Sue Barker

Susan Barker, OBE (born 19 April 1956 in Paignton, Devon) is an English television presenter and former professional tennis player. During her tennis career, she won fifteen WTA Tour singles titles, including one Grand Slam singles title at the 1976 French Open. She reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 3.[2] She is now one of the main sports presenters at the BBC, most notably fronting the corporation’s coverage of Wimbledon and A Question of Sport.

Sue Barker
OBE
Barker in 2008
Country (sports) Great Britain
Born (1956-04-19) 19 April 1956
Paignton, Devon, England
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Turned pro1973
Retired1984
PlaysRight-handed (1-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS$ 878,701[1]
Singles
Career record365–208
Career titles15
Highest rankingNo. 3 (20 March 1977)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenSF (1975, 1977 – Dec)
French OpenW (1976)
WimbledonSF (1977)
US Open4R (1976)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsF (1977)
Doubles
Career record33–38
Career titles12
Last updated on: 15 August 2012.

Early life

Barker was born and raised in Paignton, Devon and educated at a convent school. When aged 10, in 1966 she was picked out as the second of two girls who were to receive tennis coaching from Arthur Roberts,[3] who had coached Angela Mortimer to three Grand Slam titles.[3] Roberts continued her coaching beyond the selection prize commitment, charging only £1/session to allow her development to continue. Barker's forehand was her strongest and most admired weapon throughout her career, with Roberts describing it as "especially potent".[4] Advised as a teenager by a visiting LTA coach to change her forehand, Roberts told her not to and he later resigned from the LTA Coaches Association in protest at the advice.[3] Roberts later entered Barker into tournaments on the continent, providing her with a one-way ticket there and telling her to "earn your ticket home".[3] Roberts remained Barker's mentor but not friend throughout her career.[3]

Tennis career

Aged 16, and ranked 21st in the WTA rankings, Barker was advised by Roberts to relocate to the United States for her development.[3] Subsequently signed by Mark McCormack's International Management Group (IMG) on her 17th birthday, she relocated that summer to an IMG provided town house in Newport Beach, California, where her neighbours included the newly retired Rod Laver, and was coached at the John Wayne Tennis Club.[3]

The following year Barker won her first top-level singles title, and three additional titles in 1975. Barker reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in 1975 at the Australian Open. She won the German Open in 1976, beating Renáta Tomanová of Czechoslovakia in the final 6–3, 6–1.

Later in 1976, Barker had the biggest victory of her career by winning the French Open at the age of 20, again defeating Tomanová in the final.[5] Barker's toughest game en route to the final in Paris was her quarter-final match against Regina Maršíková, when Barker came back from a set down and won a gruelling final set 8–6. After her French Open victory against Tomanová, Barker felt that it would be the first of a number of Grand Slam titles that she would win, but she would not reach another Grand Slam final in her career.[5]

In 1977, Barker won two singles titles in San Francisco and Dallas. She beat Martina Navratilova to reach the Virginia Slims Tour Championships final, where she lost in three sets to Chris Evert. Barker reached the Australian Open semi-final for the second time in 1977 and also reached the Wimbledon semi-final that year. She looked set to meet Virginia Wade in the Wimbledon final in 1977, but unexpectedly lost her semi-final against Betty Stöve of the Netherlands, which denied her the opportunity of playing against Wade in an all-British final.[6]

Years later, Barker said that losing to Stöve was the biggest disappointment of her career and admitted that she was so upset at losing in the 1977 Wimbledon semi-final that she could not bear to watch the final, which was won by Wade.[7]

After an injury-plagued 1978 during which her ranking dropped to World No. 24, she won three singles titles and reached three other finals in 1979. She was named the tour's "Comeback Player of the Year" by her fellow professionals.[8] Barker reached one final in 1980 and won the last singles title of her career at the Brighton International in 1981, finishing the year ranked World No. 16. She won her last doubles title in 1982 at Cincinnati, and played her last professional match in 1984.

