Australian tennis player
Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat (née Fromholtz ; born 10 August 1956) is an Australian former professional tennis player who reached a highest singles ranking of world No. 4 in 1979.
Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat in Wimbledon Mixed Doubles with Tom Okker in the background; 1985
Career
Fromholtz began playing tennis at the age of seven. She left school at the age of 16 to play in international tournaments. She turned pro in 1973 and joined the WTA Tour .
At the age of 17 she already actively participated in the professional tennis circuit, winning the singles title at a dozen tournaments in 1973, although the rules at the time did not permit prize money to be paid out to participants under 18 years of age.[ 2]
She reached the finals of the Australian Open in January 1977, losing to fellow Australian Kerry Melville Reid in two sets. She was a semifinalist twice at the French Open, in 1979 and 1980. She also reached the semifinals of the US Open in 1976.
Fromholtz won 8 WTA Tour singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of World No. 4 in 1979. Partnering with Helen Gourlay Cawley , she won the Australian Open women's doubles in January 1977. She had career wins over Chris Evert , Martina Navratilova , Billie Jean King , Evonne Goolagong Cawley , Margaret Court , Virginia Wade , Pam Shriver , and Gabriela Sabatini . She holds an 8–7 career record over King.
She married French businessman Claude Balestrat in 1983.[ 3]
On 30 August 2000, Fromholtz was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for her strong commitment to tennis.[ 4]
Grand Slam finals
Singles: (1 runners-up)
Doubles: (1 title)
Mixed doubles: (1 runner-up)
WTA career finals
Singles: 24 (8–16)
Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (8–15)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–4)
Grass (4–5)
Clay (3–1)
Carpet (1–6)
Result
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Opponent
Score
Win
1.
14 May 1973
Guildford
Clay
Kazuko Sawamatsu
7–5, 4–6, 6–3
Win
2.
4 June 1973
Chichester
Grass
Brigitte Cuypers
6–1, 6–0
Win
3.
11 June 1973
Beckenham
Grass
Janet Newberry
7–5, 0–6, 6–1
Loss
1.
9 July 1973
Newport
Grass
Julie Heldman
6–1, 1–6, 9–11
Loss
2.
19 November 1973
Adelaide
Grass
Janet Young
5–7, 1–6
Win
4.
26 November 1973
Sydney
Clay
Ann Kiyomura
6–1, 7–5
Loss
3.
19 August 1974
South Orange
Grass
Pam Teeguarden
5–7, 3–6
Loss
4.
18 November 1974
Johannesburg
Hard
Kerry Melville
3–6, 5–7
Loss
5.
4 August 1975
Indianapolis
Clay
Chris Evert
3–6, 4–6
Loss
6.
4 October 1976
Phoenix
Hard
Chris Evert
1–6, 5–7
Win
5.
19 November 1976
Sydney
Clay
Leanne Harrison
6–1, 6–0
Loss
7.
26 December 1976
Sydney
Grass
Kerry Melville Reid
6–3, 2–6, 3–6
Loss
8.
3 January 1977
Australian Open
Grass
Kerry Melville Reid
5–7, 2–6
Loss
9.
3 October 1977
Atlanta
Carpet
Chris Evert
3–6, 2–6
Loss
10.
20 February 1978
Detroit
Carpet
Martina Navratilova
3–6, 2–6
Win
6.
4 December 1978
Sydney
Grass
Kerry Melville Reid
6–1, 1–6, 6–4
Win
7.
18 December 1978
Sydney
Grass
Wendy Turnbull
6–2, 7–5
Loss
11.
22 January 1979
Hollywood
Carpet
Greer Stevens
4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Win
8.
12 March 1979
Boston
Carpet
Sue Barker
6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Loss
12.
31 March 1979
Carlsbad
Hard
Chris Evert
6–3, 3–6, 1–6
Loss
13.
1 October 1979
Minneapolis
Carpet
Evonne Goolagong
3–6, 4–6
Loss
14.
29 September 1980
Minneapolis
Carpet
Tracy Austin
1–6, 6–2, 2–6
Loss
15.
6 May 1985
Sydney
Carpet
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Loss
16.
9 March 1987
Phoenix
Hard
Anne White
1–6, 2–6
Doubles: 12 (6–6)
Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (5–6)
Titles by Surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (2–3)
Clay (2–1)
Carpet (0–0)
Result
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Win
1.
9 July 1973
Newport
Grass
Julie Heldman
Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh
1–5 Shared – final rained out
Loss
1.
17 December 1973
Hobart
Grass
Jackie Fayter
Helen Gourlay Karen Krantzcke
2–6, 1–6
Win
2.
8 April 1974
Phoenix
Hard
Janet Young
Ann Kiyomura Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Loss
2.
18 November 1974
Johannesburg
Hard
Margaret Court
Ilana Kloss Kerry Melville
3–6, 5–7
Win
3.
19 May 1975
Hamburg
Clay
Renáta Tomanová
Paulina Peisachov Kazuko Sawamatsu
6–3, 6–2
Win
4.
8 March 1976
Tallahassee
Hard
Julie Anthony
Virginia Ruzici Mariana Simionescu
6–2, 7–5
Loss
3.
26 December 1976
Sydney
Grass
Renáta Tomanová
Helen Gourlay Betsy Nagelsen
4–6, 1–6
Win
5.
3 January 1977
Australian Open
Grass
Helen Gourlay
Kerry Melville Reid Betsy Nagelsen
5–7, 6–1, 7–5
Loss
4.
23 September 1977
Hilton Head
Clay
Virginia Wade
Evonne Goolagong Kerry Melville Reid
2–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win
6.
14 May 1979
Vienna
Clay
Marise Kruger
Ilana Kloss Betty Ann Stuart
3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Loss
5.
26 November 1979
Melbourne
Grass
Anne Smith
Billie Jean King Wendy Turnbull
3–6, 3–6
Loss
6.
28 February 1983
Palm Springs
Hard
Betty Stöve
Kathy Jordan Ann Kiyomura
2–6, 2–6
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
Key
W
F
SF
QF
#R
RR
Q#
DNQ
A
NH
(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
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
Career SR
Australian Open (Jan)
1R
A
QF
2R
3R
A
F
Held in December
NH
3R
1R
1R
1R
0 / 13
French Open
A
A
A
3R
3R
A
A
A
SF
SF
3R
A
A
A
1R
A
2R
A
A
A
0 / 7
Wimbledon
A
A
1R
1R
1R
4R
A
4R
QF
4R
3R
A
1R
A
2R
4R
QF
2R
1R
A
0 / 14
US Open
A
A
A
3R
2R
SF
4R
3R
4R
4R
1R
2R
1R
A
1R
A
1R
2R
A
A
0 / 13
Australian Open (Dec)
Held in January
A
A
A
A
1R
2R
A
2R
3R
NH
Held in January
SR
0 / 1
0 / 0
0 / 2
0 / 4
0 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 3
0 / 3
0 / 4
0 / 2
0 / 2
0 / 1
0 / 4
0 / 1
0 / 4
0 / 3
0 / 2
0 / 1
0 / 47
Year End Ranking
20
5
8
10
6
12
38
32
75
99
30
25
21
56
112
NR
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.
See also
References
External links