Tracy Austin

Tracy Ann Austin Holt (born December 12, 1962[3]) is an American former World No. 1 professional tennis player. She won three Grand Slam titles; the women's singles titles at the 1979 and 1981 US Opens, and the mixed doubles title at the Wimbledon Championships in 1980. Additionally, she won the WTA Tour Championships in 1980 and the year-ending Toyota Championships in 1981, both in singles. A series of injuries and a serious automobile accident cut short her career. She is the youngest US Open female singles champion in history, and she is the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in history at age 29. Austin won singles titles on all playing surfaces: clay (both red clay and green clay), indoor carpet, grass, and hard courts.

Tracy Austin
Country (sports)United States
ResidenceRolling Hills, California
Born (1962-12-12) December 12, 1962
Palos Verdes Peninsula, California
Height5 ft 5 in (165 cm)
Turned proOctober 23, 1978
RetiredJuly 1994
PlaysRight-handed
(two-handed backhand)
CoachPancho Segura, Robert Lansdorp, Vic Braden
Prize moneyUS$1,992,380[1]
Int. Tennis HoF1992 (member page)
Singles
Career record335–90 (78.82%)[1]
Career titles30[1]
Highest rankingNo. 1 (April 7, 1980)[2]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenQF (1981)
French OpenQF (1982, 1983)
WimbledonSF (1979, 1980)
US OpenW (1979, 1981)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1980)
Doubles
Career record13–16[1]
Career titles4[1]
Highest ranking41 (August 14, 1989)[2]
Grand Slam Doubles results
Wimbledon3R (1977)
US OpenQF (1978, 1979)
Mixed doubles
Career record15–6
Career titles1
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
WimbledonW (1980)
US OpenSF (1988)
Team competitions
Fed CupW (1978, 1979, 1980)

Playing style

Austin possessed a solid baseline game, with a strong forehand and reliable two-fisted backhand. She struck the ball deep, with substantial pace (given the wooden racquet era of her prime), and with pinpoint accuracy, hitting on or near the lines. Often this aspect of her game has overshadowed her solid net game which resulted in a Wimbledon mixed doubles title with her brother John. Austin's first serve was a mid-paced high percentage shot that functioned well on all playing surfaces, and although her second serve has been described as lacking penetration, she rarely double faulted. She played an exhibition doubles match at age 12 in Claremont, Ca with Elgin Baylor, Lawrence Mc Cuthcheon, and Lea Antonoplis.

Career

1977 to 1980

She won the women's singles in the Ojai Tennis Tournament in 1977.[4]

Austin turned professional in October 1978.[5] That same month, she won her first professional singles title, defeating Betty Stöve in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Filderstadt, West Germany.[6][7]

Austin defeated 35-year-old Billie Jean King in the quarterfinals of the 1979 Wimbledon Championships, then lost to Martina Navratilova in straight sets in the semifinals. Austin then became the youngest ever U.S. Open champion, aged 16 years and 9 months, by defeating Navratilova in the semifinals and Chris Evert in the final. Evert had been attempting to win the title for the fifth consecutive year. Earlier that year, Austin ended Evert's 125-match winning streak on clay by beating her 6–4, 2–6, 7–6 in a semifinal of the Italian Open. The Associated Press named Austin its Female Athlete of the Year for 1979.

Austin lost in the semifinals of both Grand Slam tournaments she played in 1980. Evonne Goolagong Cawley, seeded fourth and the eventual champion, defeated Austin at the Wimbledon Championships. As the top seed and defending champion at the US Open, Austin was expected to extend her five-match winning streak against third-ranked Evert. Austin took a 4–0 lead in the first set before Evert won 16 of the final 20 games to win the match. Evert went on to beat Hana Mandlíková in the final. Austin was ranked the World No. 1 singles player in 1980 for two weeks (April 7–20) and then for 19 weeks (July 7-November 17), partly because she captured the two sponsors' tour-ending events. Austin defeated Navratilova to win the Avon Championships in March and Andrea Jaeger to capture the 1980 Colgate Series Championships in January 1981. In 1980, Austin won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with her brother John, becoming the first brother and sister team to win a Grand Slam title together.

