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_with_trophy.jpg) Hilversum, Netherlands, 1965 | |
| Country (sports) |  France |
|---|---|
| Born | (1942-12-25)25 December 1942 (age 82) Algiers, French Algeria |
| Height | 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) |
| Turned pro | 1968 (start ofOpen era) |
| Retired | 1984 |
| Plays | Right-handed (one handed-backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2003(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 101–79 |
| Career titles | 50 |
| Highest ranking | No. 3 (1967) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1965,1967) |
| French Open | W (1967) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1970) |
| US Open | SF (1967) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 202–80 |
| Career titles | 60 |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (1969) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1969) |
| French Open | W (1967,1968,1969,1970,1971) |
| Wimbledon | F (1965,1968,1970,1972,1973,1975) |
| US Open | W (1969,1972) |
| Other doubles tournaments | |
| Tour Finals | W (1979) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Career titles | 4 |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1967) |
| French Open | W (1968,1971,1973) |
| Wimbledon | W (1976) |
| US Open | F (1969) |
Françoise Dürr (born 25 December 1942; sometimes referred to by English writers asFrankie Durr) is a retired French tennis player. She won 50 singles titles and over 60 doubles titles.
Durr played with an unorthodox backhand, which she played with an Eastern forehand grip and her index finger extended up the handle. She is also noted for having an unorthodox serve that "might not have registered on a radar gun" according to her official Tennis Hall of Fame biography.[1]
According toLance Tingay,Bud Collins, and theWomen's Tennis Association, Dürr was ranked in the world top ten from 1965 through 1967, from 1970 through 1972, and from 1974 through 1976, reaching a career high of world No. 3 in those rankings in 1967.[2] She finished second toBillie Jean King in prize money earnings in 1971.
Dürr reached a total of 27Grand Slam finals – one in singles, 18 in women's doubles, and eight in mixed doubles. She won twelve of them.
Françoise Dürr married Boyd Browning, an American radio executive, in 1975 and later moved to the United States where she stayed for 10 years. Her son Nicholas was born in 1980, her daughter Jessica in 1985. In 1992 she returned to live near Paris.[3]
Dürr is best known for winning the singles title at the1967 French Championships. She defeatedMaria Bueno in a quarterfinal andLesley Turner in the final. In addition to her singles championship, Dürr won sevenGrand Slam women's doubles titles and four Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. She was the runner-up in 11 Grand Slam women's doubles events and four Grand Slam mixed doubles events.
Dürr won eight doubles titles at theFrench Championships. The first of her record-tying five consecutive women's doubles titles was in 1967. This record is shared withMartina Navratilova andGigi Fernández, who, like Dürr, achieved it with separate partners. Dürr teamed withAnn Haydon-Jones to win the titles in1968 and1969 and withGail Sherriff Chanfreau in1967,1970, and1971. She was the runner-up in women's doubles in1965 withJanine Lieffrig, in1973 withBetty Stöve, and in1979 withVirginia Wade. Dürr teamed withJean-Claude Barclay to win the mixed doubles title in 1968, 1971, and 1973. They were runners-up in 1969, 1970, and 1972. In total, Dürr reached 15 finals at the French Open, winning 9 of them.
She won two doubles titles at theUS Open. She won the women's doubles title in1969 withDarlene Hard and in1972 with Stöve. Dürr was the runner-up in that event in1971 with Chanfreau and in1974 with Stöve. Dürr was the runner-up in mixed doubles in 1969, teaming withDennis Ralston.
She won theWimbledon mixed doubles title in1976 withTony Roche. She was the runner-up in women's doubles at Wimbledon in1965 with Lieffrig,1968 with Jones,1970 with Wade,1972 withJudy Tegart Dalton, and1973 and1975 with Stöve. Additionally, Dürr was a singles semifinalist at the Championships in 1970.
Dürr was rarely a participant at theAustralian Championships and Australian Open, as she appeared there three times, in1965,1967, and1969. She reached the singles quarterfinals in 1965 and 1967 and the doubles semifinals with Jones in 1969.
Dürr and Betty Stöve won the 1979WTA Tour Championships in doubles againstSue Barker andAnn Kiyomura, beating them 7–6, 7–6 in the final. She played the French Open ladies doubles event a last time in 1984, reaching the second round and then retired from Grand Slam competition.
She played for theFrance Fed Cup team 14 times, finishing her career with a 31–17 record. She played 27 ties, with a 16–8 singles record and a 15–9 doubles record.
Dürr played her last official match in 1984 at the French Open, and was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 2003 for her extraordinary career in doubles and for winning the French Championships in singles.
