Annette Van Zyl

Last updated

Annette Van Zyl
Annette Van Zyl.jpg
Country (sports) Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg South Africa
Born (1943-09-25) 25 September 1943 (age 80)
Pretoria, South Africa
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career recordno value
Career titles11
Highest rankingNo. 6 (1965, 1966)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open SF (1965)
French Open SF (1967, 1968)
Wimbledon QF (1966)
US Open QF (1967)
Doubles
Career recordno value
Career titles4
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open QF (1965)
French Open F (1967)
Wimbledon QF (1963)
US Open SF (1967)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open 3R (1965)
French Open W (1966)
Wimbledon SF (1966, 1967)

Annette Van Zyl (born 25 September), also known by her married name as Annette du Plooy, is a South African former tennis player. She was ranked in the top ten female players during the mid-1960s, and in 1966 she won the French Open Mixed Doubles title [1] with Frew McMillan, defeating Ann Haydon-Jones and Clark Graebner in three sets.

Contents

Tennis career

In January 1965 she won the singles title at the Natal Championships in Durban. [2] In April 1965 Van Zyl reached the final of the British Hard Court Championships at Bournemouth but was beaten in straight sets by Ann Haydon-Jones. In June of the same year she won the singles title at the grass court tournament in Cheltenham and later that month she was victorious at the London Grass Court Championship played at the Queen's Club, defeating Christine Truman in the final. In July she won the Welsh title also against Truman in the final. [3] She reached the semifinal of the French Open singles in 1967, beating Billie Jean King in the quarterfinal before losing to Lesley Turner Bowrey. [4]

In July 1968, she won the singles title at the Swiss Open after defeating Julie Heldman in the final with the loss of just one game. In August she beat Judy Tegart in straight sets in the final of the singles event at the German Championships in Hamburg and also won the doubles and mixed doubles events. [5] Van Zyl reached the final of the South African Championships singles event on three occasions, winning the title in 1963 and 1975 and ending as runner–up in 1965. Between 1964 and 1976, she played in 11 ties for the South African Federation Cup team and compiled a 12–7 win-los record.

According to A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail , Van Zyl was ranked in the world top ten in 1965, 1966, and 1968, reaching a career high of World No. 6 in those rankings in 1965 and 1966. [6]

Tournament finals

Singles 13 (11 titles – 2 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentOpponentScore
Loss1.1965 British Hard Court Championships Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon-Jones 5–7, 1–6
Loss2.1966 Italian Championships Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon-Jones6–8, 1–6
Win1.1965 London Championships Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Christine Truman 6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Win2.Jun 1967 Swiss International Championships Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jan Lehane O'Neill 6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Win3.Jan 1968 Natal Championships [5] Flag of the United States.svg Carole Graebner 6–1, 6–1
Win4.June 1968 Swiss International Championships [5] Flag of Germany.svg Helga Niessen 6–3, 6–3
Win5.Jul 1968 Gstaad International Championships [5] Flag of the United States.svg Julie Heldman 6–0, 6–1
Win6.Aug 1968 German Championships [7] Flag of Australia (converted).svg Judy Tegart 6–1, 7–5
Win7.Aug 1968Kitzbühel Championships [8] Flag of Hungary.svg Erzsébet Polgár 6–1, 6–0
Win8.Nov 1974 South Transavaal Championships Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Brenda Kirk 6–3, 6–2
Win9.Nov 1975 South African Open Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Brigitte Cuypers 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
Win10.Nov 1975 South Transavaal Championships Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Yvonne Vermaak 6–3, 6–2
Win11.Nov 1977 South Transavaal Championships Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Brenda Kirk 6–4, 0–6, 6–3

