Chris O'Neil

Christine O'Neil (born 19 March 1956) is a former professional female tennis player from Australia.[2]

Chris O'Neil
Country (sports) Australia
ResidenceAustralia
Born (1956-03-19) 19 March 1956
Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Height175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro1973
PlaysRight-handed
Singles
Career record19–52
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 80 (1978)[1]
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenW (1978)
French Open2R (1981)
Wimbledon3R (1974)
US Open2R (1978, 1979)
Doubles
Career record64–82
Career titles1
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1976, 1978)
French OpenQF (1978)
WimbledonQF (1976)
US OpenQF (1978)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Wimbledon2R (1976, 1977)
US Open2R (1978)

O'Neil is best known for her singles victory at the 1978 Australian Open, becoming the last Australian female to win the tournament, until Ashleigh Barty's win at the 2022 Australian Open, coincidentally by the same scoreline, 6-3 7-6.[3] She also became the first unseeded woman to win the Australian title in the open era;[4] she defeated Betsy Nagelsen in the final in straight sets.[5] This feat went unmatched until Serena Williams, unseeded and ranked World No. 81, won the 2007 Australian Open.[6] O'Neil is also one of the few players who have won both the Australian Open Junior (1973) and Senior (1978) championship titles.[4]

In 2007, along with her brothers Keith and William, O'Neil took over the Morisset Sports & Tennis Centre located in Newcastle, New South Wales. The centre was subsequently renamed the O'Neil School of Tennis. She then moved on to operate O'Neil's School of Tennis in Cessnock, New South Wales. She has since moved to Port Macquarie and currently coaches.[7][8]

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 title)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1978Australian OpenGrassUnited States Betsy Nagelsen6–3, 7–6(7–3)

Grand Slam tournament performance timeline
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) Won; (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)

Singles
Tournament19731974197519761977197819791980198119821983 SR
Australian Open 1R 1R 2R 1R 1R A W A A Q2 2R Q2 1 / 7
French Open A Q1 A 1R 1R 1R 1R Q2 2R A 1R 0 / 6
Wimbledon A 3R 1R Q3 2R 1R 2R Q2 1R A 1R 0 / 7
US Open A 1R A A A 2R 2R Q3 A A Q2 0 / 3
Strike Rate 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 1 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 2 1 / 23

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

References
  1. Chris O'Neil player profile at Tennis Australia
  2. "Profiles: Chris O'Neil". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
  3. Poole, Harry (29 January 2022). "Barty wins Australian Open". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  4. "Australian Open Tennis". State Government of Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  5. "O'Neill, 6-3, 7-6". The Canberra Times. Vol. 53, no. 15, 809. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 4 January 1979. p. 22 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Williams wallops Sharapova for eighth Grand Slam". Associated Press. 27 January 2007. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  7. "O'Neil's School of Tennis". O'Neil's School of Tennis. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  8. "Chris O'Neil". Australian Tennis Professional Coaches Association. Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
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