Kathleen Horvath

Last updated
Kathleen Horvath
Country (sports)Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Residence Short Hills, New Jersey
Born (1965-08-25) August 25, 1965 (age 57)
Chicago, Illinois
Height5 ft 6+12 in (1.69 m)
Turned pro1981
Retired1989
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$220,905
Singles
Career record176–154
Career titles6
Highest rankingNo. 10 (June 11, 1984)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open 1R (1989)
French Open QF (1983, 1984)
Wimbledon 3R (1986)
US Open 3R (1981, 1986)
Doubles
Career record150–132
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 45 (September 12, 1988)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open 2R (1989)
French Open SF (1982, 1984)
Wimbledon 3R (1982)
US Open 3R (1985)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open 1R (1989)
French Open SF (1981)
Wimbledon 1R (1986)
US Open SF (1985)

Erica Kathleen "Kathy" Horvath (born August 25, 1965) is an American former professional tennis player. She is best known for upsetting world No. 1 Martina Navratilova in the fourth round of the 1983 French Open, delivering her only defeat for the season.

Contents

Career

She was the youngest player to play in the US Open in 1979 at 14 years and five days — this record still stands. Horvath was the youngest player to win the U.S. National 16 and under in 1979. [1] She also is the only player to ever win all four age groups in the U.S. Girls Clay Courts in all consecutive years.

Horvath played on the WTA Tour from 1981 to 1989, winning six singles titles and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 10 in 1984. [2] [1] She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 1983 and 1984. She retired with a 176–154 singles record. [3]

Horvath was the only player to defeat Martina Navratilova in the 1983 season (at the French Open), winning in the fourth round in three sets. [1] Navratilova's coaches (Renee Richards and Nancy Lieberman) argued in the stands over strategy, something Navratilova noticed during the match. [4]

Horvath had career victories over Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Manuela Maleeva, Gabriela Sabatini, Dianne Fromholtz, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Mary Joe Fernández, Betty Stöve, and Sylvia Hanika. She was a member of the 1984 United States Fed Cup team. Horvath played in the 1984 Olympics when tennis was reintroduced as a demonstration sport and was the first seed. She was coached by Harry Hopman and Nick Bollettieri.

After her tennis career, she got her BS and MBA at the Wharton School of Business and then worked on Wall Street until 2003.

WTA career finals

Singles 9: (6–3)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (6–3)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (2–3)
Carpet (4–0)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1.Jan 1981 Montreal, CanadaCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Candy Reynolds 6–4, 7–6
Win2.Mar 1983 Nashville, USCarpet (i) Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Marcela Skuherská 6–4, 6–3
Loss1.May 1983 Berlin, West GermanyClay Flag of the United States.svg Chris Evert-Lloyd 4–6, 6–7(1–7)
Win3.Nov 1983 Honolulu, USCarpet Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Carling Bassett 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–1)
Loss2.Jan 1984 Marco Island, USClay Flag of the United States.svg Bonnie Gadusek 6–3, 0–6, 4–6
Loss3.May 1984Berlin, West GermanyClay Flag of Germany.svg Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 6–7(8–10), 1–6
Win4.Mar 1985 Indianapolis, USCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Elise Burgin 6–2, 6–4
Win5.Mar 1985 Palm Beach Gardens, USClay Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Petra Jauch-Delhees 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Win6.Jul 1987 Knokke, BelgiumClay Flag of Germany.svg Bettina Bunge 6–1, 7–6(7–5)

Doubles 9: (3–6)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims (3–6)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (2–6)
Carpet (1–0)
ResultW/LDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.May 1982 Perugia, ItalyClay Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Yvonne Vermaak Flag of the United States.svg Billie Jean King
Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Ilana Kloss
2–6, 6–4, 7–6
Win2.Aug 1983 Indianapolis, USClay Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Virginia Ruzici Flag of the United States.svg Gigi Fernández
Flag of the United States.svg Beth Herr
4–6, 7–6, 6–2
Loss1.May 1984 Berlin, West GermanyClay Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Virginia Ruzici Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Anne Hobbs
Flag of the United States.svg Candy Reynolds
3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11–13)
Loss2.May 1984Perugia, ItalyClay Flag of Romania (1965-1989).svg Virginia Ruzici Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Iva Budařová
Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Helena Suková
6–7(5–7), 6–1, 4–6
Win3.Mar 1985 Indianapolis, USCarpet (i) Flag of the United States.svg Elise Burgin Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Jennifer Mundel
Flag of the United States.svg Molly Van Nostrand
6–4, 6–1
Loss3.Apr 1985 Orlando, USClay Flag of the United States.svg Elise Burgin Flag of the United States.svg Martina Navratilova
Flag of the United States.svg Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Loss4.May 1987 Strasbourg, FranceClay Flag of the Netherlands.svg Marcella Mesker Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Jana Novotná
Flag of France.svg Catherine Suire
0–6, 2–6
Loss5.Jul 1987 Knokke, BelgiumClay Flag of the Netherlands.svg Marcella Mesker Flag of Germany.svg Bettina Bunge
Flag of Bulgaria (1971-1990).svg Manuela Maleeva
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Loss6.Oct 1987 Athens, GreeceClay Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Dinky Van Rensburg Flag of Germany.svg Andrea Betzner
Flag of Austria.svg Judith Wiesner
4–6, 6–7(0–7)