1981 to 1983

During the first four months of 1981, Austin played only two events because of chronic injuries. On grass, she won the BMW Championships in Eastbourne, United Kingdom without losing a set. After Wimbledon, Austin won 26 consecutive matches and four consecutive tournaments. She defeated Pam Shriver in the final of the Wells Fargo Open in San Diego, and three weeks later, she beat both Navratilova and Evert in straight sets to win the Canadian Open in Toronto. As the third-seeded player at the US Open, Austin defeated fourth-seeded Navratilova in the final. Navratilova, however, ended Austin's winning streak in the final of the U.S. Indoor Championships. In Europe during the autumn, Austin lost to Sue Barker in the quarterfinals of the Brighton International in Brighton, United Kingdom, but recovered the following week to defeat Navratilova in the final of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, West Germany. At the final Grand Slam tournament of the year, Austin was seeded second but lost to sixth-seeded Shriver in the Australian Open quarterfinals. The 1981 year-ending Toyota Series Championships featured two matches against Evert and one against Navratilova. Evert won her round robin match with Austin, then Austin defeated Evert in their semifinal. Austin then won the tournament with a three-set defeat of Navratilova. The Associated Press named Austin its 1981 Female Athlete of the Year for the second time.

Austin was the first opponent of Steffi Graf when the German made her professional debut at the 1982 Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. Austin defeated the 13-year-old Graf 6–4, 6–0.

Back injuries and recurring sciatica then began to impair Austin's effectiveness and sidelined her for long stretches. Billie Jean King, seeded twelfth, upset third-seeded Austin in the 1982 Wimbledon quarterfinals. Several weeks later, however, Austin won her 30th and final top-level singles title in San Diego. Austin had a good showing at the 1982 season-ending Toyota Series Championships where she defeated Jaeger, the World No. 3, in straight sets to reach the semifinals. However, she was unable to repeat 1981's victory over Evert, who defeated her in the semifinals.

In 1983, she was the runner-up at the Family Circle Cup, losing the final to Navratilova in three sets. She also reached the quarterfinals of the French Open.

1984 to 1989

Austin played sporadically from 1984 to 1987 and tried yet another comeback on the tour in 1988 when she played in seven doubles tournaments, and in 1989, when she played in one doubles and two singles tournaments. A highlight of this comeback included a semifinal showing in the 1988 US Open mixed doubles with partner Ken Flach.[8] This comeback was ended by a near-fatal motor vehicle accident on August 3, 1989.[9]

1992

In 1992, Austin became the youngest person to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, at the age of 29.

1993 to 1994

She attempted a second comeback in 1993 and 1994 but was not particularly successful. In 1993, Austin upset Rennae Stubbs and Katerina Maleeva at the Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, then lost to Stephanie Rottier. At the WTA Manhattan Beach event, she upset Gigi Fernández and Elena Likhovtseva, then lost to Gabriela Sabatini in the round of 16. he wins over Maleeva, Fernandez, and Likhovtseva began a buzz that Austin might become at least a top 20 player again. However, in 1994, her results were not as promising and at the Evert Cup in Indian Wells, California, Austin lost in the second round to Steffi Graf, and Austin soon retired in June 1994.[10]

Family life and work as a tennis commentator

Austin's older sister Pam and her brothers Jeff, Doug and John were professional tennis players. She is the sister-in-law of fitness author Denise Austin, who is married to Jeff. She is married to Scott Holt and is the mother of three sons: Sean, Brandon, and Dylan. Brandon currently is a member of the USC Tennis team, recruited by Coach Peter Smith.

As a child, Austin lived next door to Air Force Colonel Keith Lindell, who was responsible for the training of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts.