Doubles 7 (4 titles, 3 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentPartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.1965 Rome, Italy Flag of Australia (converted).svg Madonna Schacht Flag of Italy.svg Silvana Lazzarino
Flag of Italy.svg Lea Pericoli
2–6, 6–2, 12–10
Win2.1966Rome, Italy Flag of Argentina.svg Norma Baylon Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon-Jones
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Liz Starkie
6–3, 1–6, 6–2
Loss3.1967French Open, France Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pat Walkden Flag of France.svg Françoise Dürr
Flag of France.svg Gail Sherriff
2–6, 2–6
Loss4.1968Rome, Italy Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pat Walkden Flag of Australia (converted).svg Margaret Court
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Virginia Wade
2–6, 5–7
Win3.1968 German Championships Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Pat Walkden Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Winnie Shaw
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Judy Tegart
6–3, 7–5
Win4.Jun 1976 Beckenham, England Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Brigitte Cuypers Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Natasha Chmyreva
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Olga Morozova
9–7, 6–4
Loss5.Jul 1976 Gstaad, Switzerland Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Brigitte Cuypers Flag of the United States.svg Betsy Nagelsen
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 4–6

Mixed doubles 1

ResultNo.DateTournamentPartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.1966 French Championships Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Frew McMillan Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ann Haydon-Jones
Flag of the United States.svg Clark Graebner
1–6, 6–3, 6–2

Personal life

On 20 April 1968, Van Zyl married Jan du Plooy in Pretoria. [9] She is currently a head coach at the Brooklyn Union Tennis Club in Brooklyn, Pretoria, South Africa. [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billie Jean King</span> American tennis player (born 1943)

Billie Jean King, also known as BJK, is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. King won 39 Grand Slam titles: 12 in singles, 16 in women's doubles, and 11 in mixed doubles. King was a member of the victorious United States team in seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. For three years, she was the U.S. captain in the Federation Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Bueno</span> Brazilian tennis player (1939–2018)

Maria Esther Andion Bueno was a Brazilian professional tennis player. During her 11-year career in the 1950s and 1960s, she won 19 major titles, making her the most successful South American tennis player in history, and the only one to ever win Wimbledon. Bueno was the year-end No. 1 female player in 1959 and 1960 and was known for her graceful style of play.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Jones (tennis)</span> English tennis player

Ann Shirley Jones, is a British former table tennis and lawn tennis champion. She won eight Grand Slam tennis championships in her career: three in singles, three in women's doubles, and two in mixed doubles. As of 2023, she serves as a vice president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doris Hart</span> American tennis player

Doris Hart was an American tennis player who was active in the 1940s and first half of the 1950s. She was ranked world No. 1 in 1951. She was the fourth player, and second woman, to win a Career Grand Slam in singles. She was the first of only three players to complete the career "Boxed Set" of Grand Slam titles, which is winning at least one title in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles at all four Grand Slam events. Only she and Margaret Court achieved this during the amateur era of the sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Françoise Dürr</span> French tennis player

Françoise Dürr is a retired French tennis player. She won 50 singles titles and over 60 doubles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lesley Turner Bowrey</span> Australian tennis player

Lesley Rosemary Turner Bowrey, AM is a retired professional tennis player from Australia. Her career spanned two decades from the late 1950s until the late 1970s. Turner Bowrey won the singles title at the French Championships, one of the four Grand Slam events, in 1963 and 1965. In addition she won 11 Grand Slam events in doubles and mixed doubles. Turner Bowrey achieved her highest singles ranking of No. 2 in 1964.

Florence Angela Margaret Mortimer Barrett, MBE is a British former world No. 1 tennis player. Mortimer won three Grand Slam singles titles: the 1955 French Championships, the 1958 Australian Championships, and 1961 Wimbledon Championships when she was 29 years old and partially deaf.

Christine Clara Truman Janes is a former tennis player from the United Kingdom who was active from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. She won a singles Grand Slam title at the French Championships in 1959 and was a finalist at Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships. She helped Great Britain win the Wightman Cup in 1958, 1960 and 1968.

Yolanda Ramírez Ochoa is a Mexican tennis player active in the 1950s and 1960s. She was twice a singles finalist and once a women's doubles champion and mixed doubles champion at the French Open.

