Darlene Ruth Hard (January 6, 1936 – December 2, 2021) was an American professional tennis player, known for her aggressive volleying ability and strong serves. She captured singles titles at the French Championships in 1960 and the U.S. Championships in 1960 and 1961. With eight different partners, she won a total of 13 women's doubles titles and, with another three partners, she won 5 mixed doubles titles in Grand Slam tournaments, and was the finest doubles player of her generation.[1] Her last doubles title, at the age of 33 at the 1969 US Open, came six years after she had retired from serious competition to become a tennis instructor. She also played the US Open singles tournament in 1969, losing in the second round to Françoise Dürr.

According to Lance Tingay, Hard was ranked among the top 10 in the world from 1957 through 1963, reaching a career high of No. 2 in those rankings in 1957, 1960, and 1961.[2] The Miami Herald ranked her No. 1 for the 1961 season.[3] In 1957, she made her first Wimbledon finals appearance, losing to Althea Gibson.[4]

Hard was included in the year-end top-10 rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association from 1954 through 1963. Charles Friedman wrote in The New York Times that year that "as a doubles player, she has no peer."[5] She was the top-ranked U.S. player from 1960 through 1963.[6] With her younger doubles partner Billie Jean King, she helped the US team to victory in the 1963 Federation Cup. Hard was enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1973.[7]

College career

Queen Elizabeth II presents the Wimbledon championship trophy to Althea Gibson as Darlene Hard, at left, looks on (July 6, 1957).

Hard graduated from Pomona College in 1961.[8] She was the first woman inducted into the college's athletic hall of fame in 1974.[9]

Career

She was part of the American Wightman Cup team that won the trophy against Great Britain in 1957, 1959, 1962 and 1963.[10][4]

In 1964, Hard won the singles title at the South African Championships, defeating Ann Haydon-Jones in the final in straight sets, and soon afterwards turned professional when she became a teaching pro.[10] She later owned two tennis stores.[11]

According to a 2007 published report, she had been working for the University of Southern California since 1981 in the Publications Department.[11]

Personal life

In later life, Hard lived in the Woodland Hills section of Los Angeles. She worked at the University of Southern California in the Publications Dept. for four decades, aiding in the design and fact-checking of the University Yearbook.[1]

Hard was openly bisexual.[12]

Hard died at the age of 85 on December 2, 2021, from complications after a fall.[1][7][13] She was survived by her sister, Claire.[14] Hard's brief marriage to Richard Waggoner from 1977 to 1979 ended in divorce, and she had no children.[15]

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 7 (3 titles, 4 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1957WimbledonGrassUnited States Althea Gibson3–6, 2–6
Loss1958U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Althea Gibson6–3, 1–6, 2–6
Loss1959WimbledonGrassBrazil Maria Bueno4–6, 3–6
Win1960French ChampionshipsClayMexico Yola Ramírez6–3, 6–4
Win1960U.S. ChampionshipsGrassBrazil Maria Bueno6–4, 10–12, 6–4
Win1961U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon6–3, 6–4
Loss1962U.S. ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Court7–9, 4–6

