Jan Lehane

Janice Patricia "Jan" Lehane O'Neill OAM (née Lehane; born 9 July 1941) is a former Australian female tennis player. She was the first leading female player with a double-handed backhand.[1]

Jan Lehane
Full nameJanice Patricia Lehane-O'Neill
ITF nameJan O'Neill
Country (sports) Australia
Born (1941-07-09) 9 July 1941
Grenfell, New South Wales, Australia
PlaysRight-handed (double-handed backhand)
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 7 (1963)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenF (1960, 1961, 1962, 1963)
French OpenQF (1960, 1962, 1963, 1964)
WimbledonQF (1963)
US OpenQF (1960, 1961)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenF (1961, 1963)
French OpenSF (1960, 1961, 1962)
WimbledonF (1961)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenW (1960, 1961)
French OpenSF (1961)
Wimbledon4R (1960, 1962)
Team competitions
Fed CupF (1963)

She won the singles title at the New South Wales Championships in 1959 after a three-sets victory in the final against Mary Carter Reitano. In 1960, she successfully defended her title by winning the semifinal against world No. 1 ranked Maria Bueno and the final in straight sets against Margaret Smith.[2]

At the Australian Championships, Lehane reached the singles final four consecutive years (1960–1963) but lost to Margaret Smith each time. She had a similar experience in women's doubles, reaching the final twice (in 1961 with Mary Bevis Hawton and 1963 with Lesley Turner Bowrey) but losing each time to a team that included Smith (with Mary Carter Reitano in 1961 and Robyn Ebbern in 1963).[3] Lehane had more success in the mixed doubles, twice winning the title (in 1960 with Trevor Fancutt and 1961 with Bob Hewitt). However, Mike Sangster and Lehane lost the 1964 mixed doubles final to Smith and Ken Fletcher.

She had an operation on her right knee in January 1965 and did not play any of the Grand Slams that year.[4][5]

She was part of the Australian Fed Cup team that reached the final in 1963 and won all three of her singles rubbers.

According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, O'Neill was ranked in the world top 10 in 1960, 1963, and 1964, reaching a career high of World No. 7 in 1963.[6]

Lehane married James John O'Neill on 19 February 1966.

In 2018, she was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame.[7]

On Australia Day 2019, Jan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to tennis.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (4 runners-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1960Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Smith5–7, 2–6
Loss1961Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Smith1–6, 4–6
Loss1962Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Smith0–6, 2–6
Loss1963Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Smith2–6, 2–6

Doubles: (3 runners-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponent Score
Loss1961Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Mary HawtonAustralia Mary Carter Reitano
Australia Margaret Smith		4–6, 6–3, 5–7
Loss1961WimbledonGrassAustralia Margaret SmithUnited States Karen Hantze Susman
United States Billie Jean Moffitt		3–6, 4–6
Loss1963Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Lesley TurnerAustralia Robyn Ebbern
Australia Margaret Smith		1–6, 3–6

Mixed doubles (2 titles, 1 runner-up)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponent Score
Win1960Australian ChampionshipsGrassSouth Africa Trevor FancuttUnited Kingdom Christine Truman
Australia Martin Mulligan		6–2, 7–5
Win1961Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Bob HewittAustralia Mary Carter Reitano
Australia John Pearce		9–7, 6–2
Loss1964Australian ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom Mike SangsterAustralia Margaret Smith
Australia Ken Fletcher		2–6, 3–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# 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.
Tournament19581959196019611962196319641965196619671968196919701971197219731974197519761977Career SR
Australia 1R SF F F F F SF A 2R 3R A A 3R QF A A 2R A A 2R / A 0 / 13
France A A QF 4R QF QF QF A A 3R A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 6
Wimbledon A A 1R 4R 3R QF 3R A A 4R A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 5
United States A A QF QF 3R A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 3
SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 27

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December. O'Neill participated only in the January edition.

See also

References
  1. Bud Collins (17 January 2005). "Legends of the court". The Age.
  2. C.M. Jones, ed. (1961). Dawson's International Lawn Tennis Almanac. London: Dawson's of Pall Mall. p. 196.
  3. Peter Bodo (5 January 2014). "Twenty-four majors good?". Tennis.com.
  4. "Jan Lehane to have operation". The Canberra Times. 9 January 1965. p. 26 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Who's Who in A.C.T. Open". The Canberra Times. 2 October 1965. p. 25 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. 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 0-942257-41-3.
  7. "Greats of the game at the Happy Slam". www.wtatennis.com. Women's Tennis Association (WTA).
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