Since retiring as a player, Austin has worked as a commentator for NBC and the USA Network for the French Open and the US Open. During the 2000s, she worked for the Seven Network, which broadcast the Australian Open and usually participates in the BBC's Wimbledon coverage. She began working for the Tennis Channel in 2010 and joined its US Open team and later its Australian Open team in 2012. Austin has worked for Canadian television for its coverage of the Rogers Cup since 2004.

Austin is the focus of David Foster Wallace's "How Tracy Austin Broke My Heart" (1992), a book review of Austin's memoir Beyond Center Court, lacerating the work for using generic, bland clichés of sports autobiographies to hide the genuinely compelling and tragic story of Austin's career.

Major finals

Singles: 2 (2 titles)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1979US OpenHard Chris Evert6–4, 6–3
Win1981US OpenHard Martina Navratilova1–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–1)

Mixed doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1980WimbledonGrass John Austin Dianne Fromholtz
Mark Edmondson
4–6, 7–6(8–6), 6–3
Loss1981WimbledonGrass John Austin Betty Stöve
Frew McMillan
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 6–3

Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner–up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1979New York CityCarpet (i) Martina Navratilova6–3, 3–6, 6–2
Win1980New York CityCarpet (i) Martina Navratilova6–2, 2–6, 6–2

WTA career finals

Singles: 44 (30–14)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (2–0)
WTA Tour Championships (1–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (27–13)
Titles by surface
Hard (11–3)
Grass (2–0)
Clay (3–2)
Carpet (14–9)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. January 10, 1977 Portland Hard (i) Stacy Margolin 6–7, 6–3, 4–1 ret.
Loss 1. March 6, 1978 Dallas Carpet (i) Evonne Goolagong Cawley 4–6, 6–0, 6–2
Loss 2. October 2, 1978 Phoenix Hard Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–2
Win 2. October 23, 1978 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Betty Stöve 6–3, 6–3
Win 3. November 21, 1978 Tokyo Hard (i) Martina Navratilova 6–1, 6–1
Win 4. January 1, 1979 Washington Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–2
Loss 3. January 29, 1979 Chicago Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–4
Loss 4. March 21, 1979 Avon Championships Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
Win 5. April 10, 1979 Hilton Head Island Clay Kerry Melville Reid 7–6(7–3), 7–6(9–7)
Win 6. May 7, 1979 Rome Clay Sylvia Hanika 6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Win 7. July 30, 1979 San Diego Hard Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–2
Loss 5. August 20, 1979 Mahwah Hard Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–7(2–7), 6–4, 6–1
Win 8. August 28, 1979 US Open Hard Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–4, 6–3
Win 9. November 5, 1979 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–0
Win 10. December 15, 1979 Tokyo Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–1
Loss 6. January 2, 1980 Landover Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–1
Win 11. January 7, 1980 Cincinnati Carpet (i) Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–2, 6–1
Win 12. January 28, 1980 Seattle Carpet (i) Virginia Wade 6–2, 7–6
Loss 7. February 4, 1980 Los Angeles Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–0
Win 13. March 10, 1980 Boston Carpet (i) Virginia Wade 6–2, 6–1
Win 14. March 17, 1980 Avon Championships Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–2, 2–6, 6–2
Win 15. March 29, 1980 Carlsbad Hard Martina Navratilova 7–5, 6–2
Win 16. April 7, 1980 Hilton Head Island Clay Regina Maršíková 3–6, 6–1, 6–0
Loss 8. April 29, 1980 Orlando Clay Martina Navratilova 6–2, 6–4
Win 17. June 16, 1980 Eastbourne Grass Wendy Turnbull 7–6, 6–2
Win 18. July 28, 1980 San Diego Hard Wendy Turnbull 6–1, 6–3
Win 19. September 29, 1980 Minneapolis Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–1, 2–6, 6–2
Win 20. November 3, 1980 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Sherry Acker 6–2, 7–5
Loss 9. November 10, 1980 Tampa Hard Andrea Jaeger w/o
Loss 10. November 22, 1980 Tokyo Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–4, 6–3
Win 21. December 15, 1980 Tucson Carpet (i) Peanut Louie 6–2, 6–0
Win 22. January 7, 1981 Landover Carpet (i) Andrea Jaeger 6–2, 6–2
Win 23. June 15, 1981 Eastbourne Grass Andrea Jaeger 6–3, 6–4
Win 24. July 27, 1981 San Diego Hard Pam Shriver 6–2, 5–7, 6–2
Win 25. August 17, 1981 Toronto Hard Chris Evert-Lloyd 6–1, 6–4
Win 26. September 1, 1981 US Open Hard Martina Navratilova 1–6, 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–1)
Win 27. September 21, 1981 Atlanta Hard Mary-Lou Piatek 4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Loss 11. September 28, 1981 Minneapolis Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–0, 6–2
Win 28. October 26, 1981 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 4–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win 29. December 14, 1981 East Rutherford Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 2–6, 6–4, 6–2
Win 30. July 26, 1982 San Diego Hard Kathy Rinaldi 7–6, 6–3
Loss 12. October 18, 1982 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–3, 6–3
Loss 13. December 6, 1982 Richmond Carpet (i) Wendy Turnbull 6–7(3–7), 6–2, 6–4
Loss 14. April 4, 1983 Hilton Head Island Clay Martina Navratilova 5–7, 6–1, 6–0

