[DennisFitz]

I liked Wendy too. Pity she never won a major doubles title Down Under. Surprising, since was so good, and played well with a number of partners. Unfortunate they didn't stage the mixed at the Australian during her heyday. I feel for sure she would have bagged an Australian Open title if they had.

[preacherfan]

Wendy was definitely fun to watch. I remember when she beat Shriver one year at the USO, Shriver commented that it was unfortunate that Wendy won because she wouldn't have as good a chance to beat Martina. Wendy enjoyed entertaining the crowd. I used to be a neighbor of Lee Jackson's daughter, Lesley. Lesley told me that Wendy really struggled with being forgotten after her retirement.

It's amazing that she only won 4 GS doubles titles. She always seemed to be one of the best. Unfortunately, in the wake of Martina, there weren't many titles left for other players to claim.

[AllezRichie]

Wendy beat Pam Shriver at the NSW open or it may have being the NSW Building Society Classic..... Pam blew about 8 Match points...
Shriver would of maybe being 18-19 broke down in tears after the match...
funny how these things get retained in the memory bank think that was Rabbits 1st tournement win on home soil

[GeeTee]

Wendy was a fine player, but she was never really one of my favourites. I guess it's hard at a time that you have a few other Aussies in the top ten such as everyone's favourite Evonne plus the great hope Di Fromholtz, as well as the veteran Kerry Reid. We didn't know how well we had it...

I think it was a real shame Kerry and Wendy didn't keep playing through 1979. Wendy always seemed to be playing musical doubles and just as soon as you got used to her playing with a partner, she'd switch again. I never really liked her partnerships with Betty Stove (past her prime), Rosie Casals (even more past her prime) or Anne Hobbs (just not good enough).

She's still the last Aussie to make an Aussie final (oh so long ago now) but she was never at her best on grass although she was better on Aussie grass than Wimbledon. You just knew Wendy wasn't going far in the All-England singles. Funny that her first real success came on clay at the US Open in 77 as apart from the French a few years later, she never really seemed to like that surface either.

She also used to bitch about Evonne quite a bit in the press (complaining about appearance fees and Evonne's lack of participation in Fed Cup around 1979/81 for a start) which probably didn't help to increase her fan base too much.

Still there's much to admire about a woman who made singles finals at 3/4 slams, won 4 GS doubles and 6 GS mixed titles, stayed in the top ten for the best part of 10 years, represented Australia for a record number of Fed Cup appearances and shared in Australia's first ever Olympic medal in tennis.

Today it'd be rare to have a tennis player virtually unknown until she was 25 years of age.

ETA I was thinking 'surface' and typed 'service'

[DennisFitz]

Originally Posted by GeeTee

She also used to bitch about Evonne quite a bit in the press (complaining about appearance fees and Evonne's lack of participation in Fed Cup around 1979/81 for a start) which probably didn't help to increase her fan base too much.

Still there's much to admire about a woman who made singles finals at 3/4 slams, won 4 GS doubles and 6 GS mixed titles, stayed in the top ten for the best part of 10 years, represented Australia for a record number of Fed Cup appearances and shared in Australia's first ever Olympic medal in tennis.

Today it'd be rare to have a tennis player virtually unknown until she was 25 years of age.

I never heard the bit about Evonne. If it's true, have to say Turnbull would be the only one on record as ever saying a bad thing about Evonne! And.....shame on Wendy for doing so

If the Aussies were paying Evonne appearance money, well it was money well worth it. As much as I liked Wendy, she was hardly the gal they'd line up 10 deep to watch. I have no idea why Evonne didn't play Fed Cup from 1979-1981, but in 1981 she was out having a baby, and for parts of 1979 and 1980 she was dealing with lots of injuries.

[HanaFanGA]

I like Wendy. I appreciate her for her speed and thoughtfulness around the court, and also for always seeming to be so good natured. And I say this as a credit to her and not the other way around. But I do look at her as someone like Mary Joe Fernandez, someone who should've never made 3 slam finals, but did. So I would definitely put her in the category of someone that got a lot out of her game.

She just didn't have any weapons to beat the better players with. She was wiley enough to make them struggle now and again. But her serve was so soft (though backed up extremely well) and her groundstrokes were of no real threat.

I always enjoyed watching her play doubles. And her 1984 US Open QF and SF and 1986 4R matches are all on my "want list" of matches to see.