Barker won 15 singles titles and 12 doubles titles, posting wins over Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, Tracy Austin, Virginia Wade, Maria Bueno, Rosemary Casals, Andrea Jaeger and Pam Shriver. In 2004, recalling her French Open win of 1976, Barker said: "I'm still incredibly proud of what I achieved."[5]

Major finals

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 title)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1976French OpenClay Renáta Tomanová6–2, 0–6, 6–2

Year-end Championships finals

Singles (1 runner–up)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1977New York CityCarpet (i) Chris Evert6–2, 1–6, 1–6

Doubles (1 runner–up)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1979New York CityCarpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Françoise Dürr
Betty Stöve		6–7(1–7), 6–7(3–7)

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 31 (15–16)
Winner – Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (14–15)
Titles by Surface
Hard (0–1)
Grass (6–6)
Clay (5–1)
Carpet (4–8)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 27 May 1974 Surbiton Grass Sue Mappin 6–2, 7–5
Runner-up 1. 3 June 1974 Chichester Grass Paulina Peisachov 2–6, 2–6
Winner 2. 8 July 1974 Båstad Clay Marijke Jansen 6–1, 7–5
Winner 3. 7 July 1975 Båstad Clay Helga Niessen Masthoff 6–4, 6–0
Winner 4. 14 July 1975 Kitzbühel Clay Pam Teeguarden 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 2. 5 November 1975 Paris Carpet (i) Virginia Wade 1–6, 7–6, 7–9
Winner 5. 1 December 1975 Adelaide Grass Helga Niessen Masthoff 6–5, ret.
Runner-up 3. 15 December 1975 Sydney Grass Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 4–6
Winner 6. 5 January 1975 Auckland Grass Helga Niessen Masthoff 6–2, 6–1
Runner-up 4. 10 May 1976 Bournemouth Clay Helga Niessen Masthoff 7–5, 3–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 17 May 1976 Hamburg Clay Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 6–1
Winner 8. 31 May 1976 French Open Clay Renáta Tomanová 6–2, 0–6, 6–2
Runner-up 5. 25 November 1976 Tokyo Carpet (i) Chris Evert 2–6, 6–7
Runner-up 6. 6 December 1976 Melbourne Grass Margaret Court 2–6, 2–6
Runner-up 7. 17 January 1977 Houston Carpet (i) Martina Navrátilová 6–7(3–7), 5–7
Runner-up 8. 24 January 1977 Minneapolis Carpet (i) Martina Navrátilová 0–6, 1–6
Runner-up 9. 21 February 1977 Detroit Carpet (i) Martina Navrátilová 4–6, 4–6
Winner 9. 28 February 1977 San Francisco Carpet (i) Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–4
Winner 10. 7 March 1977 Dallas Carpet (i) Terry Holladay 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
Runner-up 10. 24 March 1977 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) Chris Evert 6–2, 1–6, 1–6
Runner-up 11. 12 December 1977 Sydney Grass Evonne Goolagong Cawley 2–6, 3–6
Winner 11. 21 November 1978 Brisbane Grass Chris O'Neil 6–1, 6–3
Runner-up 12. 12 March 1979 Boston Carpet (i) Dianne Fromholtz 2–6, 6–7(4–7)
Runner-up 13. 26 March 1979 Carlsbad Hard Kerry Melville Reid 6–7, 6–3, 2–6
Winner 12. 3 June 1979 Manchester Grass Anne Hobbs 7–5, 4–6, 6–0
Runner-up 14. 10 June 1979 Chichester Grass Evonne Goolagong Cawley 1–6, 4–6
Winner 13. 10 September 1979 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) Renée Richards 6–3, 6–1
Winner 14. 3 December 1979 Sydney Grass Rosalyn Fairbank 6–0, 7–5
Runner-up 15. 8 December 1980 Adelaide Grass Hana Mandlíková 1–6, 4–6
Runner-up 16. 10 August 1981 Richmond Carpet (i) Mary-Lou Piatek 4–6, 1–6
Winner 15. 19 October 1981 Brighton Carpet (i) Mima Jaušovec 4–6, 6–1, 6–1

