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Doris Hart results thread

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#1 · (Edited)
In this thread we will attempt to compile the match and tournament record of Doris Hart, who was active as an amateur from about 1938 until her retirement in 1955. We will also explore her brief pro career.

For a thread that contains her biography and photos please see: http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?p=51270506


Summary:

World Ranking

1946: #4
1947: #3
1948: #3
1949: #3
1950: #3
1951: #1
1952: #2
1953: #2
1954: #2
1955: #2

United States ranking (14 consecutive years in top ten)

1942-#6
1943-#3
1944-#6
1945-#6
1946-#4
1947-#3
1948-#3
1949-#3
1950-#2
1951-#2
1952-#2
1953-#2
1954-#1
1955-#1

Slam statistics (Won 35 majors-6 in Singles, 14 in Doubes, and 15 in Mixed Doubles)

Australian---5 titles

8-1 in singles
Won Singles 1949 and RU in 1950
Won Doubles in 1950
Won Mixed Doubles in 1949-1950

French--10 titles

28-5 in singles
Won Singles in 1950 and 1952
Won Doubles 1948 and 1950-53 with Shirley Fry
Won Mixed Doubles in 1951-1953

Wimbledon--10 titles

43-8 in singles
Won Singles in 1951
Won Doubles in 1947 and from 1951-1953
Won Mixed Doubles from 1951-1955.

United States Nationals--10 titles

57-13 in singles

Won Singles in 1954 and 1955
Won Doubles from 1951-1953
Won Mixed Doubles from 1951-1955

Singles record in majors

136-27 (83.4%)
Won 5 of 32 majors played for a strike rate of 15.6%
 
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#15 · (Edited)
1951

January 3-7 Dixie Championships, Tampa, Florida, US (Clay)

1R: Hart d. Kay Williams 6-0 6-1
2R: Hart d. Lucy Masterson 6-0 6-1 (may=QF)
SF: Shirley Fry [3] d. Doris Hart [1] 6-3 6-4

DF: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Beverly Baker/Laura Lou Jahn 6-2 6-1

-----

January 8-14 Florida West Coast Championships, St. Petersburg, Florida, US (Clay)

?R: Hart d. Maggie Mae Beeland 6-0 6-2
QF: Hart d. Evelyn Cowan 6-0 6-0
SF: Hart d. ????

FI: Doris Hart d. Shirley Fry 6-4 2-6 6-0

DF: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Beverly Baker/Laura Lou Jahn 6-1 6-3

-----

January 30- February 4 Havana International Tennis Tournament, Havana, Cuba.

SF: Doris Hart d. Marta Barnett 6-0 6-2

FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Beverly Baker (US) 6-4 8-6

DF: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Marta Barnett/Piedra 6-0 6-2

Miss Hart also takes the mixed in Havana's first international event.

-----

February 17- 26 San Remo International, San Remo, Italy (Clay)

SF: Hart d. Shirley Fry (US) 6-2 6-1

FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Annalissa Bossi 7-5 6-1

-----

March 2-11 Championships of Egypt Cairo, Egypt (Clay)

1R Doris Hart d Mrs Chalres Bezzola 6-0 6-0
QF: Doris Hart d Helen Buccianti 6-0 6-1
SF: Shirley Fry d. Hart 6-2 7-5

Doubles

?R Fry/Hart d Bezzola/B. Burley 6-3 6-2
SF: Fry/Hart d Mrs H Fawal/Ezzat 6-1 6-0
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Rita Anderson/Louise Brough 5-7 6-3 6-1

MX: Doris Hart/Jaroslav Drobny d Louise Brough/F Ampon 6-2 6-1

-----

March 13-25 Alexandria International Championships Alexandria Egypt (Clay)

QF Hart d P Polkowsha 6-0 6-1
SF Hart d. Shirley Fry 6-3 9-7
FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Louise Brough (US) 7-5 6-2

Doubles

QF: Fry/Hart d Parkinson(GB) /Suzanne Michaelidis default
SF: Fry/Hart d Helen Buccianti/S. Mathieu 6-0 6-1
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Louise Brough/Dottie Head 6-2 6-3

MX: Doris Hart/Irvin Dorfmann d Shirley Fry/Robert Abdessalam 6-3 6-4

Doris "took to the net repeatedly" in the final, responding to lobs with "tremendous smashes."

