Karen Hantze Susman

Karen Hantze Susman (born December 11, 1942) 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 Jean King. She also won the 1960 Wimbledon junior girls' singles title.

Contents 1 Tennis career 2 Grand Slam finals 2.1 Singles: 1 (1 title) 2.2 Doubles: 6 (3 titles, 3 runners-up) 3 Grand Slam singles tournament timeline 4 See also 5 References 6 External links

Tennis career
Susman and King, as an unseeded team, won the 1961 women's doubles title at Wimbledon, defeating the third seeded team of Jan Lehane O'Neill and Margaret Court in the final 6–3, 6–4. Susman and King successfully defended their title in 1962, defeating the South African team of Renee Schuurman Haygarth and Sandra Reynolds Price in the final 5–7, 6–3, 7–5. Susman and King reached the 1964 women's doubles final at Wimbledon, losing to the top seeded team of Court and Lesley Turner Bowrey 7–5, 6–2. For Wimbledon's centenary celebration in 1977, Susman and King teamed for the last time. As the eighth seeded team, they were upset in a second round match on Centre Court by the team of Mary Carillo and Patricia Bostrom 7–9, 6–4, 6–3.

Susman and King won the 1964 women's doubles title at the U.S. Championships, defeating Court and Bowrey in the final 3–6, 6–2, 6–4. Susman and King reached the 1962 women's doubles final at the U.S. Championships, losing to the team of Maria Bueno and Darlene Hard 4–6, 6–3, 6–2. They also reached the 1965 women's doubles final at the U.S. Championships, losing to the team of Nancy Richey Gunter and Carole Caldwell Graebner 6–4, 6–4. Susman played little in 1963, deciding not to defend her Wimbledon Singles & Doubles titles, but returned to play in 1964; competing at Wimbledon again, losing in a fourth round match. She entered the US Championships the same year, but withdrew before the tournament began. Susman played little in the 1960s and 1970s but her last Grand Slam singles tournament was at the 1980 US Open. She defeated Tanya Harford in the first round 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 and Janet Newberry Wright in the second round 7–5, 6–1 before losing to 14th seeded Ivanna Madruga Osses 6–3, 6–1.

According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Susman was ranked in the world top ten in 1961, 1962, and 1964, reaching a career high of World No. 4 in those rankings in 1962.[1] Susman was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association from 1959 through 1962 and in 1964. She was the second-ranked U.S. player behind Hard from 1960 through 1962.[2]

Grand Slam finals
Singles: 1 (1 title)

Outcome

Year

Championship

Surface

Opponent

Score

Winner 1962 Wimbledon Championships Grass Czechoslovakia Věra Suková 6–4, 6–4

Doubles: 6 (3 titles, 3 runners-up)

Outcome

Year

Championship

Surface

Partner

Opponents

Score

Winner 1961 Wimbledon Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt Australia Jan Lehane O'Neill Australia Margaret Court 6–3, 6–4 Winner 1962 Wimbledon Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt South Africa Sandra Reynolds Price South Africa Renée Schuurman 5–7, 6–3, 7–5 Runner-up 1962 U.S. Championships Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt Brazil Maria Bueno United States Darlene Hard 4–6, 6–3, 6–2 Runner-up 1964 Wimbledon Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt Australia Margaret Court Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey 7–5, 6–2 Winner 1964 U.S. Championships Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt Australia Margaret Court Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 Runner-up 1965 U.S. Championships Grass United States Billie Jean Moffitt United States Carole Caldwell Graebner United States Nancy Richey Gunter 6–4, 6–4

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
Key

W F  SF QF R# RR Q# A NH

(W) Won tournament; reached (F) final, (SF) semifinal, (QF) quarterfinal; (R#) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; competed at a (RR) round-robin stage; reached a (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent from tournament; or (NH) tournament not held.

Tournament

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965 – 1968

1969

1970 – 1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

Career SR

Australia A A A A A A A A A A A A / A A A A 0 / 0 France A A A A A A QF A A A A A A A A 0 / 1 Wimbledon A A QF QF W A 3R A A A A 2R A A A 1 / 5 United States 3R QF 3R 3R 3R A QF A 1R A 1R A A 2R 3R 0 / 10 SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 1 / 2 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 1 / 16

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.