 Helga Niessen-Masthoff in 1965 | |
| ITF name | Helga Masthoff |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  West Germany |
| Born | (1941-11-11)11 November 1941 (age 84) Essen, Germany |
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) |
| Plays | Right-handed (one handed backhand) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 68–33 |
| Highest ranking | No. 6 (1970) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1976) |
| French Open | F (1970) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1970,1974) |
| US Open | SF (1973) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 38–22 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1976) |
| French Open | F (1976) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1968,1971) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1965) |
| French Open | 1R (1964) |
Helga Niessen Masthoff (néeNiessen; born 11 November 1941) is a formertennis player fromWest Germany. Her bestGrand Slam singles tournament was when she reached the1970 French Open final, losing toMargaret Court in straight sets. She won theGerman Open three consecutive years from 1972 through 1974, beatingMartina Navratilova in the 1974 final, in three sets. Masthoff was the runner-up at that tournament in 1971, losing toBillie Jean King.
She won the German national singles title on ten occasions (1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978).[1]
At the1968 Olympic Games inMexico City when tennis was a demonstration sport, Masthoff won the singles and doubles (withEdda Buding) gold medals and the silver medal in mixed doubles (withJürgen Faßbender).
Masthoff teamed withKathleen Harter to reach the women's doubles final at the1976 French Open, losing to the team ofFiorella Bonicelli andGail Sherriff Lovera 6–4, 1–6, 6–3. Masthoff played onWest Germany's Fed Cup team from 1965 to 1967, in 1969 and 1970, and from 1972 through 1977. Her overall win–loss record was 38–18, 23–10 in singles and 15–8 in doubles.
According toBud Collins, Masthoff was ranked in the world top 10 in 1970, 1971, and 1973, reaching a career high of world No. 6 in 1970.[2]
In 1970, she received theSilbernes Lorbeerblatt (Silver Laurel Leaf), the highest sports award in Germany.[3]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1970 | French Open | Clay |  Margaret Court | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1976 | French Open | Clay |  Kathleen Harter |  Gail Sheriff Fiorella Bonicelli | 4–6, 6–1, 3–6 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A / A | A | 0 / 2 |
| France | A | 2R | 1R | 2R | A | A | A | F | 1R | SF | QF | SF | 2R | QF | 3R | QF | 0 / 12 |
| Wimbledon | 2R | 3R | 2R | 1R | A | 2R | A | QF | 3R | 2R | A | QF | A | A | 2R | A | 0 / 10 |
| United States | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 2 |
| SR | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 26 |
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977 (in January and December).
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