-----

March 26-April. 1 Monte Carlo International Monte Carlo, Monaco (Clay)

QF Hart d. Thelma Long (Aus) 6-4 8-10 6-0
SF Hart d. Jean Quertier (GB) 6-2 6-1
FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Shirley Fry (US) 6-3 6-3

Doubles

SF: Fry/Hart d. Curry/Quertier 6-0 6-3
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Colette Boegner/Maud Galtier 6-0 9-7.

-----

April 2-8 Nice, France. (Clay)

QF: Hart d. Liesl Broz 6-0 6-1
SF: Hart d. Joan Curry (GB) 8-6 6-4
FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Shirley Fry (US) 4-6 6-3 6-3

DF: Fry/Hart d. Rita Anderson (GB)/Joan Curry (GB) 6-2 7-5

"Double faults proved to be Miss Fry's downfall."

-----

April 9-16 Italian International Championships Rome, Italy (Clay0
Venue: Foro Italico

?R: Hart d. G Bonardi 6-0 6-1
QF: Hart d. Curry 4-6 6-3 6-4
SF: Hart d. Long 6-1 6-3
FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Shirley Fry (US) 6-3 8-6

Doubles

SF: Fry/Hart d. Bologna/Manfredi 6-1 6-1
FI : Fry/Hart d. Brough/Long 6-1 7-5

MX: Shirley Fry/Felicissimo Ampon d Doris Hart/Lennart Bergelin 8-6 3-6 6-4

Final played before a crowd of 10,000. This is Hart's 4th straight event and 3rd win in a row over Fry. Hart's stronger serve and faster pace keep Fry running throughout. The mixed final thrilled the crowd.

-----

April 17-21 Sicily International Palermo, Italy (Clay)

QF: Doris Hart (US) d Mrs Totta Zehden (Ger) 9-7 6-1
SF: Hart d. Adamson 4-6 6-4 6-3
FI: Doris Hart d. Shirley Fry 16-14 1-6 6-4

Doubles

SF: Fry/Hart d Baker/Nelly Hermsen 6-1 6-3
FI: Fry/Hart d. Adamson/Seghers 7-5 3-6 7-5


3,000 on hand for final, including many US sailors from nearby bases.

-----

April 21-29 International Championships of Paris Paris, France.

Draw=about 16.

1R: Doris Hart (US) d Jacqueline Patorni default
QF: Hart d.Amouretti 6-3 6-4
SF: Hart d. Baker 6-0 0-6 6-3

FI: Doris Hart (US) d. Shirley Fry (US) 9-7 6-0

Doubles

SF: Fry/Hart d Baker/Butler 6-3 6-2
FI: Fry/Hart d. Adamson/Seghers 6-3 6-4

-----

April 30-May 5 British Hard Courts Bournemouth UK (Clay)
Venue: West Hants Lawn Tennis Club

Singles (Draw=64)

1R: Doris Hart (US) [1] d RD McKelvie 6-2 6-1
2R: Hart [1] d Dawson-Scott 6-2 6-0
3R: Hart [1] d Hoahing 6-2 6-0
QF: Hart [1] d. Quertier 6-1 6-1
SF: Hart [1] d. Fry 6-3 6-3
FI: Doris Hart(US) [1] d. Jean Walker-Smith [8] 6-4 8-6

DF: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Nancye Bolton (Aus)/Thelma Long (Aus) 3-6 6-3 6-3

Many of the 3,000 "headed for the exits" as Doris rolled up a 5-1 lead in the second. After Jean got an injection for a sore foot she roared back, even gaining a set point that Hart saved "with a superb cross-court volley". From 5-6 Doris swept 3 games for the match.