Doubles: 7 (5–2)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (5–2)
Titles by Surface
Hard (3–1)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (0–0)
Carpet (2–1)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. October 2, 1978 Phoenix Hard Betty Stöve Martina Navratilova
Anne Smith
6–4, 6–7, 6–2
Win 2. October 23, 1978 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Betty Stöve Mima Jaušovec
Virginia Ruzici
6–3, 6–2
Loss 1. November 21, 1978 Tokyo Hard (i) Kathy May Martina Navratilova
Betty Stöve
6–4, 6–7, 3–6
Loss 2. January 8, 1979 Oakland Carpet (i) Betty Stöve Rosie Casals
Chris Evert
6–3, 4–6, 3–6
Win 3. January 22, 1979 Hollywood Carpet (i) Betty Stöve Rosie Casals
Wendy Turnbull
6–2, 2–6, 6–2
Win 4. August 20, 1979 Mahwah Hard Betty Stöve Mima Jaušovec
Regina Maršíková
7–6, 2–6, 6–4
Win 5. July 28, 1980 San Diego Hard Ann Kiyomura Rosie Casals
Wendy Turnbull
3–6, 6–4, 6–3

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

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)
Tournament19771978197919801981198219831984–
1993
1994Career SR
Australian Open A A A A A QF A A A 2R 0 / 2
French Open A A A A A QF QF A 1R 0 / 3
Wimbledon 3R 4R SF SF QF QF A A A 0 / 6
US Open QF QF W SF W QF A A A 2 / 6
SR 0 / 2 0 / 2 1 / 2 0 / 2 1 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 2 2 / 17
Year End Ranking 12 6 3 2 2 4 9 NR

SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.

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

See also

References

  1. "Tracy Austin - Overview". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  2. "Tracy Austin - Rankings History". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved August 31, 2017.
  3. https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/tracy-austin
  4. "Tracy Austin now a pro". The Montreal Gazette. Reuters. October 20, 1978. p. 21 via Google News Archive.
  5. Jack Ellison (October 20, 1978). "Tracy Austin plans to play at East Lake". St. Petersburg Times. p. 3C via Google News Archive.
  6. John Dolan (2011). Women's Tennis 1968–84: the Ultimate Guide. Remous. pp. 292, 307.
  7. Statistics. "Tracy Austin". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  8. "Grand Slam ended career". www.adelaidenow.com.au. December 6, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2019.
  9. Statistics. "Tracy Austin". International Tennis Federation. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Martina Navratilova
Martina Navratilova
World No. 1
April 7, 1980 – April 20, 1980
July 1, 1980 – November 17, 1980
Succeeded by
Martina Navratilova
Chris Evert
Awards
Preceded by
No award
WTA Newcomer of the Year
1977
Succeeded by
Pam Shriver
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