Doubles: 30 (12–18)
Winner – Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (12–17)
Titles by Surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (2–4)
Clay (2–4)
Carpet (8–10)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 26 May 1975 Rome Clay Glynis Coles Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova		 1–6, 2–6
Winner 1. 14 July 1975 Kitzbühel Clay Pam Teeguarden Fiorella Bonicelli
Raquel Giscafré		 6–1, 6–3
Winner 2. 1 December 1975 Adelaide Grass Michelle Tyler Kym Ruddell
Janet Young		 7–5, 6–3
Runner-up 2. 8 December 1975 Perth Grass Michelle Tyler Christine Matison
Lesley Turner Bowrey		 6–7, 3–6
Runner-up 3. 16 August 1976 Toronto Clay Pam Teeguarden Cynthia Doerner
Janet Newberry		 7–6, 3–6, 1–6
Winner 3. 12 October 1976 Hilton Head Island Clay Evonne Goolagong Martina Navratilova
Virginia Wade		 4–6, 6–4, 3–6
Winner 4. 25 November 1976 Tokyo Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Rosie Casals
Françoise Dürr		 4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Runner-up 4. 17 January 1977 Houston Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Martina Navratilova
Betty Stöve		 6–4, 2–6, 1–6
Runner-up 5. 28 February 1977 San Francisco Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Kerry Melville Reid
Greer Stevens		 3–6, 1–6
Runner-up 6. 5 February 1979 Seattle Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Françoise Dürr
Betty Stöve		 6–7(4–7), 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up 7. 19 February 1979 Detroit Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Betty Stöve
Wendy Turnbull		 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up 8. 12 March 1979 Boston Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Kerry Melville Reid
Wendy Turnbull		 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 9. 19 March 1979 Avon Championships Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Françoise Dürr
Betty Stöve		 6–7, 6–7
Runner-up 10. 2 April 1979 Tokyo Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Françoise Dürr
Betty Stöve		 5–7, 6–7
Winner 5. 10 September 1979 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) Candy Reynolds Bunny Bruning
Jane Stratton		 6–3, 6–2
Runner-up 11. 3 December 1979 Sydney Grass Pam Shriver Billie Jean King
Wendy Turnbull		 5–7, 4–6
Runner-up 12. 10 December 1979 Adelaide Grass Pam Shriver Hana Mandlíková
Virginia Ruzici		 1–6, 6–3, 2–6
Winner 6. 11 February 1980 Oakland Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Greer Stevens
Virginia Wade		 6–0, 6–4
Runner-up 13. 31 March 1980 Tokyo Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Billie Jean King
Martina Navrátilová		 5–7, 3–6
Runner-up 14. 8 December 1980 Adelaide Grass Sharon Walsh Pam Shriver
Betty Stöve		 4–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 16 February 1981 Houston Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Regina Maršíková
Mary-Lou Piatek		 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 15. 23 February 1981 Seattle Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Rosie Casals
Wendy Turnbull		 4–6, 1–6
Winner 8. 2 March 1981 Los Angeles Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Peanut Louie
Marita Redondo		 6–1, 4–6, 6–1
Winner 9. 4 May 1981 Tokyo Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Barbara Potter
Sharon Walsh		 7–5, 6–2
Runner-up 16. 18 May 1981 Berlin Clay Renáta Tomanová Rosalyn Fairbank
Tanya Harford		 3–6, 4–6
Winner 10. 8 June 1981 Surbiton Grass Ann Kiyomura Billie Jean King
Ilana Kloss		 6–1, 6–7, 6–1
Runner-up 17. 3 August 1981 Indianapolis Clay Paula Smith JoAnne Russell
Virginia Ruzici		 2–6, 2–6
Winner 11. 10 August 1981 Richmond Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Kathy Jordan
Anne Smith		 4–6, 7–6, 6–4
Winner 12. 11 January 1982 Cincinnati Carpet (i) Ann Kiyomura Pam Shriver
Anne Smith		 6–2, 7–6
Runner-up 18. 15 February 1982 Houston Carpet (i) Sharon Walsh Kathy Jordan
Pam Shriver		 6–7(6–8), 2–6

Performance timelines
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Singles
Tournament197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984W–LSR
Grand Slam Tournaments
Australian Open A 3R SF 2R (Jan)
A		 (Dec)
SF		 QF A 3R 3R 1R A Q1 16–8 0 / 8
French Open A A 3R W A A 2R A 1R A A 1R 9–4 1 / 5
Wimbledon 2R 1R 3R* QF SF* 4R 1R 2R* 3R 1R 1R 2R 16–12 0 / 12
US Open A A 2R 4R* 3R A 2R* A 2R A A 1R 6–6 0 / 6
Year-End Championship
WTA Championships Did not qualify F F DNQ SF Did not qualify 9–5 0 / 4
Win–Loss 1–1 2–2 8–4 16–5 12–4 5–2 4–5 2–2 5–4 0–2 0–1 1–3 56–35 1 / 35
Year-End Ranking N/A 19[9] 10[10] 5[11] 24[12] 10[13] 16[14] 14[15] 62[16] 57[17] 155[18]
  • " * " – The player received a Bye in the first round.