Sandra Reynolds Price is a South African former tennis player who won four Grand Slam women's doubles championships and one Grand Slam mixed doubles championship. Her best Grand Slam singles result was reaching the 1960 Wimbledon final, losing to Maria Bueno 8–6, 6–0. Reynolds is the only South African woman to reach the Wimbledon singles final, and is one of three to have reached a major singles final. In 1961, she was seeded No. 1 for the Wimbledon singles event, making her the only South African player ever to be seeded first in a singles major. She was the runner-up at the 1959 U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships, losing to Sally Moore in the final. Price won the German Championships in 1960, 1961, and 1962. She was the runner-up at the 1959 Italian Championships, having defeated Bueno in the semifinals, then losing to Christine Truman in the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helga Niessen Masthoff</span> West German tennis player

Helga Niessen Masthoff is a retired tennis player from West Germany. Her best Grand Slam singles tournament was when she reached the 1970 French Open final, losing to Margaret Court in straight sets. She won the German Open three consecutive years from 1972 through 1974, beating Martina Navratilova in the 1974 final in three sets. Masthoff was the runner-up at that tournament in 1971, losing to Billie Jean King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Renée Schuurman</span> South African tennis player

Renée Schuurman Haygarth was a South African tennis player who won five Grand Slam women's doubles titles and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billie Jean King career statistics</span>

This article shows the main career statistics of former tennis player Billie Jean King.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Court career statistics</span> Main career statistics of Australian former tennis player

This is a list of the main career statistics of Australian former tennis player Margaret Court. She won 64 Grand Slam events, which is a record for a male or female player. Her 24 Grand Slam singles titles and 21 in mixed doubles are also all-time records for both sexes. She achieved a career Grand Slam in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles. She is one of three women to have achieved the calendar year Grand Slam in singles, and is the only woman to have achieved the mixed doubles Grand Slam, which she did twice.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bobbie Heine Miller</span> South African tennis player

Bobbie Heine-Miller was a South African tennis player. She was born in Greytown in the Colony of Natal. As Bobbie Heine, she won the doubles title at the 1927 French Championships partnering Irene Bowder Peacock. In 1929, she was ranked no. 5 in the world. Her brother was the South African cricketer Peter Heine.

Bernice Carr Vukovich is a retired South African tennis player from South Africa of Croatian origin. Her father was a Croat immigrant from the peninsula of Pelješac.

The 1968 British Hard Court Championships was a combined men's and women's tennis tournament played on outdoor clay courts at The West Hants Club in Bournemouth in England. It was the first tournament in the Open Era of tennis. The tournament was held from 22 April to 27 April 1968. Ken Rosewall and Virginia Wade won the first open singles titles while the men's team of Roy Emerson and Rod Laver and the women's team of Christine Truman Janes and Nell Truman won the first open doubles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pat Walkden</span> Rhodesian-South African tennis player

Patricia Molly "Pat" Walkden-Pretorius is a former female tennis player from Rhodesia and South Africa.

Fay Toyne, also known by her married name Fay Toyne Moore, is a retired tennis player from Australia whose career spanned the 1960s.

The women's doubles tournament at the 1968 French Open was held from 27 May to 9 June 1968 on the outdoor clay courts at the Stade Roland Garros in Paris, France. The second-seeded team of Françoise Dürr and Ann Jones won the title, defeating the first-seeded pair of Rosie Casals and Billie Jean King in the final in three sets.

References

  1. "French Open – Past Mixed Doubles Champions". Archived from the original on 19 January 2008. Retrieved 8 December 2007.
  2. Russell Eldridge, ed. (1977). Tennis : The South African Story. Owen Williams. p. 111. OCLC   86066820.
  3. "Miss Van Zyl Takes Welsh Tennis Title". The New York Times. 17 July 1965.
  4. French Open 1967, women, singles. Archived 8 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 3 4 John Barrett, ed. (1969). BP Yearbook of World Tennis. London: Ward Lock. pp. 103–105, 173, 177. ISBN   978-0706318241. OCLC   502175694.
  6. 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. ISBN   978-0-942257-41-0.
  7. "DuPIooy Takes Title in W, German Tennis". The Bridgeport Telegram. 14 August 1968. p. 17.
  8. "Cops Tennis Crown Kitzbuehel". The Ottawa Journal. 20 August 1968. p. 14.
  9. "Uit alle sporthoeken". Algemeen Handelsblad (in Dutch). 2 April 1968. p. 11 via Delpher.
  10. Profile, butc.co.za. Accessed 8 January 2024.