Julie Ditty

Julie Ditty
	Ditty at a $75k event in Albuquerque (2008)
Country (sports)	United States
Born	January 4, 1979; Atlanta, Georgia
Died	August 31, 2021 (aged 42); Ashland, Kentucky
Height	1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Turned pro	2002
Retired	2012
Plays	Left-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money	$493,612
Singles
Career record	294–231 (56.0%)
Career titles	9 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 89 (March 24, 2008)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	1R (2008)
French Open	1R (2008)
Wimbledon	1R (2008)
US Open	Q3 (2007)
Doubles
Career record	296–168 (63.8%)
Career titles	30 ITF
Highest ranking	No. 66 (August 3, 2009)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	1R (2009)
French Open	2R (2009)
Wimbledon	2R (2009)
US Open	3R (2008)

Julie Ditty Qualls (January 4, 1979 – August 31, 2021) was an American professional tennis player.

She had her WTA Tour breakthrough when she reached the semifinals of the Bell Challenge. It took her into the top 100 for the first time in her career, on November 5, 2007, at No. 91. She beat Alizé Cornet and Vania King before falling to Julia Vakulenko in three sets. In 2007, she was drafted by the Boston Lobsters of the WTT pro league.

Career[edit]

2008[edit]

In 2008, Ditty qualified for the Open Gaz de France tournament in Paris where she lost to the No. 6 seed and former world No. 1, Amélie Mauresmo. During the Proximus Diamond Games in Antwerp, she made it through the first round by defeating Alona Bondarenko, who was seeded eighth, and got to the second round there before falling to qualifier Timea Bacsinszky 5–7, 4–6, after having leads in both sets. Her win over world No. 22, Alona Bondarenko, was best-ever career win. In August, Julie defeated Yuan Meng in the first round at Cincinnati, marking her first win in a WTA Tour main-draw since Antwerp.

2009[edit]

Ditty was named to the United States Fed Cup team for their match in February against Argentina, after Bethanie Mattek withdrew with an injury; she played doubles with Liezel Huber. They would win the decisive match for the U.S. team, 6–2, 6–3.^[1]

Following Fed Cup, Julie lost in the opening round in Midland and in Memphis. She did not play in March.

In April, she won her opening main-draw match in Charleston, South Carolina, defeating Ayumi Morita 6–1, 6–1. This would mark her first tour-level win for the year. In her next tournament, a $75k at Dothan, Alabama, Julie retired in her opening round against Yan Zi. In doubles, she partnered with Carly Gullickson to extend her record of USTA ITF titles to 35 as they would win the doubles title.

In May, she entered the singles qualifying draws in Rome, Madrid, Strasbourg, and the French Open, failing to qualify in all four. In Rome, she partnered with Jill Craybas to win their opening round before falling in the second.

2010[edit]

Ditty appeared in the Family Circle Cup, Miami Open, and in Wimbledon. She won her first qualifying match against Margalita Chakhnashvili, 6–4, 6–3. She then went on to defeat Jelena Dokić, 5–7, 7–5, 6–2 to reach the final round of qualifying where she lost a place in the main draw to compatriot Bethanie Mattek-Sands.

2014[edit]

In June 2014, Ditty emerged from retirement and led Team Kentucky to a decisive win in the Southern Senior Cup Women's 35 and over division. She followed this up by winning the US Open National Playoff tournament for the Southern section.^[2]

Death[edit]

Julie Ditty died on August 31, 2021, at the age of 42 after battling breast cancer.^[3]

ITF Circuit finals[edit]

$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles: 14 (9 titles, 5 runner-ups)[edit]

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Runner-up	1.	June 24, 2001	ITF Easton, USA	Hard	Jeon Mi-ra	4–6, 6–7^(4–7)
Winner	1.	July 8, 2001	ITF Waco, USA	Hard	Jahnavi Parekh	6–4, 6–2
Winner	2.	September 29, 2002	ITF Raleigh, USA	Clay	Neyssa Etienne	7–5, 3–6, 6–4
Winner	3.	October 6, 2002	ITF Winter Park, USA	Clay	Vladimíra Uhlířová	6–2, 4–6, 6–4
Winner	4.	June 4, 2006	ITF Houston, USA	Hard (i)	Petra Rampre	6–4, 6–7^(4–7), 6–3
Winner	5.	June 11, 2006	ITF Hilton Head, USA	Hard	Madison Brengle	6–3, 6–2
Runner-up	2.	November 19, 2006	ITF Lawrenceville, USA	Hard	Stéphanie Dubois	3–6, 6–7^(6–8)
Winner	6.	February 4, 2007	ITF Palm Desert, USA	Hard	Angelique Kerber	6–1, 6–0
Winner	7.	April 29, 2007	ITF Sea Island, USA	Clay	Anda Perianu	6–3, 6–2
Winner	8.	October 21, 2007	ITF Lawrenceville, USA	Hard	Angela Haynes	7–6^(8–6), 6–4
Winner	9.	September 21, 2008	ITF Albuquerque, USA	Hard	Rossana de los Ríos	6–4, 7–6^(7–3)
Runner-up	3.	October 19, 2008	ITF Lawrenceville, USA	Hard	Shenay Perry	1–6, 3–6
Runner-up	4.	November 9, 2008	ITF Auburn, USA	Hard	Edina Gallovits	0–6, 7–6^(9–7), 5–7
Runner-up	5.	November 16, 2008	ITF San Diego, USA	Hard	Edina Gallovits	6–4, 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 52 (30 titles, 22 runner-ups)[edit]