Doubles
Tournament19741975197619771978197919801981198219831984W–LSR
Australian Open QF QF* QF* (Jan)
A		 (Dec)
1R		 1R A SF SF 1R A 1R 10–9 0 / 9
French Open A QF* 2R* A A A A A A A 2R 2–3 0 / 3
Wimbledon 2R* QF* 1R 3R* SF* QF QF SF 2R* 1R A 16–10 0 / 10
US Open A QF^ QF A A 1R A A A A 1R 5–3 0 / 4
Year-End Championship
WTA Championships Did not qualify F
(W:1; L:1)		 DNQ SF
(W:0; L:1)		 Did not qualify 1–2 0 / 2
Win–Loss 2–2 6–3 4–4 1–2 3–2 4–3 6–2 7–3 0–2 0–1 1–3 33–25 0 / 26
Year-End Ranking N/A 116[19]
  • " * " – The player received a Bye in the first round.
  • " ^ " – The player lost via walkover. Match loss not counted in win-loss ratios.

Mixed
Tournament19741975197619771978197919801981198219831984W–LSR
Australian Open A 0–0 0 / 0
French Open SF*^ A 2–0 0 / 1
Wimbledon A 1R A 3R 2R 3–3 0 / 3
US Open A 0–0 0 / 0
Win–Loss 2–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 5–3 0 / 4
  • " * " – The player received a Bye in the first round.
  • " ^ " – The player lost via walkover. Match loss not counted in win-loss ratios.

Fed Cup
1974 Federation Cup
DateVenueSurfaceRoundOpponentsFinal match scoreMatchOpponentRubber score
13–19 May
1974		 Naples Clay SF  Australia 0–3 Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Goolagong/Young 0–6, 2–6 (L)
1975 Federation Cup
5–11 May
1975		 Aix-en-Provence Clay 1R  Austria 3–0 Singles Sabine Bernegger 6–3, 6–2 (W)
Doubles(with Glynis Coles) Bernegger/Buche 6–3, 6–1 (W)
QF  France 1–2 Singles Nathalie Fuchs 1–6, 6–1, 4–6 (L)
1976 Federation Cup
22–29 Aug
1976		 Philadelphia, PA Carpet (I) 1R  France 3–0 Singles Nathalie Fuchs 6–3, 6–0 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Benedetti/Darmon 6–3, 6–2 (W)
QF  South Africa 2–1 Singles Linky Boshoff 6–1, 6–1 (W)
Doubles(with Michelle Tyler) Boshoff/Kloss 1–6, 4–6 (L)
SF  Australia 0–3 Singles Dianne Fromholtz 2–6, 6–7 (L)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Cawley/Reid 1–6, 3–6 (L)
1977 Federation Cup
13–18 Jun
1977		 Eastbourne Grass 1R  Denmark 3–0 Singles Dorte Ekner 6–3, 6–1 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Ekner/Sparre 6–2, 6–2 (W)
2R  South Korea 3–0 Singles Choi Kyeong-Mi 6–1, 6–3 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Choi/Lee 6–1, 6–0 (W)
QF  Sweden 3–0 Singles Mimmi Wikstedt 6–2, 6–0 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Anliot/Wikstedt 6–2, 5–7, 6–3 (W)
SF  Australia 1–2 Singles Dianne Fromholtz 3–6, 4–6 (L)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Reid/Turnbull 6–1, 6–4 (W)
1978 Federation Cup
27 Nov –
3 Dec
1978		 Melbourne Grass 1R  Spain 3–0 Singles Monica Álvarez 6–0, 10–8 (W)
2R  West Germany 2–1 Singles Sylvia Hanika 3–6, 2–6 (L)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Ebbinghaus/Hanika 6–3, 6–0 (W)
QF  Czechoslovakia 2–1 Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Mandlíková/Tomanová 8–6, 7–5 (W)
SF  United States 0–3 Doubles(with Anne Hobbs) Casals/King 6–1, 3–6, 4–6 (L)
1979 Federation Cup
30 Apr –
6 May
1979		 Madrid Clay 1R  New Zealand 3–0 Singles Chris Newton 6–0, 6–0 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Newton/Perry 6–1, 6–1 (W)
2R  Belgium 3–0 Singles Monique Van Haver 6–3, 11–9 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Gurdal/Van Haver 6–3, 6–0 (W)
QF  Czechoslovakia 0–3 Singles Hana Mandlíková 6–3, 6–8, 4–6 (L)
1980 Federation Cup
19–25 May
1980		 Berlin Clay 1R  Israel 3–0 Singles Paulina Peled 4–6, 7–6, 6–1 (W)
Doubles(with Glynis Coles) Bialistozky/Peled 6–2, 6–3 (W)
2R  Argentina 2–1 Singles Adriana Villagran Reami 5–7, 7–6, 6–2 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Madruga Osses/Villagran Reami 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 (W)
QF  West Germany 0–3 Singles Bettina Bunge 2–6, 0–6 (L)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Bunge/Hanika 3–6, 3–6 (L)
1981 Federation Cup
9–15 Nov
1981		 Tokyo Clay 1R  Belgium 3–0 Doubles(with Jo Durie) de Witte/de Wouters 6–3, 6–3 (W)
2R  France 3–0 Singles Corinne Vanier 4–6, 6–2, 10–8 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Amiach/Tanvier 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 (W)
QF  Soviet Union 2–1 Singles Elena Eliseenko 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Cherneva/Zaitseva 6–3, 6–1 (W)
SF  Australia 2–1 Singles Wendy Turnbull 7–6, 3–6, 6–2 (W)
Doubles(with Virginia Wade) Leo/Turnbull 7–6, 6–3 (W)
F  United States 0–3 Singles Chris Evert 2–6, 1–6 (L)
1982 Federation Cup
19–25 Jul
1982		 Santa Clara Hard 1R BYE
2R  Israel 3–0 Singles Orly Bialistozky 6–1, 6–3 (W)
QF  Soviet Union 1–2 Singles Hana Mandlíková 7–6, 6–7, 3–6 (L)

