Thelma Coyne Long

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Thelma Coyne Long
Thelma Coyne 1932.jpg
Long in 1932
Full nameThelma Dorothy Coyne Long
Country (sports)Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia
Born(1918-10-14)14 October 1918
Sydney, Australia
Died13 April 2015(2015-04-13) (aged 96)
Sydney, Australia
PlaysRight-handed
Int. Tennis HoF 2013 (member page)
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 7 (1952, Lance Tingay ) [1]
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open W (1952, 1954)
French Open QF (1951)
Wimbledon QF (1952)
US Open QF (1952)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open W (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958)
French Open F (1958)
Wimbledon F (1957)
US Open SF (1958)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open W (1951, 1952, 1954, 1955)
French Open W (1956)
Wimbledon F (1952)
US Open F (1938, 1952)

Thelma Dorothy Coyne Long (née Coyne; 14 October 1918 – 13 April 2015) was an Australian tennis player and one of the female players who dominated Australian tennis from the mid-1930s to the 1950s. During her career, she won 19 Grand Slam tournament titles. In 2013, Long was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. [2]

Contents

Tennis career

Thelma Coyne packing for her overseas tour in 1938 as a member of the Australian Women's Tennis Team. Thelma Coyne 1938.jpg
Thelma Coyne packing for her overseas tour in 1938 as a member of the Australian Women's Tennis Team.

At the Australian Championships, Long won singles titles in 1952 and 1954 and was a singles finalist in 1940, 1951, 1955 and 1956. [3] In women's doubles, she won 10 titles with Nancye Wynne Bolton (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1952) and two titles with Mary Bevis Hawton (1956 and 1958). Long was a women's doubles finalist with Bolton in 1946 and 1950. She won mixed doubles titles in 1951, 1952 and 1955 with George Worthington and in 1954 with Rex Hartwig. She was a mixed doubles finalist in 1948 with Bill Sidwell.

At Wimbledon, Long was a women's doubles finalist in 1957 with Hawton and a mixed doubles finalist in 1952 with Enrique Morea. At the age of 52, Long teamed with Lorraine Coghlan to lose in the first round of women's doubles at Wimbledon in 1971.

At the French Championships, Long was a women's doubles finalist in 1958 with Hawton, won the mixed doubles title in 1956 with Luis Ayala, and was a mixed doubles finalist in 1951 with Mervyn Rose.

At the 1953 tournament in Cincinnati, Long won the singles title (defeating Anita Kanter 7–5, 6–2 in the final) and the women's doubles title with Kanter.

According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Long was ranked in the world top 10 in 1952 and 1954 (no rankings issued from 1940 to 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 7 in these rankings in 1952. [1]

Long became a teaching professional in 1960 and spent many years coaching junior players in New South Wales. In 1985, her achievements were recognised by Tennis NSW when she was awarded Life Membership of the State Association.

Honours and awards

On 30 August 2000, Long was awarded the Australian Sports Medal. She was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame in a ceremony at Melbourne Park during the Australian Open on Australia Day in 2002. In 2013, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. [4]

Personal life

She was born in Sydney, Australia on 14 October 1918, the only child of Tom and Dorrie Coyne and was schooled at the Sydney Girls High School. [5]

Captain Thelma Long (left) with Lt Benporath, in Victoria, 1944 Thelma Long and Lt Benporath.png
Captain Thelma Long (left) with Lt Benporath, in Victoria, 1944

On 30 January 1941, she married Maurice Newton Long of Melbourne. [6] The marriage did not continue after the end of the Second World War.

In May 1941, during the Second World War, Long joined the Red Cross as a transport driver and worked in Melbourne. On 19 February 1942, she joined the Australian Women's Army Service (AWAS) and rose to the rank of captain in April 1944. [7] For her service in the AWAS, she was awarded the War Medal 1939–1945 and Australia Service Medal 1939–1945.

Long worked as a volunteer at the State Library of New South Wales, and she received the Volunteer Service Award in 1999.

