
Loss 8. Nov 1987 Little Rock, Arkansas, US Hard Barbara Gerken Mary-Lou Daniels
Robin White
2–6, 4–6
Loss 9. Apr 1988 Tokyo Outdoor, Japan Hard Barbara Gerken Gigi Fernández
Robin White
1–6, 4–6
Loss 10. Jul 1988 Schenectady, New York, US Hard Cammy MacGregor Ann Henricksson
Julie Richardson
3–6, 6–3, 5–7

References

  1. LinkedIn profile page
  2. Womens International computer rankings as of Dec. 31, 1981
  3. "Antonoplis, Lea (USA)". Players – Biography. ITF. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  4. Emery, David (1983). Who's who in international tennis. New York: Facts on File Publications. ISBN 0-87196-789-8.
  5. Jim Bainbridge (1978). 1978 Colgate Series Media Guide. New York: H.O. Zimman Inc. p. 23.
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