 Long in 1932 | |
| Full name | Thelma Dorothy Coyne Long |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Born | (1918-10-14)14 October 1918 Sydney, Australia |
| Died | 13 April 2015(2015-04-13) (aged 96) Sydney, Australia |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 2013(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 7 (1952,Lance Tingay)[1] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1952,1954) |
| French Open | QF (1951) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1952) |
| US Open | QF (1952) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1958) |
| French Open | F (1958) |
| Wimbledon | F (1957) |
| US Open | SF (1958) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1951, 1952, 1954, 1955) |
| French Open | W (1956) |
| Wimbledon | F (1952) |
| US Open | F (1938, 1952) |
Thelma Dorothy Coyne Long (néeCoyne; 14 October 1918 – 13 April 2015) was an Australiantennis player and one of the female players who dominated Australian tennis from the mid-1930s to the 1950s. During her career, she won 19Grand Slam tournament titles. In 2013, Long was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame.[2]
At theAustralian Championships, Long won singles titles in 1952 and 1954 and was a singles finalist in 1940, 1951, 1955 and 1956.[3] In women's doubles, she won 10 titles withNancye Wynne Bolton (1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1951 and 1952) and two titles withMary Bevis Hawton (1956 and 1958). Long was a women's doubles finalist with Bolton in 1946 and 1950. She won mixed doubles titles in 1951, 1952 and 1955 withGeorge Worthington and in 1954 withRex Hartwig. She was a mixed doubles finalist in 1948 withBill Sidwell.
AtWimbledon, Long was a women's doubles finalist in 1957 with Hawton and a mixed doubles finalist in 1952 withEnrique Morea. At 52, Long teamed withLorraine Coghlan to lose in the first round of women's doubles at Wimbledon in 1971.
At theFrench Championships, Long was a women's doubles finalist in 1958 with Hawton, won the mixed doubles title in 1956 withLuis Ayala, and was a mixed doubles finalist in 1951 withMervyn Rose.
At the 1953 tournament inCincinnati, Long won the singles title (defeatingAnita Kanter 7–5, 6–2 in the final) and the women's doubles title with Kanter.
According to Lance Tingay ofThe Daily Telegraph and theDaily Mail, Long was ranked in the world top 10 in 1952 and 1954 (no rankings issued from 1940 to 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 7 in these rankings in 1952.[1]
Long became a teaching professional in 1960 and spent many years coaching junior players in New South Wales. In 1985, her achievements were recognised byTennis NSW when she was awarded Life Membership of the State Association.
On 30 August 2000, Long was awarded theAustralian Sports Medal. She was inducted into theAustralian Tennis Hall of Fame in a ceremony atMelbourne Park during the Australian Open onAustralia Day in 2002. In 2013, she was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame.[4]
She was born in Sydney, Australia, on 14 October 1918, the only child of Tom and Dorrie Coyne and was schooled at theSydney Girls High School.[5]
On 30 January 1941, she married Maurice Newton Long of Melbourne.[6] The marriage did not continue after the end of the Second World War.
In May 1941, during the Second World War, Long joined theRed Cross as a transport driver and worked in Melbourne. On 19 February 1942, she joined theAustralian Women's Army Service (AWAS) and rose to captain in April 1944.[7] For her service in the AWAS, she was awarded theWar Medal 1939–1945 and theAustralia Service Medal 1939–1945.
Long volunteered at theState Library of New South Wales and received the Volunteer Service Award in 1999.
Coyne died on 13 April 2015 at the age of 96.[8][5]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1940 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | 7–5, 4–6, 0–6 |
| Loss | 1951 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | 1–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 1952 | Australian Championships | Grass | Helen Angwin | 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Jenny Staley Hoad | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1955 | Australian Championships | Grass | Beryl Penrose | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1956 | Australian Championships | Grass | Mary Carter | 6–3, 2–6, 7–9 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1936 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | May Blik Katherine Woodward | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1937 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Nell Hall HopmanEmily Hood Westacott | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Win | 1938 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton |  Dorothy Bundy CheneyDorothy Workman | 9–7, 6–4 |
| Win | 1939 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | May Hardcastle Nell Hall Hopman | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 1940 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Joan Hartigan Emily Niemayer | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1946 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Joyce FitchMary Bevis Hawton | 7–9, 4–6 |
| Win | 1947 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Joyce Fitch Mary Bevis Hawton | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1948 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Pat Jones Mary Bevis Hawton | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1949 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Doris HartMarie Toomey | 6–0, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1950 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Louise Brough Doris Hart | 2–6, 6–2, 3–6 |
| Win | 1951 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Joyce Fitch Mary Bevis Hawton | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Win | 1952 | Australian Championships | Grass | Nancye Wynne Bolton | Allison Burton Baker Mary Bevis Hawton | 6–1, 6–1 |
| Win | 1956 | Australian Championships | Grass | Mary Hawton | Mary Carter Reitano Beryl Penrose | 6–2, 5–7, 9–7 |
| Loss | 1957 | Wimbledon | Grass | Mary Hawton | Althea GibsonDarlene Hard | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1958 | Australian Championships | Grass | Mary Hawton | Lorraine Coghlan Angela Mortimer | 7–5, 6–8, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1958 | French Championships | Clay | Mary Hawton |  Yola RamírezRosie Reyes | 4–6, 5–7 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1938 | U.S. Championships | Grass | John Bromwich | Alice MarbleDon Budge | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1951 | Australian Championships | Grass | George Worthington | Clare ProctorJack May | 6–4, 3–6, 6–2 |
| Win | 1952 | Australian Championships | Grass | George Worthington | Gwen ThieleTom Warhurst | 9–7, 7–5 |
| Loss | 1952 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Enrique Morea |  Doris HartFrank Sedgman | 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1952 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Lew Hoad | Doris Hart Frank Sedgman | 3–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 1954 | Australian Championships | Grass | Rex Hartwig | Beryl PenroseJohn Bromwich | 4–6, 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 1955 | Australian Championships | Grass | George Worthington | Jenny StaleyLew Hoad | 6–2, 6–1 |
| Win | 1956 | French Championships | Clay |  Luis Ayala | Doris HartBob Howe | 4–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held underGerman occupation.
| Tournament | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 – 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | SR | W–L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships | 1R | SF | SF | QF | SF | F | NH | NH | QF | SF | 2R2 | SF | QF | F | W | A | W | F | F | A | 2R | 1R | 2 / 18 | 46–14 | 76.7 |
| French Championships | A | A | A | 2R | A | NH | R | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | A | 3R | A | 3R | A | 0 / 4 | 7–3 | 70.0 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | 3R | A | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | 4R | 3R | 1R3 | QF | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 4R | A | 0 / 8 | 13–7 | 65.0 |
| U.S. Championships | A | A | A | 3R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | QF | 3R | A | A | A | A | 2R | A | 0 / 4 | 8–4 | 66.7 |
| Win–loss | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 6–3 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 6–2 | 4–2 | 7–2 | 11–2 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 4–1 | 6–3 | 0–1 | 7–3 | 0–1 | 2 / 34 | 74–28 | 72.5 |
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
2,3Coyne did not play. Her opponent got a walkover.