Coyne died on 13 April 2015 at the age of 96. [8] [5]

Grand Slam tournament finals

Singles: 6 (2 wins, 4 losses)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1940 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton 7–5, 4–6, 0–6
Loss1951 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton1–6, 5–7
Win1952 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Helen Angwin 6–2, 6–3
Win1954 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jenny Staley Hoad 6–3, 6–4
Loss1955 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Beryl Penrose 4–6, 3–6
Loss1956 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Carter 6–3, 2–6, 7–9

Doubles: 16 (12 wins, 4 losses)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1936 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg May Blik
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Katherine Woodward
6–2, 6–4
Win1937 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nell Hall Hopman
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Emily Hood Westacott
6–2, 6–2
Win1938 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of the United States.svg Dorothy Bundy Cheney
Flag of the United States.svg Dorothy Workman
9–7, 6–4
Win1939 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg May Hardcastle
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nell Hall Hopman
7–5, 6–4
Win1940 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joan Hartigan
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Emily Niemayer
7–5, 6–2
Loss1946 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joyce Fitch
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Bevis Hawton
7–9, 4–6
Win1947 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joyce Fitch
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Bevis Hawton
6–3, 6–3
Win1948 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Jones
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Bevis Hawton
6–3, 6–3
Win1949 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of the United States.svg Doris Hart
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Marie Toomey
6–0, 6–1
Loss1950 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of the United States.svg Louise Brough
Flag of the United States.svg Doris Hart
2–6, 6–2, 3–6
Win1951 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Joyce Fitch
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Bevis Hawton
6–2, 6–1
Win1952 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nancye Wynne Bolton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Allison Burton Baker
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Bevis Hawton
6–1, 6–1
Win1956 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Hawton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Carter Reitano
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Beryl Penrose
6–2, 5–7, 9–7
Loss1957WimbledonGrass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Hawton Flag of the United States.svg Althea Gibson
Flag of the United States.svg Darlene Hard
1–6, 2–6
Win1958 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Hawton Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lorraine Coghlan
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Angela Mortimer
7–5, 6–8, 6–2
Loss1958 French Championships Clay Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mary Hawton Flag of Mexico.svg Yola Ramírez
Flag of Mexico.svg Rosie Reyes
4–6, 5–7

Mixed doubles (5 wins, 3 losses)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1938 U.S. Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bromwich Flag of the United States.svg Alice Marble
Flag of the United States.svg Don Budge
1–6, 2–6
Win1951 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Worthington Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clare Proctor
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack May
6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Win1952 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Worthington Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gwen Thiele
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tom Warhurst
9–7, 7–5
Loss1952 Wimbledon Grass Flag of Argentina.svg Enrique Morea Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Doris Hart
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Sedgman
6–4, 6–3, 6–4
Loss1952 U.S. Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lew Hoad Flag of the United States.svg Doris Hart
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Sedgman
3–6, 5–7
Win1954 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rex Hartwig Flag of Australia (converted).svg Beryl Penrose
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bromwich
4–6, 6–1, 6–2
Win1955 Australian Championships Grass Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Worthington Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jenny Staley
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lew Hoad
6–2, 6–1
Win1956 French Championships Clay Flag of Chile.svg Luis Ayala Flag of the United States.svg Doris Hart
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Howe
4–6, 6–4, 6–1

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Thelma Coyne (l) and Nancye Wynne Bolton (r) in Adelaide (1938) Thelma Coyne and Nancye Wynne 1938.jpg
Thelma Coyne (l) and Nancye Wynne Bolton (r) in Adelaide (1938)
Key
W F SFQF#RRRQ#DNQANH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.

Tournament1935193619371938193919401941 – 194419451946119471194819491950195119521953195419551956195719581959SR W–L Win %
Australian Championships 1R SF SF QF SF F NHNH QF SF 2R2 SF QF F W A W F F A 2R 1R 2 / 1846–1476.7
French Championships AAA 2R ANHRAAAAAA QF AAAA 3R A 3R A0 / 47–370.0
Wimbledon AAA 3R ANHNHNHAAA 4R 3R 1R3 QF AAA 1R 1R 4R A0 / 813–765.0
U.S. Championships AAA 3R AAAAAAAAAA QF 3R AAAA 2R A0 / 48–466.7
Win–loss0–12–13–16–33–13–12–13–10–06–24–27–211–22–15–04–16–30–17–30–12 / 3474–2872.5

1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
2,3Coyne did not play. Her opponent got a walkover.

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References

  1. 1 2 Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 702. ISBN   978-0-942257-41-0.
  2. "Thelma Coyne Long inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame". ITF Tennis. 26 January 2013.
  3. "Thelma Long, 17 Tries, now Champ". Sunday Mail . Brisbane. 27 January 1952. p. 13 via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Hall of Famers – Thelma Coyne Long". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  5. 1 2 "Tennis great Thelma Coyne Long's lengthy career included 19 Grand Slams". The Sydney Morning Herald . 13 May 2015.
  6. "Miss Thelma Coyne Married". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate . 31 January 1941. p. 5 via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Australian Tennis Star Is Now A.W.A.S. Lieut". The Courier-Mail . Brisbane. 12 September 1942. p. 3 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Thelma Long". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.