-----

French Championships

Dates: May 23 to June 4.

1R: bye
2R: Doris Hart(US) d. Vittoria Tonnelli(Ity) 6-1 6-1
3R: Hart d. Charbonnier 6-3 6-1
QF: Hart d. de Cazelet 6-0 6-4
SF: Hart d. Walker-Smith 6-2 6-1
FI: Shirley Fry d. Hart 6-3 3-6 6-3

Doubles

1R: bye
2R: Fry/Hart d. Nadine Guinard/Suzanne Schmidt 6-1 6-3
QF: Fry/Hart d. Foy/Varin 6-2 6-2
SF: Fry/Hart d. Quertier/Walker-Smith 6-2 6-2
FI: Fry/Hart d. Bartlett/Scofield 10-8 6-3

Mixed Doubles

SF: Hart/Frank Sedgeman d Joy and Tony Mottram 6-1 6-0
FI: Hart/Frank Sedgeman d Thelma Long/Mervyn Rose 7-5 6-2

50,000 attended the event. Fry "stunned" the crowd of 11,000 who came out expecting Doris to win easily. From 0-2 in the last set she ran up a 5-2 lead before closing it out.

-----

June 4-9 Northern Tournament Manchester UK (Grass)

1R: Doris Hart (US) d Heather Westmacott 6-1 6-1
2R: Hart d Jean Petchell 6-1 6-1
QF: Hart d B Goodman 6-0 6-3
SF: Hart d Gibosn 6-1 6-4
FI: Doris Hart d Beverly Baker 8-6 6-3

Doubles

SF Fry/Hart d Mckelvie/Tower 6-2 6-4
FI: Fry/Hart d Rosenquest/Scofield 6-0 6-2

-----

June 18-23 London GrassCourt Championships, London, England, GB (Grass)
Venure: Queen's Club

Doubles

3R: Fry/Hart d Hoahing/Hibbert 6-0 6-0
QF Fry/Hart d Mrs Margot Gordon/Halford 6-3 6-3
SF Fry/Hart d Quertier/Tuckey 6-4 6-3
FI Fry/Hart d. Bolton/DuPont 3-6 6-1 6-3

Doris only enters the doubles at Queen's Club.
Eve of Wimbledon betting odds: 2-1 for Brough, DuPont and Hart. 8-1 for Fry.

-----

WIMBLEDON

1R: Doris Hart (US) [3] d.Jacqueline Marcellin (Frn) 6-2 6-0
2R: Hart [3] d. Weiss 6-0 7-5
3R: Hart [3] d. Bolton 6-4 7-5
4R: Hart [3] d. Quertier 6-4 6-3
QF: Hart [3] d. Chaffee [7] 6-3 6-3
SF: Hart [3] d. Baker [5] 6-3 6-1
FI: Hart [3] d. Fry [4] 6-1 6-0

Doubles

1R: bye
2R: Fry/Hart[2] d. J.M.Lloyd/R.D.McKelvie 6-0 6-0
3R: Fry/Hart[2] d. Lewis/Scott 6-1 6-2
QF: Fry/Hart[2] d. Quertier/Tuckey 6-3 6-1
SF: Fry/Hart[2] d. Davidson/Rosenquest[3] 6-0 6-2
FI: Fry/Hart[2] d. Brough/duPont[1] 6-2 13-11


Mixed Doubles

1R: bye
2R: Hart/Sedgman [2] d. Bevverly Baker/Hal Burrows 6-1 6-1
3R: Hart/Sedgman [2] d. Althea Gibson/N Nath 8-6 8-6
4R: Hart/Sedgman [2] d. MA Schmier/Ivo Rinkel 6-0 6-1
QF: Hart/Sedgman [2] d. A Layfield/WT Anderson 6-0 6-2
SF: Hart/Sedgman [2] d. duPont/McGregor 6-2 4-6 6-3
FI: Doris Hart/Frank Sedgman [2] d. Nancye Bolton/Mervyn Rose 7-5 6-2

Doris' dream comes true as she finally wins Wimbledon, routing best friend Fry in a one sided final. Wins in doubles and the mixed are icing on the cake.

