.jpg) Fry in the Netherlands in 1953 | |
| Full name | Shirley June Fry Irvin |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | (1927-06-30)June 30, 1927 Akron, Ohio, United States |
| Died | July 13, 2021(2021-07-13) (aged 94) Naples, Florida, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Retired | 1957 |
| Plays | Right–handed |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1970(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 596-146 (80.3%) |
| Career titles | 63 |
| Highest ranking | No.1 (1956) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1957) |
| French Open | W (1951) |
| Wimbledon | W (1956) |
| US Open | W (1956) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 0–0 |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1957) |
| French Open | W (1950, 1951, 1952, 1953) |
| Wimbledon | W (1951, 1952, 1953) |
| US Open | W (1951, 1952, 1953, 1954) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| French Open | F (1952) |
| Wimbledon | W (1956) |
| US Open | F (1951, 1955) |
| Team competitions | |
| Wightman Cup | W (1951,1952,1953,1955,1956) |
Shirley June Fry Irvin (néeFry; June 30, 1927 – July 13, 2021) was an Americantennis player. During her career, which lasted from the early 1940s until the mid-1950s, she won the singles title at all four Grand Slam events, as well as 13 doubles titles, and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1956.
Fry was born inAkron, Ohio, on June 30, 1927.[1] She started playing tennis competitively at age nine.[2][3] She was educated atRollins College inWinter Park, Florida, graduating in 1949.[2][4]
Fry was one of 10 women[a] to have won eachGrand Slamsingles tournament at least once during her career. She was also one of seven women (withDoris Hart,Margaret Court,Martina Navratilova,Pam Shriver,Serena Williams, andVenus Williams) to have won all four Grand Slamdoubles tournaments.[5] At theU.S. National Championship (precursor of theU.S. Open) in 1942, Fry reached the singles quarterfinals at the age of 15. AtWimbledon in1953, Fry and Hart lost only four games during the entire women's doubles tournament and won three matches without losing a game, including the semifinals and finals, the latter over Connolly andJulia Sampson. Fry won the last three Grand Slam singles tournaments she entered, including wins overAlthea Gibson in the Wimbledon quarterfinal and U.S. Championship final in 1956 and theAustralian Championships final in 1957.[5]
Fry was ranked in the world top 10 in 1946 and 1948 and from 1950 through 1955 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), and No. 1 in 1956.[6] TheUnited States Lawn Tennis Association ranked her in the U.S. top 10 from 1944 through 1955 and No. 1 in 1956.[7] She briefly retired in early 1956 and worked as acopygirl for theSt. Petersburg Times. However, she returned later that spring after receiving an invitation to play in theWightman Cup.[1][8] She retired for the final time in 1957,[8] and was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in 1970.[5]
From 1951 through 1956, Fry participated in the Wightman Cup, the women's team competition between Great Britain and the United States, and contributed to the U.S. victory during each of these editions with the exception of1954, when her final doubles rubber was not played. She compiled a 10–2 win–loss record.[4]
Fry married Karl Irvin in Australia in February 1957, after which she retired from top-level tennis.[3][4] They remained married until his death from a heart attack in 1976. Together, they had four children: Mark, Scott, Lori and Karen.[1]
Fry resided inNaples, Florida, during her later years.[8] She died there on the night of July 13, 2021, at the age of 94.[1][9] Prior to her death, she was the longest surviving female Grand Slam tournament and Wimbledon singles champion.[10]
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | 1 / 1 |
| French Championships | R | R | R | R | A | A | A | F | A | QF | W | F | SF | A | A | A | A | 1 / 5 |
| Wimbledon | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | QF | 4R | QF | F | SF | SF | QF | A | W | A | 1 / 8 |
| U.S. Championships | 1R | QF | 1R | QF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 3R | QF | F | SF | SF | SF | QF | W | A | 1 / 16 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 2 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 4 / 30 |
| Tournament | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | 1 / 1 |
| French Championships | R | R | R | R | A | A | A | F | A | W | W | W | W | A | A | A | A | 4 / 5 |
| Wimbledon | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | 3R | SF | F | W | W | W | F | A | SF | A | 3 / 8 |
| U.S. Championships | A | 1R | 1R | QF | SF | SF | SF | SF | F | F | W | W | W | W | F | F | A | 4 / 15 |
| SR | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 3 / 3 | 1 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 12 / 29 |
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Source:[5]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1948 | French Championships | Clay |  Nelly Adamson Landry | 2–6, 6–0, 0–6 |
| Win | 1951 | French Championships | Clay |  Doris Hart | 6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1951 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | 1–6, 0–6 |
| Loss | 1951 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Maureen Connolly | 3–6, 6–1, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1952 | French Championships | Clay | Doris Hart | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1956 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Angela Buxton | 6–3, 6–1 |
| Win | 1956 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Althea Gibson | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1957 | Australian Championships | Grass | Althea Gibson | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1948 | French Championships | Clay | Mary Arnold | Doris HartPatricia Canning Todd | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1949 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise BroughMargaret Osborne duPont | 4–6, 8–10 |
| Win | 1950 | French Championships | Clay | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 1–6, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1950 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 4–6, 7–5, 1–6 |
| Loss | 1950 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 1951 | French Championships | Clay | Doris Hart |  Beryl BartlettBarbara Scofield | 10–8, 6–3 |
| Win | 1951 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 6–2, 13–11 |
| Win | 1951 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Nancy ChaffeePatricia Canning Todd | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1952 | French Championships | Clay | Doris Hart | Hazel Redick-SmithJulia Wipplinger | 7–5, 6–1 |
| Win | 1952 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise BroughMaureen Connolly | 8–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1952 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Maureen Connolly | 10–8, 6–4 |
| Win | 1953 | French Championships | Clay | Doris Hart | Maureen ConnollyJulia Sampson | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 1953 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | Maureen Connolly Julia Sampson | 6–0, 6–0 |
| Win | 1953 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 6–2, 7–9, 9–7 |
| Loss | 1954 | Wimbledon | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 6–4, 7–9, 1–6 |
| Win | 1954 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1955 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Doris Hart | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 3–6, 6–1, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1956 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Betty Rosenquest | Louise Brough Margaret Osborne duPont | 3–6, 0–6 |
| Win | 1957 | Australian Championships | Grass | Althea Gibson |  Mary Bevis HawtonFay Muller | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1951 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Mervyn Rose | Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1952 | French Championships | Clay | Eric Sturgess |  Doris Hart Frank Sedgman | 8–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1953 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Enrique Morea | Doris HartVic Seixas | 7–9, 5–7 |
| Loss | 1955 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Gardnar Mulloy | Doris Hart Vic Seixas | 5–7, 7–5, 2–6 |
| Win | 1956 | Wimbledon | Grass | Vic Seixas | Gardnar MulloyAlthea Gibson | 2–6, 6–2, 7–5 |
