Carole Caldwell Graebner
Encyclopedia
Carole Caldwell Graebner (June 24, 1943 – November 19, 2008) was an American tennis
player. According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
, Graebner was ranked in the world top ten in 1964 and 1965, reaching a career high of World No. 4 in those rankings in 1964. Graebner was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
from 1961 through 1965 and in 1967. She was the third-ranked U.S. player in 1964 and 1965. She was ranked U.S. No. 1 in doubles in 1963.
to win doubles titles at the U.S. Championships
in 1965 (defeating Billie Jean King
and Karen Hantze Susman
in the final) and the Australian Championships
in 1966 (defeating Margaret Court and Lesley Turner Bowrey
in the final).
Graebner lost to Maria Bueno
in the singles final of the 1964 U.S. Championships
.
Graebner won the doubles title at the U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships in 1964 and 1965.
In 1961 at the tournament in Cincinnati, Caldwell won the doubles title with Cathie Gagel and lost the singles final to Peachy Kellmeyer
.
Caldwell won the Pacific Southwest singles title in 1962 and 1965 and won a gold medal in doubles at the 1963 Pan American Games
.
Graebner was on the first U.S. Federation Cup team
and attended California State University, Los Angeles
.
After her playing career ended, Graebner was a radio and television commentator and a vice president with Tennis Week magazine. She also served in sales and administration with Sports Investors, Inc.
Graebner served the United States Tennis Association
(USTA) by chairing the Fed Cup
Committee and being vice chair of the Wightman Cup
Committee. She was the recipient of the USTA Service Bowl Award in 1989 and the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Award in 1991. She was named Eastern Tennis Association Woman of the Year in 1989.
. In 1964 she married then American tennis star Clark Graebner
. They had two children, a daughter, Cameron, and a son, Clark. The couple separated in 1975 but never divorced.
Graebner died in New York City following a brief battle with cancer on November 19, 2008. She was 65.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
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. According to 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...
, Graebner was ranked in the world top ten in 1964 and 1965, reaching a career high of World No. 4 in those rankings in 1964. Graebner 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 1961 through 1965 and in 1967. She was the third-ranked U.S. player in 1964 and 1965. She was ranked U.S. No. 1 in doubles in 1963.
Career summary
Graebner paired with Nancy Richey GunterNancy Richey
Nancy Richey is a former tennis player from the United States.Richey won two Grand Slam singles titles and four Grand Slam women's doubles titles . She was ranked World No...
to win doubles titles 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...
in 1965 (defeating Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King
Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society...
and 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) and the Australian Championships
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
in 1966 (defeating Margaret Court and Lesley Turner Bowrey
Lesley Turner Bowrey
Lesley Rosemary Turner Bowrey AM is an Australian female tennis player.Bowrey won 13 Grand Slam titles during her career: two in singles, seven in women's doubles, and four in mixed doubles. She lost in the final of 14 other Grand Slam events.Bowrey twice won the singles title at the French...
in the final).
Graebner lost to 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 singles final of the 1964 U.S. Championships
1964 U.S. National Championships (tennis)
List of Champions of the 1964 U.S. National Championships :-Men's Singles: Roy Emerson defeated Fred Stolle 6-4 6-2 6-4-Women's Singles: Maria Bueno defeated Carole Caldwell Graebner 6-1, 6-0...
.
Graebner won the doubles title at the U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships in 1964 and 1965.
In 1961 at the tournament in Cincinnati, Caldwell won the doubles title with Cathie Gagel and lost the singles final to Peachy Kellmeyer
Peachy Kellmeyer
Fern 'Peachy' Kellmeyer was born February 19, 1944 in West Virginia, USA. As a tennis player she captured numerous titles, and as an administrator she helped change the face of women's tennis...
.
Caldwell won the Pacific Southwest singles title in 1962 and 1965 and won a gold medal in doubles at the 1963 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.
Graebner was on the first U.S. Federation Cup team
United States Fed Cup team
The United States Fed Cup team is the most successful national team in Fed Cup competition. The team has won 17 titles and finished second a further 9 times, out of 44 participations.-History:...
and attended California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles
California State University, Los Angeles is a public comprehensive university, part of the California State University system...
.
After her playing career ended, Graebner was a radio and television commentator and a vice president with Tennis Week magazine. She also served in sales and administration with Sports Investors, Inc.
Graebner served the United States 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...
(USTA) by chairing the Fed Cup
Fed Cup
Fed Cup is the premier team competition in women's tennis, launched in 1963 to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the International Tennis Federation...
Committee and being vice chair of the Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
Committee. She was the recipient of the USTA Service Bowl Award in 1989 and the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Award in 1991. She was named Eastern Tennis Association Woman of the Year in 1989.
Personal
Caldwell was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and grew up 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...
. In 1964 she married then American tennis star Clark Graebner
Clark Graebner
Clark Graebner , is a retired American professional tennis player, originally from Cleveland, Ohio, who won a number of championships. He graduated from Northwestern University, where he joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity. Graebner's deceased wife, Carole, was also a successful touring tennis...
. They had two children, a daughter, Cameron, and a son, Clark. The couple separated in 1975 but never divorced.
Graebner died in New York City following a brief battle with cancer on November 19, 2008. She was 65.
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| Tournament | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 |
| French Championships | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 |
| 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 | 3R | 3R | 4R | 2R | A | 2R | A | 2R | 2R | A | 1R | 0 / 8 |
| 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... |
1R | 2R | 1R | 4R | 4R | F | QF | A | 4R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 12 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 23 |
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
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...