-----

July 7-14 Midland Counties Championships Edgbaston UK (Grass)

2R Hart d Joan Godfrey 6-1 6-0
QF Hart d M. Harris 6-1 6-1
SF: Hart d. ????
FI Doris Hart d. Shirley Fry 4-6 6-2 7-5

Doubles

SF Fry/Hart d MJ Baker/R.Walsh 6-0 6-1
FI Fry/Hart d. Hammersley/Knapp 6-2 6-0

-----

July 31-August 5 Eastern Grass Courts Orange, New Jersey, US (Grass)
Doubles

1R: Fry/Hart [1] d Disco/Salichs 6-0 6-1
QF: Fry/Hart [1] d Kanter/E Sullivan 6-1 6-5
SF: Fry/Hart [1] d Head/Morrison ????
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Midge Buck/Margaret Varner 6-0 6-1

Doris enters the doubles only

-----

August 6-12, Essex County Club Invitational, Manchester, Massachusetts, US (Grass)

1R: bye
2R: Hart [1] d. Doris Popple 6-1 6-0
3R: Hart [1] d. Betty Rosenquest 6-1 6-4
QF: Hart [1] d. Kay Tuckey (GB) [3F] 6-2 6-1
SF: Hart [1] d. Connolly [4] 10-8 6-2
FI: Doris Hart [1] d. Shirley Fry [2] 6-3 6-3

Doubles

1R: Fry/Hart d. Lila Caner/Rith Jeffrey 6-0 6-0
2R: Fry/Hart d. Mianne Palfrey Dexter/Lee Palfrey Fullerton 6-4 6-0
2R: Fry/Hart d. Rosemary Buck/Margaret Varner 6-0 6-0
SF: FRy/Hart d. Maureen Connolly/Betty Rosenqust 6-2 6-3
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Nancy Chaffee/Pat Todd 6-4 6-3

-----

UNITED STATES NATIONAL DOUBLES CHAMPIONSHIPS

Dates: August ?? to 21
Venue: Longwood Cricket Club, Chesnut Hill. Massachusetts

Doubles (Draw=23)


First Round


1R: Fry/Hart [1]-bye
2R: Fry/Hart [1] d. Liguori/McIlvaine 6-0 6-0
QF: Fry/Hart [1] d. Rihbany/Sullivan 6-2 6-4
SF: Fry/Hart [1] d. Mottram/Ward 6-3 6-2
FI: Shirley Fry/Doris Hart [1] d. Nancy Chaffee/Pat Todd [2] 6-4 6-2

-----

August 24-25 Wightman Cup, Longwood, Massachusetts, US (Gras)

United States d. Great Britain 6-1.

Day 1:

Doris Hart d. Jean Quertier (GB) 6-4 6-4

Day 2:

Doris Hart d. Jean Walker-Smith (GB) 6-4 2-6 7-5
Shirley Fry/Doris Hart d. Jean Quertier/Kay Tuckey (GB) 6-3 6-3

-----

UNITED STATES NATIONALS

Dates: August 25-September 5
Venue: Forest Hills

Singles


1R: Doris Hart [1] d. Julie Sampson 6-0 6-3
2R: Hart [1] d. Carroll 6-0 6-3
3R: Hart [1] d. Buck 6-2 6-1
QF: Hart [1] d. Chaffee 6-2 6-4
SF: Maureen Connolly [4] d. Hart [1] 6-4 6-4

Mixed Doubles

SF: Hart/Sedgman d Quertier/Hare 6-4 6-2
FI: Hart/Sedgman d Fry/Rose 6-3 6-2


With former champs Brough and Dupont not playing Hart was the odd's on favorite to win. She encountered some resistance in the quarters when Chaffee pulled up from 2-4 with a "bombardment of forehands" before Doris righted herself.