[Rollo]

She has her own website mates:
http://www.wendyturnbull.net/

[Rollo]

[Rollo]

This image is from the dramatic Fed Cup final in Australia late in 1978. Evert and King won the deciding doubles for the cup in 3 sets over Reid and Turnbull. Earlier in the year Kerry and Wendy won Wimbledon-coming back from match point down to win.

[Rollo]

A bronze Olympic medal from 1988.

[Rollo]

[DennisFitz]

Originally Posted by HanaFanGA

I like Wendy. I appreciate her for her speed and thoughtfulness around the court, and also for always seeming to be so good natured. And I say this as a credit to her and not the other way around. But I do look at her as someone like Mary Joe Fernandez, someone who should've never made 3 slam finals, but did. So I would definitely put her in the category of someone that got a lot out of her game.

She just didn't have any weapons to beat the better players with. She was wiley enough to make them struggle now and again. But her serve was so soft (though backed up extremely well) and her groundstrokes were of no real threat.

I always enjoyed watching her play doubles. And her 1984 US Open QF and SF and 1986 4R matches are all on my "want list" of matches to see.

I agree she was someone who got a lot out of her game. But I don't get why she was a player who "should have never made 3 major finals." Why not? She earned her way to those finals! I believe she beat Navratilova in two of three events en route to the finals. Her 1977 run to the US Open finals was a major accomplishment, turning back three higher ranked, top 10 opponents: Casals, Wimbledon champ Wade, and a great come from behind win over # 2 Martina. And she acquitted herself very well against Evert in the final. Her 1979 French Open final round appearance was a shocker, then again it didn't have quite the field strength as the US Open.

Still, pretty good for a player better known for her fast court results to have been in the finals of 2 majors on clay!

[preacherfan]

Originally Posted by GeeTee

I think it was a real shame Kerry and Wendy didn't keep playing through 1979. Wendy always seemed to be playing musical doubles and just as soon as you got used to her playing with a partner, she'd switch again. I never really liked her partnerships with Betty Stove (past her prime), Rosie Casals (even more past her prime) or Anne Hobbs (just not good enough).

I did wonder why she and Kerry split after just one year in which they won Wimbledon and really competed for the #1 ranking. I wonder if she knew that Kerry was going to retire. I think her partnership with Stove was a good move. They edged out Navratilova/King as the top doubles team in '79, so I don't think Betty was too over the hill. After Navratilova and Shriver teamed together, it wouldn't really matter who her partner was. I can't imagine that anyone could've carried her to the top. I liked her partnership with Evert. It would've been awesome if they'd won that Aussie final together late in their careers.

[louloubelle]

Originally Posted by Philbo

The only memory I have of Wendy from her days on tour is actually the speech she gave after her last tour match. I believe Gretchen Majors in her last everbeat her 2 and 2 or something in her last ever match. Funny the things u remember.

Actually it was 6-0 6-0 Gretchen pounded her. Wendy in her humourous way said that Gretchen should respect her elders!

She then fronted up and played the AO and got beaten by I think Natalie Herreman 75 75. And that was supposed to be her last tour match. But not to be. Because her family was coming down to the UK she then accepted a wildcard into Wimbledon and beat Pascale Paradis, to then lose to Judith Weisner.

One reported had the temerity to ask Wendy to whether the w/c shouldve went to a junior. Wendy snapped that if the junior was any good they wouldnt need a w/c

[HanaFanGA]

Originally Posted by DennisFitz

I agree she was someone who got a lot out of her game. But I don't get why she was a player who "should have never made 3 major finals." Why not? She earned her way to those finals! I believe she beat Navratilova in two of three events en route to the finals. Her 1977 run to the US Open finals was a major accomplishment, turning back three higher ranked, top 10 opponents: Casals, Wimbledon champ Wade, and a great come from behind win over # 2 Martina. And she acquitted herself very well against Evert in the final. Her 1979 French Open final round appearance was a shocker, then again it didn't have quite the field strength as the US Open.

Still, pretty good for a player better known for her fast court results to have been in the finals of 2 majors on clay!

I didn't mean for that statement to be a negative about Wendy, but rather a compliment. I meant it the same way for Mary Joe as well. They each made 3 slam finals and they earned them just like you said.

I do think her game was limited. But so is Shriver's and I'm a big Pammy fan. Players like Wendy, Pam, and Mary Joe should be commended for getting every bit of game out of what they had to work with. It's a complete credit to these players work, dedication, and mental and physical fortitude to take the tools they had and craft the success that they indeed earned.