Outcome	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Runner-up	1.	August 8, 1999	ITF Harrisonburg, United States	Hard	Wang I-ting	Amanda Augustus Amy Jensen	7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Winner	1.	July 1, 2001	ITF Edmond, United States	Hard	Michelle Dasso	Ilke Gers Tracey O'Connor	6–4, 7–5
Runner-up	2.	August 5, 2001	Lexington Challenger, United States	Hard	Milagros Sequera	Lisa McShea Nana Miyagi	0–6, 4–6
Runner-up	3.	July 7, 2002	ITF Waco, United States	Hard	Michelle Dasso	Marina Bernshtein Neyssa Etienne	4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up	4.	September 22, 2002	ITF Greenville, United States	Clay	Michelle Dasso	Jennifer Radman Brooke Skeen	6–4, 5–7, 3–6
Winner	2.	September 29, 2002	ITF Raleigh, United States	Clay	Michelle Dasso	Erica Krauth Vanesa Krauth	7–6⁽⁴⁾, 6–3
Winner	3.	October 6, 2002	ITF Winter Park, United States	Clay	Michelle Dasso	Marilyn Baker Ioana Plesu	6–2, 6–1
Runner-up	5.	April 27, 2003	Dothan Classic, United States	Clay	Varvara Lepchenko	Milagros Sequera Christina Wheeler	7–5, 1–6, 2–6
Runner-up	6.	May 18, 2003	ITF Charlottesville, U.S.	Clay	Christina Wheeler	Bethanie Mattek Lilia Osterloh	5–7, 1–6
Winner	4.	June 29, 2003	ITF Edmond, United States	Hard	Kelly McCain	Angela Haynes Jacqueline Trail	6–3, 6–3
Winner	5.	August 3, 2003	ITF Louisville, United States	Hard	Lisa McShea	Teryn Ashley Shenay Perry	7–6⁽⁴⁾, 6–7⁽⁵⁾, 6–3
Runner-up	7.	January 25, 2004	ITF Boca Raton, United States	Hard	Allison Bradshaw	Peng Shuai Xie Yanze	1–6, 2–6
Winner	6.	February 1, 2004	ITF Boca Raton, United States	Hard	Allison Bradshaw	Natallia Dziamidzenka Sania Mirza	6–3, 6–1
Runner-up	8.	April 4, 2004	ITF Augusta, United States	Hard	Jessica Lehnhoff	Francesca Lubiani Mashona Washington	1–6, 3–6
Runner-up	9.	July 25, 2004	ITF Schenectady, United States	Hard	Ansley Cargill	Casey Dellacqua Nicole Sewell	6–3, 6–7⁽²⁾, 2–6
Winner	7.	August 8, 2004	ITF Louisville, United States	Hard	Edina Gallovits	Claire Curran Natalie Grandin	1–6, 6–4, 6–2
Winner	8.	October 10, 2004	ITF Lafayette, United States	Clay	Kristen Schlukebir	Natalie Grandin Arpi Kojian	6–2, 7–5
Winner	9.	January 16, 2005	ITF Tampa, United States	Hard	Vladimíra Uhlířová	Cory Ann Avants Kristen Schlukebir	6–1, 6–2
Winner	10.	January 23, 2005	ITF Miami, United States	Hard	Vladimíra Uhlířová	Mélanie Marois Sarah Riske	6–3, 2–6, 7–6⁽³⁾
Winner	11.	February 6, 2005	ITF Rockford, United States	Hard (i)	Vladimíra Uhlířová	Joana Cortez Svetlana Krivencheva	3–6, 7–5, 7–5
Runner-up	10.	April 24, 2005	Dothan Classic, United States	Clay	Vladimíra Uhlířová	Carly Gullickson Galina Voskoboeva	6–4, 1–6, 2–6
Winner	12.	June 12, 2005	ITF Allentown, United States	Hard	Ansley Cargill	Cory Ann Avants Kristen Schlukebir	6–2- 6–3
Runner-up	11.	July 17, 2005	ITF Louisville, United States	Hard	Teryn Ashley	Natallia Dziamidzenka Anda Perianu	5–7, 6–2, 4–6
Winner	13.	September 26, 2005	ITF Albuquerque, United States	Hard	Milagros Sequera	Romana Tedjakusuma Napaporn Tongsalee	6–3, 6–7⁽⁶⁾, 7–6⁽²⁾
Winner	14.	October 9, 2005	ITF Troy, United States	Hard	Milagros Sequera	Salome Devidze Mandy Minella	6–2, 6–2
Runner-up	12.	January 29, 2006	ITF Waikoloa, United States	Hard	Lilia Osterloh	Chan Chin-wei Marie-Ève Pelletier	5–7, 6–4, 2–6
