Barbara Potter
Barbara Potter (born October 22, 1961) is a former tennis player from the United States, who competed professionally on the WTA Tour between 1978 and 1989, winning six singles titles and 19 doubles titles. Her highest singles ranking was No. 7 in December 1982.
Country (sports) | |
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Residence | Harlem, Georgia, USA |
Born | Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S. | October 22, 1961
Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
Turned pro | 1978 |
Retired | 1989 |
Plays | Left-handed |
Prize money | US$ 1,313,808 |
Singles | |
Career record | 320–191 |
Career titles | 6 |
Highest ranking | No. 7 (December 6, 1982) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | QF (1984) |
French Open | 1R (1985) |
Wimbledon | QF (1982, 1983, 1985) |
US Open | SF (1981) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 200–74 |
Career titles | 19 |
Highest ranking | No. 3 |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | SF (1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988) |
Wimbledon | SF (1983, 1984) |
US Open | F (1982) |
Mixed doubles | |
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
US Open | F (1982, 1983) |
Career
Potter started playing tennis when she was eight years old.[1] After graduating from Taft School in Watertown, Connecticut in 1978 Potter elected to turn professional instead of accepting an offer of admission at Princeton.[1][2][3][4] A left-hander, she reached the semifinals at the U.S. Open in 1981[4] as well as the quarterfinals at the Australian Open in 1984, and Wimbledon in 1982, 1983 and 1985. At the WTA Tour Championships, she reached the semifinals in singles in 1984 and was a runner-up in doubles with Sharon Walsh in 1981.
Potter reached a career high ranking of No. 7 in 1982 and that year won the singles titles at the Avon Championships of Cincinnati and the US Indoor Championships.[4][3] She also played in three Grand Slam doubles finals, the 1982 US Open women's doubles with Sharon Walsh as well as the 1982 and 1983 US Open mixed doubles with Ferdi Taygan.
In 1986, Potter suffered two herniated disks in her back at a tournament in England and was forced off the tour several times. After a grueling exercise and fitness program, she successfully returned to the tour.
She was a member of the 1982 and 1984 U.S. Wightman Cup teams and the 1988 United States Fed Cup team. In 1989, she re-aggravated a persistent back condition at the beginning season when she was involved in an automobile accident. She retired in November 1989 due to deteriorating hip cartilage.
Potter currently resides in Harlem, Georgia.
Major finals
Grand Slam finals
Women's doubles (1 runner–up)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1982 | US Open | Hard | 6–4, 6–4 |
Mixed doubles (2 runners-up)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1982 | US Open | Hard | 6–7(4–7), 7–6(7–4), 7–6(7–5) | ||
Runner-up | 1983 | US Open | Hard | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
Year-End Championships finals
Doubles: (1 runner–up)
Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1981 | New York City | Carpet (i) | 6–0, 7–6(8–6) |
WTA career finals
Singles: 14 (6–8)
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|
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | January 29, 1979 | Toronto | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 6–4 | |
Runner-up | 1. | January 14, 1980 | Las Vegas | Hard (i) | 6–7, 6–4, 1–6 | |
Runner-up | 2. | February 23, 1981 | Seattle | Carpet (i) | 2–6, 4–6 | |
Winner | 2. | January 11, 1982 | Cincinnati | Carpet (i) | 6–2, 7–6(7–3) | |
Runner-up | 3. | February 8, 1982 | Kansas City | Carpet (i) | 2–6, 2–6 | |
Runner-up | 4. | September 13, 1982 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | 6–7(4–7), 2–6 | |
Winner | 3. | September 27, 1982 | Philadelphia | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–2 | |
Runner-up | 5. | February 6, 1984 | Chicago | Carpet (i) | 6–7(4–7), 6–2, 3–6 | |
Winner | 4. | August 19, 1985 | Monticello | Hard | 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 | |
Winner | 5. | February 2, 1987 | Wichita | Carpet (i) | 7–6(8–6), 7–6(7–5) | |
Runner-up | 6. | March 23, 1987 | Washington | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 2–6 | |
Runner-up | 7. | July 11, 1988 | Newport | Grass | 4–6, 6–4, 3–6 | |
Winner | 6. | August 1, 1988 | Cincinnati | Hard | 6–2, 6–2 | |
Runner-up | 8. | February 20, 1989 | Wichita | Hard (i) | 6–4, 4–6, 0–6 |
Doubles: 41 (19–22)
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|
Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Runner-up | 1. | August 21, 1978 | Mahwah | Hard | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 1. | January 14, 1980 | Las Vegas | Hard (i) | 4–5, 7–6, 6–4 | ||