15,000 fans decided not to leave despite dark skies to get the chance to see 16 year old Mo Connolly. Hart was having none of it. When she went on court for her semi vs. little Mo Connolly it was all Hart as she swept out to 4 love lead. Then came a sudden reversal of fortune. Connolly "brought roars from the crowd with her jolting drives" as she knocked off winner after winner to take the opeing set as a steady drizzle fell. Play was suspended after the first set. The next day "the blonde little Californian took up the bombardment where she left off" before a Labor Day crowd of 12,000.

---------------------------------------------------------


1951 Summary


World ranking: #1 (her only time atop the world rankings)
US Ranking: #2 (Connolly at #1 due to winning the US Nationals)

Singles record:

Won 14 events of 18.
Won at least 68 matches*-lost 4 (3 times to Fry, once to Connolly)
.944 winning percentage


*note we are missing some early round victories.

Titles at: Florida West Coast Chmps, Havana Int, San Remo, Egyptian Chmps, Alexandria, Monte Carlo, Italian Chmps, Sicily, Paris, British Hard Courts, Northern, Wimbledon, Midland Chmps, Essex County

Head to Head vs top 10:
1-1 vs Connolly
12-3 vs Fry
2-0 vs Chaffee
1-0 Walker-Smith
3-0 vs Quertier
1-0 vs Brough
4-0 vs Baker
DNP Todd
1-0 vs Tuckey

25-4 vs Top Ten.

Doris and her doubles partner Shirley Fry met repeatedly throughout the year-15 times in all! After losing to Fry in Egypt Hart won 7 events in a row, finally losing again to Shirley in the French final. During this run she won at least 28 consecutive matches.

Doubles

Won 19 events out of 19 events entered.
Won at least 50 matches-lost 0.

Doris and Shirley were undefeated all year.
 
#16 · (Edited)
1952


Febuary 4-17 Championships of Asia, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)

1R: bye
QF: D. Fonseka 6-2 6-2
SF: d. Jean Walker-Smith (GB) 6-4 4-6 6-3
FI: d. Shirley Fry 6-4 2-6 6-1

DF: Fry/Hart d. Mottram/Walker-Smith 10-8 6-4

MX: Hart/Frank Sedgman (Aus) d. Shirley Fry (US)/Straight Clark (US) 6-0 6-1

-----

February 18-26 Western Indian Championships, Bombay, India

FI: lost to Shirley Fry 2-6 6-4 6-2

DF: Hart/Laxmi Merchant d. Shirley Fry (US)/Laura Woodbridge 6-4 5-7 6-1

MX: Doris Hart/Vladislav Skonecki d. Laura Woodbridge/Jimmy Mehta 6-0 6-0

Unusual as Doris and Shirley play doubles against each other.



---------------------------------------------------------

1952 Summary

World ranking: #2 (behind Maureen Connolly)
US Ranking:

Hart won every event entered except one (she lost to Fry at Bombay) before Wimbledon. Hart also lost twice to Mo, and to Todd at Wimbledon and Kanter at Essex.
 
#21 ·
Doris, especially considering her leg problem, had a great career and deserves much respect from the WTA. Unfortunately, the WTA only cares about promoting the greatness of today's players while ignoring greats of the past, except BJK. Interesting that the thread about the mistreatment of Doris by the USO was closed so soon.
 
#22 ·
Doris, especially considering her leg problem, had a great career and deserves much respect from the WTA. Unfortunately, the WTA only cares about promoting the greatness of today's players while ignoring greats of the past, except BJK. Interesting that the thread about the mistreatment of Doris by the USO was closed so soon.
She does deserve more respect. Over the next few months I'm going to try and piece her record together.

1951 is as complete as possible. Perhaps her best year in all-Doris and Shirley went undefeated all year in doubles. In singles she had the bad luck to see the rise of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly.
 
#24 ·
50 YEARS, COUNTLESS TITLES LATER, HART STILL LOVES GAME
Sun-Sentinel
Sunday, January 5, 1986
Randall Mell, Staff Writer

Tennis is the language Doris Hart learned to express her desire to excel. She learned to speak in bold terms. And her message was heard around the world.

