Beverly Baker Fleitz
Encyclopedia
Beverly Baker Fleitz from Bakersfield, California
, was a women's tennis
player from the United States. According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
, Fleitz was ranked in the world top ten in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959, reaching a career high of World No. 3 in those rankings in 1954, 1955, and 1958. Fleitz was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
from 1948 through 1951 and in 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959. She was the top ranked U.S. player in 1959. She was ambidextrous and played with two forehands.
. Her father, Frank Baker, was her only coach and was the assistant director of recreation for the city of Santa Monica.
She played Grand Slam
singles tournaments outside the United States only six times during her career. At Wimbledon
, Fleitz reached the singles final in 1955, losing to Louise Brough Clapp
7–5, 8–6. In 1956, Fleitz reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals but was forced to retire from the tournament when she became ill. She was pregnant with her second child at the time.
Her only Grand Slam title was in women's doubles. Darlene Hard
and Fleitz teamed to win the title at the 1955 French Championships.
In U.S. national championships, Fleitz was the runner-up at the 1949 U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships, losing to Magda Rurac
of Romania
in the final. Fleitz won the 1958 U.S. Hard Court Championships, defeating Karen Hantze Susman
in the final. At the U.S. Championships
, Fleitz reached the semifinals in 1950 and 1958 and the quarterfinals in four of her five other attempts.
In other events, Fleitz won the singles title at the Pacific Southwest Championships in Los Angeles four times, in 1947, 1955, 1958, and 1959. She defeated Hard in the 1958 final and Maria Bueno
in the 1959 final. At the tournament in Cincinnati
, Fleitz won the singles title in 1950 (defeating Rurac in the final) and was the runner-up in 1949 (losing to Rurac in the final). Fleitz won the Southern California Championships four times, in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1958.
In doubles, Fleitz paired with Rurac to win the doubles title in Cincinnati in 1950.
Fleitz retired permanently from tennis in 1959 and was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, was a women's tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from the United States. According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Fleitz was ranked in the world top ten in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959, reaching a career high of World No. 3 in those rankings in 1954, 1955, and 1958. Fleitz was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
from 1948 through 1951 and in 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959. She was the top ranked U.S. player in 1959. She was ambidextrous and played with two forehands.
Career
Fleitz began playing tennis at age 11 and played mostly on public courts in Lincoln Park in Santa Monica, CaliforniaSanta Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
. Her father, Frank Baker, was her only coach and was the assistant director of recreation for the city of Santa Monica.
She played Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
singles tournaments outside the United States only six times during her career. At Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
, Fleitz reached the singles final in 1955, losing to Louise Brough Clapp
Louise Brough
Althea Louise Brough Clapp was a World No. 1 American female tennis player.-Biography:She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but moved to Beverly Hills, California when she was four years old. She was taught by Dick Skeen and had a classic forehand and backhand and a paralyzing American twist...
7–5, 8–6. In 1956, Fleitz reached the Wimbledon quarterfinals but was forced to retire from the tournament when she became ill. She was pregnant with her second child at the time.
Her only Grand Slam title was in women's doubles. Darlene Hard
Darlene Hard
Darlene Hard is an American former amateur tennis player. Known for her volleying ability and strong serves, she captured singles titles at the French Championships in 1960 and the U.S...
and Fleitz teamed to win the title at the 1955 French Championships.
In U.S. national championships, Fleitz was the runner-up at the 1949 U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships, losing to Magda Rurac
Magda Rurac
Magda Rurac of Romania was an outstanding tennis player in the 1940s and 1950s.Rurac was ranked in the top 10 in unofficial world rankings in 1948 and 1949. For that reason, she is considered by many to be one of the best female players ever to come out of Romania. She played for Romania's...
of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
in the final. Fleitz won the 1958 U.S. Hard Court Championships, defeating Karen Hantze Susman
Karen Hantze Susman
Karen Hantze Susman is a retired female tennis player from the United States. Susman won the 1962 women's singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Věra Pužejová Suková in the final 6–4, 6–4, but did not defend her title in 1963. She also won three Grand Slam women's doubles titles, all with Billie...
in the final. At the U.S. Championships
U.S. Open (tennis)
The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881...
, Fleitz reached the semifinals in 1950 and 1958 and the quarterfinals in four of her five other attempts.
In other events, Fleitz won the singles title at the Pacific Southwest Championships in Los Angeles four times, in 1947, 1955, 1958, and 1959. She defeated Hard in the 1958 final and Maria Bueno
Maria Bueno
Maria Esther Andion Bueno is a former professional tennis player from Brazil. During her 11-year career , she won 19 Major titles ....
in the 1959 final. At the tournament in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
, Fleitz won the singles title in 1950 (defeating Rurac in the final) and was the runner-up in 1949 (losing to Rurac in the final). Fleitz won the Southern California Championships four times, in 1954, 1955, 1956, and 1958.
In doubles, Fleitz paired with Rurac to win the doubles title in Cincinnati in 1950.
Fleitz retired permanently from tennis in 1959 and was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| Tournament | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| France French Open (tennis) The French Open |Roland Garros]]) is a major tennis tournament held over two weeks between late May and early June in Paris, France, at the Stade Roland Garros. It is the premier clay court tennis tournament in the world and the second of the four annual Grand Slam tournaments – the other three are... |
A | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | SF | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
A | A | A | A | SF | A | A | A | F | QF | A | A | 4R | 0 / 4 |
| United States U.S. Open (tennis) The US Open, formally the United States Open Tennis Championships, is a hardcourt tennis tournament which is the modern iteration of one of the oldest tennis championships in the world, the U.S. National Championship, which for men's singles was first contested in 1881... |
3R | QF | QF | SF | 3R | A | A | QF | QF | A | A | SF | A | 0 / 8 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 14 |
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
See also
- Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam finalTennis performance timeline comparison (women)This article presents in a tabular form the career tennis Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships and Olympic singles results of every woman who has reached the singles final of at least one Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships or Olympic tournament during her career...