Winner | 2. | September 22, 1980 | Atlanta | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 6–1 | ||
Winner | 3. | December 15, 1980 | Tucson | Carpet (i) | 7–6, 6–0 | ||
Winner | 4. | January 12, 1981 | Kansas City | Carpet (i) | 6–2, 7–6(4) | ||
Runner-up | 2. | January 26, 1981 | Chicago | Carpet (i) | 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 5. | March 16, 1981 | Boston | Carpet (Ii) | 6–7, 6–4, 6–3 | ||
Runner-up | 3. | March 25, 1981 | Avon Championships | Carpet (i) | 0–6, 6–7(6) | ||
Runner-up | 4. | May 4, 1981 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | 5–7, 2–6 | ||
Winner | 6. | October 19, 1981 | Brighton | Carpet (i) | 6–7, 6–3, 6–4 | ||
Runner-up | 5. | October 26, 1981 | Filderstadt | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 1–6 | ||
Winner | 7. | November 16, 1981 | Perth | Grass | 6–4, 6–2 | ||
Winner | 8. | February 8, 1982 | Kansas City | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 | ||
Winner | 9. | February 22, 1982 | Oakland | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 3–6, 7–6(5) | ||
Runner-up | 6. | March 1, 1982 | Los Angeles | Carpet (i) | 3–6, 5–7 | ||
Runner-up | 7. | April 19, 1982 | Amelia Island | Clay | 1–6, 5–7 | ||
Runner-up | 8. | August 16, 1982 | Montreal | Hard | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 10. | August 23, 1982 | Mahwah | Hard | 6–1, 6–4 | ||
Runner-up | 9. | August 30, 1982 | US Open | Hard | 4–6, 4–6 | ||
Runner-up | 10. | September 27, 1982 | Philadelphia | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 6–7(5), 4–6 | ||
Winner | 11. | October 4, 1982 | Deerfield Beach | Hard | 7–6(5), 7–6(3) | ||
Runner-up | 11. | October 25, 1982 | Brighton | Carpet (i) | 6–2, 5–7, 4–6 | ||
Runner-up | 12. | January 10, 1983 | Houston | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 3–6 | ||
Winner | 12. | January 30, 1983 | Palm Beach Garden | Clay | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2 | ||
Winner | 13. | July 11, 1983 | Newport | Grass | 6–3, 6–1 | ||
Runner-up | 13. | September 19, 1983 | Richmond | Carpet (i) | 7–6(3), 2–6, 1–6 | ||
Runner-up | 14. | September 26, 1983 | Hartford | Carpet (i) | 6–3, 3–6, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 14. | October 2, 1983 | Detroit | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–1 | ||
Winner | 15. | January 2, 1984 | Washington | Carpet (i) | 6–1, 6–7(7), 6–2 | ||
Runner-up | 15. | January 30, 1984 | Houston | Carpet (i) | 4–6, 6–3, 6–7(4) | ||
Runner-up | 16. | February 6, 1984 | Chicago | Carpet (i) | 7–5, 3–6, 3–6 | ||
Winner | 16. | March 26, 1984 | Boston | Carpet (i) | 7–6(4), 6–0 | ||
Runner-up | 17. | September 17, 1984 | Fort Lauderdale | Hard | 6–2, 2–6, 3–6 | ||
Runner-up | 18. | October 22, 1984 | Brighton | Carpet (i) | 7–6, 3–6, 5–7 | ||
Winner | 17. | March 11, 1985 | Dallas | Carpet (i) | 5–7, 6–4, 7–6(4) | ||
Runner-up | 19. | May 6, 1985 | Sydney | Carpet (i) | 5–7, 5–7 | ||
Runner-up | 20. | October 21, 1985 | Brighton | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–7(3), 4–6 | ||
Runner-up | 21. | January 27, 1986 | Key Biscayne | Hard | 6–7(5), 6–2, 2–6 | ||
Winner | 18. | March 28, 1986 | Nashville | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–3 | ||
Runner-up | 22. | February 2, 1987 | Wichita | Carpet (i) | 2–6, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 19. | July 11, 1988 | Newport | Grass | 6–4, 6–3 |
Grand Slam performance timeline
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | NH |
Singles
Tournament | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | A | A | 2R | 3R | 3R | QF | 2R | NH | A | 4R | 1R | 0 / 7 |
French Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 |
Wimbledon | 2R | 1R | 3R | 4R | QF | QF | 4R | QF | A | 2R | 4R | A | 0 / 10 |
U.S. Open | 2R | 3R | 3R | SF | 2R | 2R | 4R | 2R | A | 1R | 4R | A | 0 / 10 |
SR | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 28 |
Year End Ranking | 62 | 47 | 25 | 10 | 8 | 25 | 12 | 17 | 26 | 12 | 10 | 105 |
Doubles
Tournament | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | A | A | QF | SF | SF | SF | SF | NH | A | SF | 1R | 0 / 7 |
French Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
Wimbledon | 2R | 2R | 1R | QF | 2R | SF | SF | QF | A | A | 2R | 2R | 0 / 10 |
U.S. Open | A | A | A | 1R | F | A | QF | QF | A | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 6 |
SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 23 |
Year End Ranking | 3 | 9 | 25 | 26 | 51 | 356 |
References
- Thomas Rogers (March 25, 1981). "Miss Potter making a bid in title tennis". The New York Times.
- Charles Friedman (March 21, 1982). "At 20, tennis star seeks to advance". The New York Times.
- "Barbara Potter is facing the wall of the Charles..." UPI. March 31, 1984.
- Sarah Pileggi (March 8, 1982). "Young and old, wise and goofy". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 56 no. 10. pp. 36–39.