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

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.
Tournament 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Career SR
Australian Open AAAAAAANHAA 1R 0 / 1
French Open A 2R 3R 3R QF QF 3R 1R 1R 1R A0 / 9
Wimbledon AAA 1R A 2R A 3R 1R 1R A0 / 5
US Open 2R 2R 3R A 2R 1R 1R 3R 1R AA0 / 8
SR0 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 30 / 20 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 10 / 23
Year-end rankingNRNR2849152950473785218

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martina Hingis</span> Swiss tennis player

Martina Hingis is a Swiss former professional tennis player. Hingis is the first Swiss player, male or female, to win a major title and attain a world No. 1 ranking. She spent a total of 209 weeks as the singles world No. 1 and 90 weeks as doubles world No. 1, holding both No. 1 rankings simultaneously for 29 weeks. She won five major singles titles, 13 major women's doubles titles, and seven major mixed doubles titles, for a combined total of 25 major titles. In addition, she won the season-ending WTA Finals two times in singles and three in doubles, an Olympic silver medal in doubles, and a record 17 Tier I singles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Martina Navratilova</span> Czech–American tennis player

Martina Navratilova is a Czech–born American former professional tennis player. Widely considered among the greatest tennis players of all time, Navratilova won 18 major singles titles, 31 major women's doubles titles, and 10 major mixed doubles titles, for a combined total of 59 major titles, the most in the Open Era. Alongside Chris Evert, her greatest rival, Navratilova dominated women's tennis in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Evert</span> American tennis player (born 1954)

Christine Marie Evert, known as Chris Evert Lloyd from 1979 to 1987, is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. Evert won 18 major singles titles, including a record seven French Open titles and a joint-record six US Open titles. Evert was ranked world No. 1 for 260 weeks, and was the year-end world No. 1 singles player seven times. Alongside Martina Navratilova, her greatest rival, Evert dominated women's tennis in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hana Mandlíková</span> Czech tennis player

Hana Mandlíková is a former professional tennis player from Czechoslovakia who later obtained Australian citizenship. During her career, she won four Grand Slam singles titles - the 1980 Australian Open, 1981 French Open, 1985 US Open and 1987 Australian Open. She was also runner-up in four Grand Slam singles events - twice at Wimbledon and twice at the US Open. The graceful right-hander secured one Grand Slam women's doubles title, at the 1989 US Open with Martina Navratilova. Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994, Mandlíková was one of the brightest stars of her generation and is considered one of the greatest female players of the Open Era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tracy Austin</span> American tennis player

Tracy Ann Austin Holt is an American former world No. 1 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 1980 Wimbledon Championships. Additionally, she won the WTA Tour Championships in 1980 and the year-ending Toyota Championships in 1981, both in singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriela Sabatini</span> Argentine tennis player

Gabriela Beatriz Sabatini is an Argentine-Italian former professional tennis player. A former world No. 3 in both singles and doubles, Sabatini was one of the leading players from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, amassing 41 titles. In singles, Sabatini won the 1990 US Open, the Tour Finals in 1988 and 1994, and was runner-up at Wimbledon 1991, the 1988 US Open, and the silver medalist at the 1988 Olympics. In doubles, Sabatini won Wimbledon in 1988 partnering Steffi Graf, and reached three French Open finals. Among Open era players who did not reach the world No. 1 ranking, Sabatini has the most wins over reigning world No. 1 ranked players. In 2006, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame and in 2018 Tennis Magazine ranked her as the 20th-greatest female player of the preceding 50 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manuela Maleeva</span> Bulgarian tennis player

