Kathryn (Kathy) Jordan (born December 3, 1959,
Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaBryn Mawr is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
, USA) is a former American
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
player. During her career, she won 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 of them in women's doubles and 2 of them in mixed doubles. She also was the 1983 Australian Open women's singles runner-up and won 1 singles title and 41 doubles titles.
Jordan was one of the top juniors during the 1970s. She received an athletic scholarship to
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States...
in 1978.
Kathryn (Kathy) Jordan (born December 3, 1959,
Bryn Mawr, PennsylvaniaBryn Mawr is a census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, just west of Philadelphia along Lancaster Avenue and the border with Delaware County...
, USA) is a former American
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
player. During her career, she won 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 of them in women's doubles and 2 of them in mixed doubles. She also was the 1983 Australian Open women's singles runner-up and won 1 singles title and 41 doubles titles.
Personal life
Jordan was one of the top juniors during the 1970s. She received an athletic scholarship to
Stanford UniversityThe Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university located in Stanford, California, United States...
in 1978. Her sister, Barbara Jordan, was also a tennis player. She won the 1979 Australian Open women's singles title.
Career
Jordan turned professional in 1979. Her best performance in a Grand Slam singles tournament was runner-up at the 1983
Australian OpenThe Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held each year. The tournament is held each January at Melbourne Park. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was contested on grass from then up to 1987. Since 1988, the tournament has been held on hard...
, where she lost to
Martina NavratilovaMartina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1...
6–2, 7–6.
She was the first player to defeat
Chris EvertChristine Marie "Chris" Evert is a former world number 1 professional tennis player from the United States. She won 18 Grand Slam singles championships, including a record seven championships at the French Open and a record six championships at the U.S. Open. According to the Women's Tennis...
before the semifinals of a Grand Slam singles tournament. Jordan defeated Evert 6–1, 7–6 in the third round of Wimbledon in 1983 after Evert had reached at least the semifinals of her first 34 Grand Slam singles tournaments.
In women's doubles, Jordan won five Grand Slam titles, four of which were in partnership with
Anne SmithAnne Smith is a female former professional tennis player from the United States. Smith's highest women's doubles ranking was World No. 1 in 1980 and 1981. Her highest singles ranking was World No. 12 in 1982...
. She also won a career Grand Slam in women's doubles, winning each Grand Slam tournament at least once.
In the Wimbledon final on July 6, 1985, Jordan and
Elizabeth SmylieElizabeth Sayers Smylie is an Australian former tennis player.She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985.She won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993....
teamed to snap the 109-match winning streak of Navratilova and
Pam ShriverPamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and current sports broadcaster from the United States. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and 1 mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments...
5–7, 6–3, 6–4.
In mixed doubles, Jordan won two Grand Slam titles, both of which were in partnership with
Ken FlachKenneth Eliot "Ken" Flach is a former professional tennis player from the United States. A doubles specialist, he won 4 Grand Slam men's doubles titles , and 2 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles...
.
Jordan retired in 1991. Her highest singles rank was world number five in 1984 and her highest doubles rank was world number 6 in 1991.
Jordan was nicknamed "KJ."
Singles: 1 (0 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome |
Year |
Championship |
Surface |
Opponent in the final |
Score in the final |
| Runner-up |
1983 Martina Navratilova defeated Kathy Jordan 6-2 7-6 in the final to win the Women's Singles title at the 1983 Australian Open.See also:-Seeds:... |
Australian OpenThe Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held each year. The tournament is held each January at Melbourne Park. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was contested on grass from then up to 1987. Since 1988, the tournament has been held on hard... |
Grass |
USA Martina NavratilovaMartina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1... |
6–2, 7–6(5) |
Doubles: 11 (5 titles, 6 runner-ups)
| Outcome |
Year |
Championship |
Surface |
Partner |
Opponents in the final |
Score in the final |
| Winner |
1980 |
French Open |
Clay |
USA Anne Smith Anne Smith is a female former professional tennis player from the United States. Smith's highest women's doubles ranking was World No. 1 in 1980 and 1981. Her highest singles ranking was World No. 12 in 1982... |
ARG Ivanna Madruga ARG Adriana Villagran |
6–1, 6–0 |
| Winner |
1980 |
WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is generally considered the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in the London suburb of Wimbledon since 1877... |
Grass |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Rosemary Casals Rosemary "Rosie" Casals is a former American professional tennis player. "The other kids had nice tennis clothes, nice rackets, nice white shoes, and came in Cadillacs. I felt stigmatized because we were poor."Introduction...
AUS Wendy TurnbullWendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 10 singles titles and 54 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull... |
4–6, 7–5, 6–1 |
| Runner-up |
1981 |
Wimbledon |
Grass |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Martina NavratilovaMartina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1...