Doubles: 18 (13 titles, 5 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1955French ChampionshipsClayUnited States Beverly BakerUnited Kingdom Shirley Bloomer
United Kingdom Pat Ward		7–5, 6–8, 13–11
Loss1956French ChampionshipsClayUnited States Dorothy HeadUnited Kingdom Angela Buxton
United States Althea Gibson		8–6, 6–8, 1–6
Win1957French ChampionshipsClayUnited Kingdom Shirley BloomerMexico Yola Ramírez
Mexico Rosie Reyes		7–5, 4–6, 7–5
Win1957WimbledonGrassUnited States Althea GibsonAustralia Mary Bevis Hawton
Australia Thelma Coyne Long		6–1, 6–2
Loss1957U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Althea GibsonUnited States Louise Brough
United States Margaret Osborne		2–6, 5–7
Win1958U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Jeanne ArthBrazil Maria Bueno
United States Althea Gibson		2–6, 6–3, 6–4
Win1959WimbledonGrassUnited States Jeanne ArthUnited States Beverly Baker
United Kingdom Christine Truman		2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win1959U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Jeanne ArthBrazil Maria Bueno
United States Sally Moore		6–2, 6–3
Win1960French ChampionshipsClayBrazil Maria BuenoUnited Kingdom Pat Ward
United Kingdom Ann Haydon		6–2, 7–5
Win1960WimbledonGrassBrazil Maria BuenoSouth Africa Sandra Reynolds
South Africa Renée Schuurman		6–4, 6–0
Win1960U.S. ChampionshipsGrassBrazil Maria BuenoUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon
United Kingdom Deidre Catt		6–1, 6–1
Loss1961French ChampionshipsClayBrazil Maria BuenoSouth Africa Sandra Reynolds
South Africa Renée Schuurman		default
Win1961U.S. ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Lesley TurnerWest Germany Edda Buding
Mexico Yola Ramírez		6–4, 5–7, 6–0
Loss1962Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Mary Carter ReitanoAustralia Robyn Ebbern
Australia Margaret Smith		4–6, 4–6
Win1962U.S. ChampionshipsGrassBrazil Maria BuenoUnited States Karen Hantze
United States Billie Jean Moffitt		4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Win1963WimbledonGrassBrazil Maria BuenoAustralia Robyn Ebbern
Australia Margaret Smith		8–6, 9–7
Loss1963U.S. ChampionshipsGrassBrazil Maria BuenoAustralia Robyn Ebbern
Australia Margaret Smith		6–4, 8–10, 3–6
Win1969US OpenGrassFrance Françoise DürrAustralia Margaret Court
United Kingdom Virginia Wade		0–6, 6–3, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 11 (5 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1955French ChampionshipsClaySouth Africa Gordon ForbesAustralia Jenny Staley
Chile Luis Ayala		5–7, 6–1, 6–2
Loss1956French ChampionshipsClayAustralia Bob HoweAustralia Thelma Coyne Long
Chile Luis Ayala		6–4, 4–6, 1–6
Loss1956U.S. ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Lew HoadUnited States Margaret Osborne
Australia Ken Rosewall		7–9, 1–6
Win1957WimbledonGrassAustralia Mervyn RoseUnited States Althea Gibson
Australia Neale Fraser		6–4, 7–5
Loss1957U.S. ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Bob HoweUnited States Althea Gibson
Denmark Kurt Nielsen		3–6, 7–9
Win1959WimbledonGrassAustralia Rod LaverBrazil Maria Bueno
Australia Neale Fraser		6–4, 6–3
Win1960WimbledonGrassAustralia Rod LaverBrazil Maria Bueno
Australia Bob Howe		13–11, 3–6, 8–6
Win1961French ChampionshipsClayAustralia Rod LaverCzechoslovakia Vera Suková
Czechoslovakia Jirí Javorský		6–0, 2–6, 6–3
Loss1961U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Dennis RalstonAustralia Margaret Smith
Australia Bob Mark		default
Loss1962Australian ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom Roger TaylorAustralia Lesley Turner
Australia Fred Stolle		3–6, 7–9
Loss1963WimbledonGrassAustralia Bob HewittAustralia Margaret Smith
Australia Ken Fletcher		9–11, 4–6

Grand Slam singles performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RRQ# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964 – 196819691970Career SR
Australian Championships A A A A A A A A A QF A A A A 0 / 1
French Championships A A 2R 3R QF A A W 4R A 2R A A A 1 / 6
Wimbledon A A SF 3R F A F QF A QF SF A A A 0 / 7
U.S. Championships/US Open 2R SF 3R QF SF F SF W W F QF A 2R 2R 2 / 13
Strike rate 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 1 0 / 2 2 / 3 1 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 3 / 27

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Smith, Harrison (December 8, 2021). "Darlene Hard, Tennis Hall of Famer and 'best doubles player of her generation,' dies at 85". The Washington Post.
  2. ↑ Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York, N.Y: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 703. ISBN 978-0-942257-41-0.
  3. ↑ "Fullmer, Tittle, Sellers Star, But None Measure Up to Maris". The Miami Herald. December 28, 1961.
  4. 1 2 "International Tennis Hall of Fame". www.tennisfame.com. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
  5. ↑ Friedman, Charles (December 30, 1963). "Darlene Hard Heads U.S. Women's Tennis Rankings Fourth Year in Row; Two California Women Top Lawn Tennis Rankings". The New York Times.
  6. ↑ United States Tennis Association (1988). 1988 Official USTA Tennis Yearbook. Lynn, Massachusetts: H. O. Zimman, Inc. p. 261.
  7. 1 2 "Three-time tennis major winner Hard dies at 85". ESPN. December 4, 2021. Archived from the original on December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ "1960". Pomona College Timeline. November 7, 2014. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Darlene R. Hard". ITA Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  10. 1 2 "Darlene Hard…Tribute To A Little Known Great Player". WLM Tennis. December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 10, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Hard is fine far from Centre Court". Los Angeles Times. July 3, 2007.
  12. ↑ Telegraph Obituaries (January 24, 2022). "Darlene Hard, American tennis star of the 1950s and 1960s who won 21 grand slam titles – obituary". The Daily Telegraph.
  13. ↑ Harris, Beth (December 4, 2021). "Darlene Hard, 3-time major tennis champion, dies at 85". WDIV-TV. Associated Press. Retrieved December 4, 2021.
  14. ↑ "Darlene Hard obituary". The Guardian. December 23, 2021.
  15. ↑ "Darlene Hard, American tennis star of the 1950s and 1960s who won 21 grand slam titles – obituary". The Daily Telegraph. January 24, 2022.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darlene_Hard