Kathleen Horvath
Erica Kathleen "Kathy" Horvath (born August 25, 1965) is a retired American professional tennis player.
Country (sports) | |
---|---|
Residence | Short Hills, New Jersey |
Born | Chicago, Illinois | August 25, 1965
Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (1.69 m) |
Turned pro | 1981 |
Retired | 1989 |
Plays | Right-handed (two-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $220,905 |
Singles | |
Career record | 176–154 |
Career titles | 6 |
Highest ranking | No. 10 (June 11, 1984) |
Grand Slam Singles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (1989) |
French Open | QF (1983, 1984) |
Wimbledon | 3R (1986) |
US Open | 3R (1981, 1986) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 150–132 |
Career titles | 3 |
Highest ranking | No. 45 (September 12, 1988) |
Grand Slam Doubles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (1989) |
French Open | SF (1982, 1984) |
Wimbledon | 3R (1982) |
US Open | 3R (1985) |
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results | |
Australian Open | 1R (1989) |
French Open | SF (1981) |
Wimbledon | 1R (1986) |
US Open | SF (1985) |
Career
She was the youngest player to play in the US Open in 1979 at 14 years and five days — this record still stands. Horvath was the youngest player to win the U.S. National 16 and under in 1979.[1] She also is the only player to ever win all four age groups in the U.S. Girls Clay Courts in all consecutive years.
Horvath played on the WTA Tour from 1981 to 1989, winning six singles titles and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 10 in 1984.[2][1] She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 1983 and 1984. She retired with a 176–154 singles record.[3]
Horvath was the only player to defeat Martina Navratilova in the 1983 season (at the French Open), winning in the fourth round in three sets.[1] Navratilova's coaches (Renee Richards and Nancy Lieberman) argued in the stands over strategy, something Navratilova noticed during the match.[4]
Horvath had career victories over Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Manuela Maleeva, Gabriela Sabatini, Dianne Fromholtz, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Mary Joe Fernández, Betty Stöve, and Sylvia Hanika. She was a member of the 1984 United States Fed Cup team. Horvath played in the 1984 Olympics when tennis was reintroduced as a demonstration sport and was the first seed. She was coached by Harry Hopman and Nick Bollettieri.
After her tennis career, she got her BS and MBA at the Wharton School of Business and then worked on Wall Street until 2003.
WTA career finals
Singles 9: (6–3)
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Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 25 January 1981 | Montreal | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 7–6 | |
Winner | 2. | 6 March 1983 | Nashville | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–3 | |
Runner-up | 1. | 23 May 1983 | Berlin | Clay | 4–6, 6–7(1–7) | |
Winner | 3. | 13 November 1983 | Honolulu | Carpet | 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–1) | |
Runner-up | 2. | 29 January 1984 | Marco Island | Clay | 6–3, 0–6, 4–6 | |
Runner-up | 3. | 20 May 1984 | Berlin | Clay | 6–7(8–10), 1–6 | |
Winner | 4. | 10 March 1985 | Indianapolis | Carpet (i) | 6–2, 6–4 | |
Winner | 5. | 31 March 1985 | Palm Beach Gardens | Clay | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 | |
Winner | 6. | 12 July 1987 | Knokke | Clay | 6–1, 7–6(7–5) |
Doubles 9: (3–6)
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Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Winner | 1. | 9 May 1982 | Perugia | Clay | 2–6, 6–4, 7–6 | ||
Winner | 2. | 7 August 1983 | Indianapolis | Clay | 4–6, 7–6, 6–2 | ||
Runner-up | 1. | 20 May 1984 | Berlin | Clay | 3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11–13) | ||
Runner-up | 2. | 27 May 1984 | Perugia | Clay | 6–7(5–7), 6–1, 4–6 | ||
Winner | 3. | 10 March 1985 | Indianapolis | Carpet (i) | 6–4, 6–1 | ||
Runner-up | 3. | 28 April 1985 | Orlando | Clay | 3–6, 1–6 | ||
Runner-up | 4. | 24 May 1987 | Strasbourg | Clay | 0–6, 2–6 | ||
Runner-up | 5. | 12 July 1987 | Knokke | Clay | 6–4, 4–6, 4–6 | ||
Runner-up | 6. | 5 October 1987 | Athens | Clay | 4–6, 6–7(0–7) |
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | A | NH |
Tournament | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | Career SR |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Open | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | NH | A | A | 1R | 0 / 1 |
French Open | A | 2R | 3R | 3R | QF | QF | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 0 / 9 |
Wimbledon | A | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | A | 3R | 1R | 1R | A | 0 / 5 |
US Open | 2R | 2R | 3R | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 8 |
SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 23 |
Year-end ranking | NR | NR | 28 | 49 | 15 | 29 | 50 | 47 | 37 | 85 | 218 |
References
- John Barrett, ed. (1985). The International Tennis Federation : World of Tennis 1985. London: Willow Books. p. 331. ISBN 0002181703.
- "WTA Tour".
- "ITF Kathy Horvath (USA)". Retrieved 2011-12-05.
- Cindy Shmerler (June 3, 2017). "The Tennis Mom Who Put the Blemish in Martina Navratilova's 86-1 Record". The New York Times.