Broadcasting career
Sue Barker interviewing Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2016

Upon retiring from tennis Barker became a commentator and sports reporter for Australia's Channel 7 in 1985 before going on to anchor tennis coverage for British Sky Broadcasting in 1990. In 1993, Barker joined the Wimbledon coverage on the BBC and now anchors the two-week-long broadcast for the network.[20]

Barker has branched out since joining the BBC, becoming one of their chief sports presenters. She is currently the presenter of the long-running sports quiz show A Question of Sport,[4] having replaced the late David Coleman in 1997, and was a host of the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony from 1994 to 2012 before stepping down in 2013.[21]

Barker has hosted BBC Sport's coverage of the Australian Open, the French Open, Queens Club Championships, Eastbourne, the Davis Cup, the ATP World Tour Finals and Wimbledon.

Other sporting events she has hosted have included the Grand National (2000–2006), the Derby (2001–2007), Racing at Ascot and Longchamp (1995–1999), Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, the Great North Run, World Athletics Championships and European Athletics Championships (1999–2009), BBC Sports Personality of the Year (1994–2012), Commonwealth Games (1994–2010), Summer Olympics (1996–2012) and Winter Olympics (1994–2010).

In June 1999, she co-presented coverage of HRH Prince Edward's wedding to Sophie Rhys-Jones at Windsor alongside Michael Buerk. Barker had introduced Rhys-Jones to Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son at a charity function a few years earlier.

In 2008, Barker and the BBC extended her contract to cover the London 2012 Summer Olympics. It is estimated to be worth £375,000 a year.[22] In 2014, she stepped away from the cameras, but worked as a BBC commentator at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

In July 2012, the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK received over 40 complaints for a Go Compare advert that Barker starred in when she was featured firing a large rocket launcher at opera singer Gio Compario (Wynne Evans) in an attempt to kill off the face of the brand. A spokesperson for the ASA said: "Some people think it offensive especially at a time when children are watching. Others think it inappropriate when our security forces are coming under fire on a daily basis. As with all complaints, we are looking into the matter before deciding if we launch a full investigation."[23]

Barker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours[24] for services to sport and to broadcasting and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and charity.[25]

Personal life

In 1978, Barker broke off an engagement with Australian tennis player Syd Ball. In an interview the following year, she said: "I realised that Syd wasn't the answer. Underneath, I wasn't happy and I certainly wasn't ready for marriage. I wasn't fair to him or myself."[26] After her engagement was broken off, she had a brief relationship with another Australian, golfer Greg Norman.[26]