Hart, 60, a tennis pro at Hillsboro Club in Hillsboro Beach, won every major tennis tournament she set out to win. The path to championships at Wimbledon and the U.S., French, Australian and Italian opens was not an easy one. But it was a rewarding one.

Hart worked hard to learn the game. She overcame a physical injury as a young girl to excel. In fact, tennis turned out to be excellent therapy for an injured leg. Those early years of tennis were a labor of love.

Today, Hart still expresses herself with the language of tennis . It`s been about 50 years since she first picked up a tennis racquet, but the learning process is still a labor of love. Except now she is the teacher.

"I like teaching," Hart said. "I like working with people of all ages. It`s nice seeing kids I taught come back when they`re married and then teaching their kids."

Hart learned the game through hours of practice on South Florida tennis courts. She was born in St. Louis and injured her knee in a fall as a baby. The family moved to the Miami area while Hart was still young. Rehabilitation of the knee began when she picked up a tennis racquet as a 10-year-old. Tennis, however, did more than just rehabilitate her knee. It brought her national attention and helped her see the world.

Hart and her older brother by two years, Bud, spoke the same language. The tennis court was their forum for communication.

"We`d play all the time," Hart said. "We`d play during the day and then we`d come back after supper and play some more."

At 11, Hart entered tournaments. She was not as quick as her competition because of her leg, but developed what tennis author Max Robertson called a game of "grace and flowing strides." She developed power by playing her brother day after day.

"I couldn`t run fast, so with my brother`s help I styled my game different at a young age," Hart said. "I became an aggressive player. I took risks. You hear them call it low-percentage play now. I guess I was a low-percentage player but I geared my game that way and I didn`t think I was a low-percentage player."

Hart gambled. She went for passing shots. And, more often than not, it paid off. At 15 she burst on the national scene by defeating America`s No. 2 ranked player, Pauline Betz, in a tournament in Louisville. At 17 and 18 she won the American Junior championships and was sixth in the senior rankings.

Hart won Wimbledon singles in 1951, U.S. Open singles in 1954 and 1955, the French Open singles in 1950 and 1952, the Australian Open singles in 1949, the Italian Open singles in 1951 and 1953 and the South African Open singles title in 1952.

Hart was part of Wimbledon doubles championship teams five times, U.S. Open doubles championships four times and French doubles championships five times.

Hart put on one of the greatest displays of tennis ever by winning three Wimbledon titles in one day in 1951. First, she won the women`s singles, then the women`s doubles and finally the mixed doubles. Hart called it her most rewarding day of tennis.

"Wimbledon was always my dream," Hart said. "I feel very fortunate to have reached my goals."
 
#25 ·
U.S. OPEN TO HONOR DORIS HART SEPT. 5
The Miami Herald
Wednesday, August 27, 1986
JIM MARTZ, Herald Sports Writer

Her summer forte now is golf, as the women at the Riviera and Biltmore courses in Coral Gables can attest. But Doris Hart remains best known for her accomplishments in tennis.

Along with 16 other past champions, she'll be honored at a ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the women's singles championship at the U.S. Open Sept. 5 in New York. Hart won the U.S. National championship (it became the U.S. Open in 1968) in 1954 and '55 and won doubles titles with Shirley Fry from 1951 through '54.

"I'm looking forward to it because I've never been to Flushing Meadow," said Hart, 61, who lives in Coral Gables. "Oh, golly, I don't recall the last time I've been to the tournament. It was a long time ago when it was on grass at Forest Hills."

Hart won every Grand Slam tournament singles and doubles title, capturing singles at Wimbledon in 1951, the French in '50 and '52 and the Australian in '49. Her fondest memory?

"Wimbledon, I think," she said.

She will resume teaching tennis for the 27th year this winter at the Hillsboro Club in Pompano Beach. But summers belong to golf, a sport she took up five years ago "because it's so hot for tennis in the summer." She sports an 18 handicap and has "come in the money" in a few tournaments.