USA Pam ShriverPamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and current sports broadcaster from the United States. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and 1 mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments... |
6–3, 7–6(6) |
| Winner |
1981 |
US Open |
Hard |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Rosemary Casals AUS Wendy Turnbull |
6–3, 6–3 |
| Winner |
1981 |
Australian OpenThe Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held each year. The tournament is held each January at Melbourne Park. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was contested on grass from then up to 1987. Since 1988, the tournament has been held on hard... |
Grass |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Martina NavratilovaMartina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1...
USA Pam ShriverPamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and current sports broadcaster from the United States. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and 1 mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments... |
6–2, 7–5 |
| Runner-up |
1982 |
Wimbledon |
Grass |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Martina Navratilova USA Pam Shriver |
6–4, 6–1 |
| Runner-up |
1983 |
French Open |
Clay |
USA Anne Smith |
RSA Rosalyn Fairbank Nideffer Rosalyn Doris Fairbank-Nideffer is a former professional tennis player from South Africa. She played her first grand slam in 1979, with her last appearance coming as late as 1997...
USA Candy ReynoldsCandy Reynolds is a former professional tennis player from the United States.During her career, Reynolds won the women's doubles title at the French Open in 1983... |
5–7, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Runner-up |
1984 |
Wimbledon |
Grass |
USA Anne Smith |
USA Martina Navratilova USA Pam Shriver |
6–3, 6–4 |
| Winner |
1985 |
Wimbledon (2) |
Grass |
AUS Elizabeth Sayers Smylie Elizabeth Sayers Smylie is an Australian former tennis player.She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985.She won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.... |
USA Martina Navratilova USA Pam Shriver |
5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Runner-up |
1987 |
US Open |
Hard |
AUS Elizabeth Sayers Smylie |
USA Martina Navratilova USA Pam Shriver |
5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Runner-up |
1990 |
Wimbledon |
Grass |
AUS Elizabeth Sayers Smylie |
TCH Jana Novotná Jana Novotná is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. She played a serve and volley game, an increasingly rare style of play among women during her career...
TCH Helena SukováHelena Suková is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. During her career, she won 14 Grand Slam titles, 9 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles... |
6–4, 6–1 |
Mixed doubles: 3 (2 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome |
Year |
Championship |
Surface |
Partner |
Opponents in the final |
Score in the final |
| Runner-up |
1984 |
WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon, is the oldest tennis tournament in the world and is generally considered the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in the London suburb of Wimbledon since 1877... |
Grass |
USA Steve Denton Steve Denton is a former professional tennis player for the ATP Tour. He is currently the head men's tennis coach at Texas A&M University.... |
AUS Wendy Turnbull Wendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 10 singles titles and 54 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull...
GBR John Lloyd |
6–3, 6–3 |
| Winner |
1986 |
French Open |
Clay |
USA Ken Flach Kenneth Eliot "Ken" Flach is a former professional tennis player from the United States. A doubles specialist, he won 4 Grand Slam men's doubles titles , and 2 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles... |
RSA Rosalyn Fairbank Nideffer Rosalyn Doris Fairbank-Nideffer is a former professional tennis player from South Africa. She played her first grand slam in 1979, with her last appearance coming as late as 1997...
AUS Mark EdmondsonMark Edmondson is a former professional Australian male tennis player.... |
3–6, 7–6(3), 6–3 |
| Winner |
1986 |
Wimbledon |
Grass |
USA Ken Flach |
USA Martina NavratilovaMartina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1...
SUI Heinz GünthardtHeinz Peter Gunthardt is a former tennis player from Switzerland, who won five singles titles during his professional career, including the Rotterdam WCT in 1980.... |
6–3, 7–6(7) |
Singles (1)
| No. |
Date |
Tournament |
Surface |
Opponent in Final |
Score in Final |
| 1. |
March 21, 1982 |
Boston, USA The VS of Boston is a defunct WTA Tour affiliated tennis tournament played from 1971 to 1998. It was held in Boston, Massachusetts in the United States and played on indoor hard courts from 1971 to 1980, on indoor carpet courts from 1981 to 1990, and on outdoor hard courts in 1998.Martina...
|
Carpet (I) |
AUS Wendy Turnbull Wendy Turnbull, MBE, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won 9 Grand Slam titles, 4 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles. She also was a 3-time Grand Slam singles runner-up and won 10 singles titles and 54 doubles titles.-Career:Turnbull...
|
7–5, 1–6, 6–4 |
Doubles (41)
Grand slam events in boldface.