In 1982, Barker met singer Cliff Richard. Their romance attracted considerable media attention after Richard flew to Denmark to watch her play in a tennis match and they were later photographed cuddling and holding hands at Wimbledon.[27][28] Richard said in 2008 that he had come close to asking her to marry him. He said: "I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."[29]

In 1986, after Barker's romance with Richard had ended and she began a brief relationship with tennis player Stephen Shaw, Richard said that he was still a friend of Barker. He said: "We have a mutual respect for each other and that means a lot to me."[30]

In 1988, Richard said of his former romance with Barker: "We were closer than just friends. She's the only person with whom I've had that sort of relationship." He said that one of the things which made up his mind not to marry her was when she got upset because he hadn't told her who he was seeing that day. Richard said: "I suddenly realised that in a marriage you don't live for yourself."[31]

In 1988, Barker married landscape gardener and former policeman Lance Tankard.[22][31] They live in the Cotswolds village of Stanton, Gloucestershire after moving from a mansion on a 26-acre estate in Godalming, Surrey.[32]

In 1980, Barker was temporarily blinded in her right eye after a large dog in Spain jumped up and bit her. She lost the sight in her eye for five hours and feared that the dog attack would force her to stop playing tennis, which she said "broke her heart".[33]

In an interview in 1999, Barker said that during her tennis career she was approached by a lesbian tennis player in the locker room and touched "in a way that didn't feel right". Barker refused to name the female tennis player involved.[3]

gollark: I'm not on, how would I know?
gollark: Maybe someone added one of the sign controllers to the startup list. Maybe stuff got powered off by chunk somehow.
gollark: They power each other on, but otherwise I'm not sure.
gollark: At least the street sign controllers are inevitably and inescapably powered on.
gollark: Really? Hm.

See also

Notes and references
  1. "Career Prize Money". WTA. 25 September 2015.
  2. "Sue Barker – Speakers Biography". Speakers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  3. Viner, Brian (24 March 1999). "Barker's happy return to the fore". The Independent. London. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  4. "Meet the Question of Sport regulars". BBC Sport. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  5. "Barker recalls her golden moment". BBC Sport. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  6. "Devon – Discover Devon". BBC. 30 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  7. Henderson, Jon (8 July 2007). "Tennis: Say it's not so Sue". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  8. "Sue Barker (GBR)". Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  9. 1975 year-end singles rankings
  10. 1976 year-end singles rankings
  11. 1977 year-end singles rankings
  12. 1978 year-end singles rankings
  13. 1979 year-end singles rankings
  14. 1980 year-end singles rankings
  15. 1981 year-end singles rankings
  16. 1982 year-end singles rankings
  17. 1983 year-end singles rankings
  18. 1984 year-end singles rankings
  19. 1984 year-end doubles rankings
  20. "Sue Barker". BBC Sport. 30 June 2000. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  21. "Sue Barker steps down from hosting BBC Sports Personality of the Year". Digital Spy. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  22. Clout, Laura (9 July 2008). "Sue Barker wins BBC contract to cover 2012 London Olympics". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  23. "Sue Barker Go Compare rocket launcher advert gets complaints". Digital Spy. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.
  24. "People's champions knighted". BBC News. 31 December 1999. Retrieved 1 July 2019.
  25. "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N11.
  26. "A model beauty – That's Sweet Sue". Evening Times. 1 September 1979. p. 3.
  27. Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 288. ISBN 9780745952796.
  28. Turner, Steve (2008). Cliff Richard: The Biography. Oxford: Lion. p. 289. ISBN 9780745952796.
  29. Farmer, Ben (4 September 2008). "Sir Cliff Richard talks of ex-priest companion". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 13 September 2012.
  30. Pearce, Sally (12 January 1986). "Cliff Richard, the pop world's greatest survivor, says..." New Straits Times. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  31. "My lost love, by bachelor boy Cliff". Evening Times. 9 November 1988.
  32. "Who's moving homes; Sue Barker". London Evening Standard. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2017.
  33. "Sue Barker puts tennis in its place". The Miami News. 6 October 1982.
Media offices
Preceded by
David Coleman		 Regular host of A Question of Sport
1997 – present		 Incumbent
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Mark Nicholas		 RTS Television Sport Awards
Best Sports Presenter
2001		 Succeeded by
Gary Lineker
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