Winner	15.	February 24, 2006	ITF St. Paul, United States	Hard (i)	Milagros Sequera	Eva Hrdinová Michaela Paštiková	4–6, 7–6⁽⁵⁾, 6–2
Runner-up	13.	June 11, 2006	ITF Hilton Head, United States	Hard	Ansley Cargill	Christina Fusano Raquel Kops-Jones	6–7⁽⁶⁾, 4–6
Runner-up	14.	June 18, 2006	ITF Allentown, United States	Hard	Ansley Cargill	Carly Gullickson Tetiana Luzhanska	3–6, 4–6
Winner	16.	August 20, 2006	Bronx Open, United States	Hard	Natalie Grandin	Lucie Hradecká Michaela Paštiková	6–1, 7–6⁽²⁾
Winner	17.	September 24, 2006	ITF Albuquerque, United States	Hard	Milagros Sequera	Christina Fusano Aleke Tsoubanos	6–1, 6–4
Winner	18.	October 1, 2006	ITF Ashland, United States	Hard	Milagros Sequera	Ashley Harkleroad Ágnes Szávay	6–3, 5–7, 6–2
Winner	19.	October 22, 2006	Houston Challenger, United States	Hard	Tetiana Luzhanska	Laura Granville Carly Gullickson	6–4, 4–6, 7–5
Winner	20.	November 19, 2006	ITF Lawrenceville, United States	Hard	Leanne Baker	Christina Fusano Aleke Tsoubanos	7–6⁽⁵⁾, 6–4
Runner-up	15.	January 27, 2007	ITF Waikoloa, United States	Hard	Līga Dekmeijere	Natalie Grandin Raquel Kops-Jones	0–6, 3–6
Winner	21.	February 4, 2007	ITF Palm Desert, United States	Hard	Edina Gallovits	Natalie Grandin Raquel Kops-Jones	6–2, 6–1
Winner	22.	March 25, 2007	ITF Redding, United States	Hard	Chan Chin-wei	Jorgelina Cravero Hsieh Su-wei	6–3, 6–2
Runner-up	16.	August 4, 2007	ITF Washington, United States	Hard	Natalie Grandin	Jorgelina Cravero Betina Jozami	6–1, 1–6, 2–6
Runner-up	17.	August 18, 2007	Bronx Open, United States	Hard	Raquel Kops-Jones	Lucie Hradecká Urszula Radwańska	2–6, 4–6
Runner-up	18.	October 21, 2007	ITF Lawrenceville, U.S.	Hard	Leanne Baker	Stéphanie Dubois Alisa Kleybanova	2–6, 0–6
Winner	23.	June 6, 2008	Surbiton Trophy, England	Grass	Abigail Spears	Sarah Borwell Elizabeth Thomas	7–6⁽²⁾, 6–2
Winner	24.	September 21, 2008	ITF Albuquerque, U.S.	Hard	Carly Gullickson	Jorgelina Cravero Betina Jozami	6–3, 6–4
Runner-up	19.	September 28, 2008	ITF Ashland, United States	Hard	Carly Gullickson	Līga Dekmeijere Jelena Pandžić	3–6, 6–3, [8–10]
Winner	25.	October 19, 2008	ITF Lawrenceville, United States	Hard	Carly Gullickson	Yayuk Basuki Romana Tedjakusuma	3–6, 6–4, [12–10]
Winner	26.	April 26, 2009	Dothan Classic, United States	Hard	Carly Gullickson	Ekaterina Bychkova Alexandra Panova	2–6, 6–1, [10–6]
Winner	27.	May 2, 2010	ITF Charlottesville, U.S.	Clay	Carly Gullickson	Alexandra Mueller Ahsha Rolle	6–4, 6–3
Runner-up	20.	May 9, 2010	ITF Indian Harbour Beach, U.S.	Clay	Carly Gullickson	Christina Fusano Courtney Nagle	3–6, 6–7⁽⁴⁾
Winner	28.	October 9, 2010	ITF Kansas City, U.S.	Hard	Abigail Spears	Lauren Albanese Irina Falconi	6–2, 4–6, [10–3]
Runner-up	21.	November 6, 2010	ITF Grapevine, U.S.	Hard	Chanelle Scheepers	Ahsha Rolle Mashona Washington	7–5, 2–6, [9–11]
Winner	29.	February 5, 2011	ITF Rancho Santa Fe, U.S.	Hard	Mervana Jugić-Salkić	Shuko Aoyama Remi Tezuka	6–0, 6–2
Winner	30.	March 5, 2011	ITF Hammond, U.S.	Hard	Christina Fusano	Mervana Jugić-Salkić Melanie South	6–3, 6–3
Runner-up	22.	April 30, 2011	ITF Charlottesville, U.S.	Clay	Carly Gullickson	Sharon Fichman Marie-Ève Pelletier	4–6, 3–6