- 1979: Indianapolis U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships (with Anne Smith
Anne Smith is a female former professional tennis player from the United States. Smith's highest women's doubles ranking was World No. 1 in 1980 and 1981. Her highest singles ranking was World No. 12 in 1982...
)
- 1980: Hilton Head (with Anne Smith)
- 1980: French Open (with Anne Smith)
- 1980: Eastbourne (with Anne Smith)
- 1980: Wimbledon (with Anne Smith)
- 1980: Las Vegas (with Anne Smith)
- 1980: Brighton (with Anne Smith)
- 1981: Cincinnati (with Anne Smith)
- 1981: Amelia Island (with Anne Smith)
- 1981: San Diego (with Candy Reynolds
Candy Reynolds is a former professional tennis player from the United States.During her career, Reynolds won the women's doubles title at the French Open in 1983...
)
- 1981: US Open (with Anne Smith)
- 1981: Australian Open (with Anne Smith)
- 1982: Washington (with Anne Smith)
- 1982: Houston (with Pam Shriver
Pamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and current sports broadcaster from the United States. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and 1 mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments...
)
- 1982: Los Angeles (with Anne Smith)
- 1982: Boston (with Anne Smith)
- 1982: San Diego (with Paula Smith
Paula Smith is a former American tennis player. She played 100 singles matches and 47 doubles matches between 1976 and 1988. Although not winning any titles, she reached the finals of the French Open once in 1981, partnering Candy Reynolds, and again in mixed doubles in 1985, partnering Francisco...
)
- 1982: Atlanta (with Betsy Nagelsen
Betsy Nagelsen McCormack is a retired professional tennis player from the United States. Nagelsen won the doubles championship at the 1978 and 1980 Australian Opens . She reached the singles final of the 1978 Australian Open, losing to Christine O'Neil...
)
- 1983: Palm Springs (with Ann Kiyomura
Ann Kiyomura-Hayashi is a former professional tennis player.Kiyomura played on the WTA Tour from 1973 to 1984. She played in 11 US Opens, reaching the fourth round in 1978. In 1975, she won the Wimbledon women's doubles title, playing with Kazuko Sawamatsu...
)
- 1983: Detroit (with Barbara Potter
Barbara Potter is a former tennis player from the United States, who competed professionally on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, winning six singles titles and eight doubles titles....
)
- 1984: Amelia Island (with Anne Smith)
- 1984: Montreal (with Elizabeth Smylie
Elizabeth Sayers Smylie is an Australian former tennis player.She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985.She won the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993....
)
- 1985: Key Biscayne (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1985: Marco Island (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1985: Tokyo Bridgestone Doubles (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1985: Wimbledon (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1985: Mahwah (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1985: Chicago (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1986: Wichita (with Candy Reynolds)
- 1986: Key Biscayne (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1986: Princeton (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1986: Hilversum (with Helena Suková
Helena Suková is a former professional tennis player from the Czech Republic. During her career, she won 14 Grand Slam titles, 9 of them in women's doubles and 5 of them in mixed doubles...
)
- 1987: Tokyo Japan Open (with Betsy Nagelsen)
- 1987: Houston (with Martina Navratilova
Martina Navrátilová is a Czech-American tennis player. A former World No. 1...
)
- 1987: Aptos (with Robin White
Robin White may refer to:* Robin White , BBC journalist and playwright* Robin White , professional tennis player* Robin White , Now communication coach with Matrix...
)
- 1987: Brighton (with Helena Suková)
- 1990: San Antonio (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1990: Tokyo Japan Open (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1990: Nashville (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1990: Virginia Slims Championships (with Elizabeth Smylie)
- 1991: Tokyo Pan Pacific (with Elizabeth Smylie)
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
| Tournament | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | Career SR |
Australian OpenThe Australian Open is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments held each year. The tournament is held each January at Melbourne Park. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was contested on grass from then up to 1987. Since 1988, the tournament has been held on hard...
|
A |
A |
A |
3R |
A |
F |
A |
A |
NH |
A |
A |
A |
A |
0 / 2 |
| French Open |
A |
A |
QF |
3R |
A |
4R |
2R |
A |
1R |
A |
A |
A |
A |
0 / 5 |
| Wimbledon |
A |
4R |
4R |
4R |
3R |
QF |
SF |
2R |
4R |
1R |
A |
A |
1R |
0 / 10 |
| US Open |
2R |
4R |
4R |
4R |
1R |
4R |
2R |
4R |
4R |
1R |
A |
A |
1R |
0 / 11 |
| SR |
0 / 1 |
0 / 2 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 2 |
0 / 4 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 2 |
0 / 3 |
0 / 2 |
0 / 0 |
0 / 0 |
0 / 2 |
0 / 28 |
NH = tournament not held.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
External links