PROS TEST RACKETS

Forty U.S. Professional Tennis Association pros from throughout the state tested top-of-the-line new rackets from 28 manufacturers this week at the Jockey Club in Tennis Industry Magazine's 12th annual Racket Research Day.

There's nothing revolutionary among the 1987 models. But many more companies are coming out with ceramic rackets, which first hit the market this year. The Boris Becker Super, a red, white and blue racket made by Puma, is making its U.S. debut. And Donnay features a new graphite and kevlar model, the Pro Cynetic 12, in which you can add weights to the perimeter of the head of the racket and the end of the handle.

Pros were asked to rate the rackets in terms of control, balance, flex, weight, power and several other categories. Results will be available in the November issue of Tennis Industry.

And what racket do the pros use themselves? Questionnaires were filled out by 24, and 14 said the Prince, most preferring the graphite or Spectrum models.
 
#26 ·
CONTENT IN ANONYMITY
The Miami Herald
Monday, July 1, 1996
MERI-JO BORZILLERI Herald Sports Writer

Doris Hart overcame a knee infection that limited her range of motion to become one of the greatest players in women's tennis history.

Now, 45 years after she captured Wimbledon singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles -- all on the same day -- longtime Coral Gables resident Hart, 71, shuns most public appearances.

Over the years, she has given away, sold or thrown out most of her trophies. The only one displayed in her Coral Gables high-rise: the Wimbledon ladies championship silver plate, won in 1951.

Hart donated one of her trophies, won as a player at the University of Miami, to the school. It's presented to the most valuable player on the women's team each year. Hart gave a speech at last year's ceremony, but didn't attend this year.

When the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce wanted to induct her into its Sports Hall of Champions in April -- along with Dan Marino and Joe DiMaggio, among others -- she chose not to attend.

She buys tickets every year to the UM Sports Hall of Fame banquet, but doesn't go.

"It just doesn't appeal to me," said Hart of banquets and inductions honoring her. "It's not for me. I know deep down what I did, and it pleases me."

Her story ranks as one of the most remarkable in Miami sports, yet it's known by precious few: tennis insiders, a few close friends and members of local clubs like the Riviera Country Club in Coral Gables, where Hart plays golf regularly.

"You mention Doris Hart and they say, 'Who?' " says Hart contemporary Gardnar Mulloy. "It disturbs me, because she's a great gal and was a great champion. But she's done her own thing."

One of them was letting a 14-year-old Mary Joe Fernandez in on a little secret. Fernandez was practicing at a Miami club when Hart pulled her aside.

"I'll never forget it. She said 'Mary Joe, the most important shot in women's tennis is the drop shot,' " said Fernandez, now a 10-year veteran on the pro tour. "I was too young, I really didn't think about it. But she's right. It is."

Fernandez, a 1995 Wimbledon quarterfinalist, finishes every practice with a drop shot drill. She's passed on that wisdom to fellow pro Lindsay Davenport, who used it to upset Kimiko Date and reach the French quarterfinals last month.

It's appropriate that Hart, whose disfigured knee kept her from running at a full sprint, discovered that tennis' most delicate shot could be its most effective weapon. She made a career of enveloping a weakness with a strength.

An infection suffered at age 1 nearly forced amputation of her right leg and left her limping through childhood. Hart discovered tennis at age 10 when she was hospitalized after a double-hernia operation. Bored in her room at Victoria Hospital in Miami, Hart would stare out her window overlooking Henderson Park's tennis court.

"Soon I had a fairly good idea of how the game was played," Hart writes in her book Tennis With Hart, published in 1955. "Before long my imagination took over, and I was mentally racing over the courts, swinging away at a little white ball."

Her brother, Richard "Bud" Hart, was a former UM men's tennis captain and was once ranked No. 17 in the United States. Until his death in 1995, Bud was Hart's coach and lifelong closest friend.

To compensate for her weak knee, he taught his little sister to hit strong and deep. Early in her career, Bud Hart would draw a box seven or eight feet long and two feet deep at the opposite baseline and have her hit it. Long drives would keep opponents on their heels. The reasoning: make them do all the running.