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1967 | French Championships | Clay |  Lesley Turner | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1965 | French Championships | Clay | Janine Lieffrig | Margaret CourtLesley Turner | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 1965 | Wimbledon | Grass | Janine Lieffrig |  Maria Bueno Billie Jean King | 2–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 1967 | French Championships | Clay | Gail Chanfreau |  Annette Van ZylPat Walkden | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1968 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Ann Haydon-Jones | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 6–3, 4–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 1968 | French Open | Clay | Ann Haydon-Jones | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1969 | French Open | Clay | Ann Haydon-Jones | Nancy Richey Margaret Court | 6–0, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 1969 | US Open | Grass | Darlene Hard | Margaret CourtVirginia Wade | 0–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1970 | French Open | Clay | Gail Chanfreau | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 6–1, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1970 | Wimbledon | Grass | Virginia Wade | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 1971 | French Open | Clay | Gail Chanfreau | Helen GourlayKerry Harris | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1971 | US Open | Grass | Gail Chanfreau | Rosemary CasalsJudy Tegart | 3–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1972 | Wimbledon | Grass | Judy Tegart | Billie Jean King Betty Stöve | 2–6, 6–4, 3–6 |
| Win | 1972 | US Open | Grass | Betty Stöve | Margaret Court Virginia Wade | 6–3, 1–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1973 | French Open | Clay | Betty Stöve | Margaret Court Virginia Wade | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1973 | Wimbledon | Grass | Betty Stöve | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 1–6, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Loss | 1974 | US Open | Grass | Betty Stöve | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King | 6–7, 7–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1975 | Wimbledon | Grass | Betty Stöve | Ann Kiyomura Kazuko Sawamatsu | 5–7, 6–1, 5–7 |
| Loss | 1979 | French Open | Clay | Virginia Wade | Betty StöveWendy Turnbull | 6–2, 5–7, 4–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1968 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Billie Jean KingOwen Davidson | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1969 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Margaret CourtMarty Riessen | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1969 | US Open | Grass | Dennis Ralston | Margaret Court Marty Riessen | 4–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 1970 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Billie Jean KingBob Hewitt | 6–3, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1971 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Winnie Shaw Toomas Leius | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1972 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Evonne GoolagongKim Warwick | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1973 | French Open | Clay | Jean-Claude Barclay | Betty StövePatrice Dominguez | 6–1, 6–4 |
| Win | 1976 | Wimbledon | Grass | Tony Roche | Rosemary CasalsDick Stockton | 6–3, 2–6, 7–5 |
Dürr won over 60 major doubles titles in her career with various partners and featured in many more finals and semifinals. She featured in many major singles finals and semifinals in a career spanning over 20 years. She was French No. 1 for almost all that time. Dürr was an integral member of France'sFed Cup team in 1963–1967, 1970, 1972, and 1977–1979. Her career win–loss record was 16–8 in singles and 15–9 in doubles.
Dürr, Ann Jones, Billie Jean King and Rosemary Casals were the first women to sign professional contracts and organise their own tours at the start of the open era in 1968. In 1970, Dürr had a commitment to play her French Tennis Nationals and went back to France, which prevented her from signing up with Gladys Heldman'sOriginal 9 like Stöve too.[5][6] Dürr was a founding member of theWomen's Tennis Association in 1973 and became the WTA's secretary withBillie Jean King elected as president.[7] Dürr was the first woman to play 100 events on the Virginia Slims Tour (1978). Dürr played consistently on theWorld Team Tennis circuit from 1974 to 1978. Dürr was the first female player to travel the tennis circuit with her dog named Topspin. The dog also became a star because she carried Dürr's racquet onto the tennis court and was the mascot for the World Team TennisDenver Racquets.[8][9]
In 1993, Dürr was appointed the first Technical Director of Women's Tennis for the French Tennis Federation (FFT). She was the captain of the FrenchFed Cup team from 1993 through 1996 and the co-captain of the team withYannick Noah in 1997 when they won the first Fed Cup for France. She retired from the FFT in February 2002.
She received theWTA Tour's Honorary Membership Award in 1988 for her contributions to the founding, development, and direction of women's professional tennis. In 2003, Dürr was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame. She received the Fed Cup Award of Excellence in 2005, presented jointly by theInternational Tennis Federation and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In April 2010 a French national honour was presented to Françoise Dürr in recognition of her contribution to sport and the advancement of women in sport. She received the Medal and title of Officer of the National Order of Merit (Officier de l'Ordre national du Mérite, France).[10]In 2024 Francoise Dürr was the awarded the highest civilian honour that can be bestowed that of Legion of Honour which was presented to her by President Macron .
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | W–L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | QF | A | 2R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 6–3 |
| France | 3R | 3R | 4R | 4R | 2R | QF | QF | W | 4R | 3R | 3R | QF | SF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | 40–15 | |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | 2R | 2R | 4R | QF | 3R | QF | 2R | SF | QF | QF | 4R | 3R | 2R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 35–17 | |
| U.S. Championships | A | A | 3R | A | 3R | QF | QF | SF | 3R | 3R | QF | 3R | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 4R | 1R | A | 1R | 28–16 | |
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | W–L | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | QF | A | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 5–3 |
| France | 2R | 2R | QF | QF | 1R | F | QF | W | W | W | W | W | SF | F | A | A | A | A | A | F | 1R | 2R | A | A | 2R | 43–12 | |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | F | 1R | QF | F | 3R | F | SF | F | F | QF | F | QF | SF | SF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | 51–17 | |
| U.S. Championships | A | A | A | A | A | A | SF | A | SF | W | SF | F | W | QF | F | SF | QF | QF | SF | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | 39–11 | |
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.
| Tournament | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | W–L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | SF | A | 1R | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | 4–3 |
| France | 3R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | SF | QF | 2R | W | F | F | W | F | W | A | A | A | A | A | QF | QF | 40–10 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | 1R | 4R | QF | SF | 3R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 3R | 4R | SF | 3R | W | 3R | SF | 2R | A | 29–16 |
| U.S. Championships | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 2R | A | A | F | SF | 2R | 3R | QF | A | 2R | QF | 1R | QF | QF | A | 20–10 |
Note: no mixed-doubles tournament was held at the Australian Open from 1970 to 1986
