Betty Stöve


Betty Stöve is a Dutch former professional tennis player. She is best remembered for reaching the ladies' singles final, the ladies' doubles final and the mixed doubles final during the same year at Wimbledon in 1977. She also won ten Grand Slam titles in women's doubles and mixed doubles.

Career

Stöve began playing tennis internationally in the mid-1960s. She made her Grand Slam debut at the 1964 Wimbledon. A virus, complicated by a malfunctioning thyroid gland, forced Stöve out of tennis for an 18-month period in the late 1960s. Despite being advised that she should never play tennis again, Stöve recovered to have her best years on the circuit.
Stöve's most notable singles match was the 1977 Wimbledon final, which she lost to Virginia Wade: 4–6, 6–3, 6–1. Queen Elizabeth II attended the final against Wade. At Wimbledon 1977, she reached the final of all three championship events, losing in them all.
Stöve was a semifinalist at the 1977 US Open, losing to Chris Evert. She also found success in the 1977 US Open by winning the women's doubles with Martina Navratilova and the mixed doubles with Frew McMillan.
Stöve had her greatest success in doubles. She won 10 Grand Slam doubles championships, six in women's doubles and four in mixed doubles. She won two women's doubles championships with Billie Jean King and two with Wendy Turnbull. Her other two titles were won with Françoise Dürr and Martina Navratilova. All of her mixed doubles championships were with Frew McMillan. Stöve was the runner-up in 17 Grand Slam doubles tournaments, eight in women's doubles and nine in mixed doubles.
During her career, Stöve won one singles title and 75 doubles titles. She reached a career-high singles rank of World No. 5 in 1977. She was ranked World No. 1 in doubles.
Stöve competed in and lost all three finals at Wimbledon in 1977, failing to win any of them; the last player in any Grand Slam event to earn such a record.
She competed for the Netherlands Fed Cup team in 1966, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1983.
The Dutch rock band Bettie Serveert is named after her book Bettie Serveert, meaning "Bettie serves" or "service to Bettie" in Dutch.

Post-retirement activity

Stöve coached Hana Mandlíková from 1980 through 1990. She also coached Kristie Boogert.
Stöve is a former member of the ITF Committee of Management, its first female member.
She received the WTA Tour Honorary Membership Award in November 1987. She served three terms as president of WTA Tour Players Association.
In 1989, Stöve and Mandlíková wrote Total Tennis, a tennis instruction book. Stöve speaks six languages and is an accomplished photographer.

Major finals

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 runner-up)

Doubles: 14 (6 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Mixed doubles: 13 (4 titles, 9 runners-up)

Year-End Championships finals

Doubles: 3 (1 title, 2 runners-up)

Career titles

Singles (3)

Doubles (75)

Grand slam events in boldface.
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.