"I would never say she limped or was lame in any way," said Julian Eaton, whose family donated $170,000 to the University of Miami this year for a perpetual student-athlete scholarship in Hart's name. "She adapted herself to move."

Because of failing health, Hart hasn't played tennis in a couple of years. But she picked up golf. A member at Riviera, Hart plays about twice a week.

"I'd like to play more," says Hart, who suffers from a collapsed disc in her neck.

Hart, who taught at Hillsboro Beach's Hillsboro Club for 28 years after leaving competition, never married. She fills her time with golf, quiet lunches with friends, reading and crossword puzzles. Some women she plays with at Riviera have no clue they're playing with a legend.

Said Hart: "I don't say anything about it."

Hart rides a cart with a handicap flag at Riviera. The flag lets her drive up to the tee and close to the green. She has trouble walking because of her knee and is bothered by a persistent smoker's cough and the flu, which struck twice this winter.

But those who played tennis with her, and now golf, agree on one thing: Hart's enjoyment is infectious.

Said Marlene Angulo, one of Hart's regular golf partners: "Doris is competitive in the most delightful way possible. You challenge her, and she'll beat you. And she'll giggle while she's doing it."

Opponents liked her. Doubles partner Shirley Fry lost to Hart in the Wimbledon final, 6-1, 6-0, in a record 34 minutes. How bitter was Fry? She made Hart godmother to one of her children.

Fans liked her too.

"I had just won the French in 1951," said Fry, who lives in Farmington, Conn., and calls Hart weekly. "And here we were at Wimbledon, and everybody was coming up to her saying they were hoping it was her year to win."

Hart is one of just 12 players to have won each major -- Australian, French, Wimbledon, United States, at least once. She hasn't been back to Wimbledon since 1976. Too much fuss. Wimbledon treats its former champions the best -- with limos, free accommodations and long memories.

"They just remember," Hart said. "But I'm not into all that . . . entertainment. I'd love to go incognito."

THE ESSENTIAL DORIS HART

* Residence: Coral Gables

* Born: June 20, 1925 in St. Louis.

* College: Played for University of Miami (1946-48), Barry University (1943-45).

* Honors: International Tennis Hall of Fame (inducted 1969), UM Hall of Fame (1989, charter member), Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Sports Hall of Fame (1996), Metro-Dade Tennis Hall of Fame (1988, charter member).

Women's Grand Slam titles leaders

Player Career Majors 1. Margaret Smith Court 1960-75 62 2. Martina Navratilova 1974-95 56 3. Billie Jean King 1961-81 39 4. Doris Hart 1948-55 35 5. Helen Wills Moody 1923-38 31 Others

9. Pam Shriver 1981- 22 10. Chris Evert 1974-89 21 10. Suzanne Lenglen 1919-26 21 10. Darlene Hard 1958-69 21 13. Steffi Graf 1987- 20 13. Maria Bueno 1958-68 20 Major singles titles

* Australian Championships -- 1949

* French Championships -- 1950, 1952

* Wimbledon -- 1951

* U.S. Championships -- 1954-55

Note: Australian, French and U.S. championships became exclusively open tournaments in 1969, '68 and '70, respectively.

Other accomplishments

* With Court, the only two players in history -- male or female -- to win all 12 (singles, doubles, mixed) major titles at least once. Also one of only 12 to win all four singles majors.

* With partner Shirley Fry, won the French women's doubles a record five straight times beginning in 1950.

* Starting in 1946, ranked in the world's top 10 for 10 consecutive years, including No. 1 in 1951.
 
#27 ·
Thanks Ms A.


My favorite parts were learning how Shirley stayed in touch with Doris and how she took Mary Joe aside and lectued her on the dropper!

I admit to having a special love for those who master the drop shot-one of my favorite weapons when I play:devil:

Somewhat surprised she had been a smoker. When she won the 1954 Forest Hills title her brother Bud sat courtside smoking like a chimney.
 
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