Manuela Georgieva Maleeva is a Bulgarian former professional tennis player. She played on the WTA Tour between 1982 and 1994. Through her marriage, Maleeva began representing Switzerland officially from January 1990 until her retirement in February 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magdalena Maleeva</span> Bulgarian tennis player

Magdalena Georgieva Maleeva is a Bulgarian former professional tennis player. She played on the WTA Tour competing in singles and doubles, from April 1989 to October 2005 and has won ten career singles titles. Her best WTA singles ranking was world No. 4.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pam Shriver</span> American tennis player

Pamela Howard Shriver is an American former professional tennis player and current tennis broadcaster, pundit, and coach. During the 1980s and 1990s, Shriver won 133 WTA Tour-level titles, including 21 singles titles, 111 women's doubles titles, and one mixed doubles title. This includes 22 major titles, 21 in women's doubles and one in mixed doubles. Shriver also won an Olympic gold medal in women's doubles at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, partnering Zina Garrison. Shriver and regular doubles partner Martina Navratilova are the only women's pair to complete the Grand Slam in a calendar year, winning all four majors in 1984. She was ranked as high as world No. 3 in singles, and world No. 1 in doubles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helena Suková</span> Czech tennis player

Helena Suková is a Czech former professional tennis player. During her career, she won 14 major doubles titles, nine in women's doubles and five in mixed doubles. She is also a two-time Olympic silver medalist in doubles, a four-time major singles runner-up, and won a total of 10 singles titles and 69 doubles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eva Pfaff</span> German tennis player

Eva Pfaff is a German former professional tennis player.

Larisa Savchenko-Neiland is a retired tennis player who represented the Soviet Union, Ukraine and Latvia. A former world number-one-ranked doubles player, Neiland won six Grand Slam titles, two in women's doubles and four in mixed doubles. She also won two singles titles and 63 doubles titles on the WTA Tour. She is listed in fourth place for the most doubles match wins (766) in WTA history, after Lisa Raymond, Rennae Stubbs and Liezel Huber.

Kathryn "Kathy" Jordan is a former American tennis player. During her career, she won seven Grand Slam titles, five of them in women's doubles and two in mixed doubles. She also was the 1983 Australian Open women's singles runner-up and won three singles titles and 42 doubles titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrea Temesvári</span> Hungarian tennis player

Andrea Temesvári is a former professional tennis player from Hungary. She won the Italian Open at age sixteen, but injuries would later hamper her career.

Lori McNeil is an American tennis coach and former top 10 professional tennis player. McNeil was a singles semifinalist at the US Open in 1987 and Wimbledon in 1994, a women's doubles finalist at the Australian Open in 1987 with Zina Garrison and French Open mixed-doubles winner in 1988 with Jorge Lozano.

Chris Evert defeated Mima Jaušovec in the final, 6–1, 6–2 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1983 French Open. It was her fifth French Open singles title and her 15th major singles title overall.

Defending champion Martina Navratilova defeated Chris Evert in a rematch of the previous year's final, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1984 US Open. The victory marked Navratilova's sixth consecutive major singles title, tying Margaret Court and Maureen Connolly's achievement. She also became the first player in history to win the Surface Slam, having won the preceding French Open and Wimbledon. It was her second US Open singles title and eleventh major singles title overall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series</span> Womens tennis circuit

The 1983 Virginia Slims World Championship Series was the 13th season since the foundation of the Women's Tennis Association. It commenced on January 3, 1983, and concluded on March 4, 1984, after 64 events.

Svetlana Germanovna Parkhomenko is a retired Soviet and Russian tennis player and tennis coach. She was the winner of the Soviet singles tennis championships in 1985 and nine times Soviet champion in women's doubles and mixed doubles. On the international level, she was the winner of the 1983 European amateur championships in women's and mixed doubles, bronze medalist of the 1983 Universiade in women's and mixed doubles, and winner of eight WTA Tour doubles tournaments.

Kelly Henry is an American former professional tennis player.

References

  1. 1 2 3 John Barrett, ed. (1985). The International Tennis Federation : World of Tennis 1985. London: Willow Books. p. 331. ISBN   0002181703.
  2. "WTA Tour".
  3. "ITF Kathy Horvath (USA)" . Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  4. Cindy Shmerler (June 3, 2017). "The Tennis Mom Who Put the Blemish in Martina Navratilova's 86-1 Record". The New York Times .
Sporting positions
Preceded by Orange Bowl Girls' Singles Champion
Category: 18 and under

1979
Succeeded by