Maria Bueno

Maria Esther Andion Bueno (11 October 1939 – 8 June 2018) was a Brazilian professional tennis player. During her 11-year career in the 1950s and 1960s, she won 19 major titles (seven in women's singles, 11 in women's doubles, and one in mixed doubles), making her the most successful South American tennis player in history, and the only one to ever win Wimbledon.[1] Bueno was the year-end No. 1 female player in 1959 and 1960 and was known for her graceful style of play.[2]

Maria Esther Bueno
Bueno in 2016
Full nameMaria Esther Andion Bueno
Country (sports) Brazil
Born(1939-10-11)11 October 1939
São Paulo, Brazil
Died8 June 2018(2018-06-08) (aged 78)
São Paulo, Brazil
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro1950
Retired1977
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF1978 (member page)
Official websitewww.mariabueno.org
Singles
Career titles63
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1959)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenF (1965)
French OpenF (1964)
WimbledonW (1959, 1960, 1964)
US OpenW (1959, 1963, 1964, 1966)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1960)
French OpenW (1960)
WimbledonW (1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966)
US OpenW (1960, 1962, 1966, 1968)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1960)
French OpenW (1960)
WimbledonF (1959, 1960, 1967)
US OpenF (1958, 1960)

In 1960, Bueno became the first woman to win the Grand Slam in doubles (all four majors in a year), three of them partnering Darlene Hard and one with Christine Truman.[3]

Tennis career

Bueno in July 1964 at a tournament in the Netherlands.

Bueno was born in São Paulo.[4] Her father, a businessman, was a keen club tennis player.[5] Her elder brother Pedro was also a tennis player.[5] She began playing tennis aged six[4][6] at the Clube de Regatas Tiete in São Paulo and, without having received any formal training, won her first tournament at age 12.[7] She was 15 when she won her country's women's singles championship.[8] She first went abroad in 1957 at age 17 and won the Orange Bowl juniors tournament in Florida, USA.[9][10]

Joining the international circuit in 1958, Bueno won the singles title at the Italian Championships.[lower-alpha 1] The same year she gained the first of her Grand Slam titles, winning the women's doubles at Wimbledon with Althea Gibson.[12] The following year, Bueno won her first singles title at Wimbledon, defeating Darlene Hard in the final.[13] She also won the singles title at the U.S. Championships after a straight-sets victory in the final against Christine Truman, earning the World No. 1 ranking for 1959 and the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year award.[14] Bueno was the first non-North-American woman to win both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships in the same calendar year. In her native Brazil, she returned as a national heroine, honored by the country's president and given a ticker-tape parade on the streets of São Paulo.[15]

According to Lance Tingay of the Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail and Bud Collins, Bueno was ranked in the world top ten from 1958 through 1960 and from 1962 through 1968, reaching a career high of World No. 1 in those rankings in 1959 and 1960.[16] The International Tennis Hall of Fame also lists her as the top ranked player in 1964 (after losing the final at the French Championships and winning both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships) and 1966.

Bueno won the singles title at Wimbledon three times and at the U.S. Championships four times.[7] She was a singles finalist at the Australian Championships and the French Championships, losing both finals to Margaret Smith. Bueno reached at least the quarterfinals in each of the first 26 Grand Slam singles tournaments she played.[8] This streak ended at Wimbledon in 1967 when she lost in the fourth round because of an arm injury.

As a doubles player, Bueno won twelve Grand Slam championships with six different partners. In 1960, she became the first woman to win the women's doubles title at all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same calendar year, partnered with Christine Truman at the Australian Championships and Hard at the French Championships, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Championships.[17]

Her playing career was affected by various arm and leg injuries.[6][8] She played only intermittently after 1968; her final tournament win was the Japan Open in 1974, her only professional win.[4][8] She retired from playing in 1977.[18]

Her playing style was described as bold and aggressive; she had a hard serve, was a strong volleyer, and often came into the net.[8] Bud Collins described her as "incomparably balletic and flamboyant".[8] She did not use a coach,[6][8] and attributed her speed on the court to training with men.[6] The American player Billie Jean King acknowledged her as an influence.[19] She was also known for her on-court style, wearing tennis dresses designed by Ted Tinling.[6][8]

Later career

Bueno worked as a commentator for SporTV, a Brazilian cable television sports channel.[18]

Death

Bueno died on 8 June 2018, aged 78, at a hospital in São Paulo, Brazil, where she had been admitted for mouth cancer.[20][4] She was diagnosed in 2016 with virulent Merkel-cell carcinoma, a rare and highly aggressive skin cancer.[21] A minute's applause in honour of Bueno was held as a tribute before the Women's Singles final at the 2018 French Open the day after her death.[22]

Honours

In 1959 Correios do Brasil issued a postal stamp honouring her title at the Wimbledon Ladies Singles Championships.[8] That same year the Associated Press voted her Female Athlete of the Year.[20] In 1978, Bueno was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.[8]

Bueno was awarded the International Club's prestigious Jean Borotra Sportsmanship Award in 2003.

The Seniors World Team Championships for the women's 50 age category is named "Maria Esther Bueno Cup" by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in her honour.[23] In 2015 the centre court of the Olympic Tennis Centre in Rio de Janeiro was named after her.[24]

In October 2018, Maria Esther Bueno received the Medal of Sporting Merit from the Chamber of Councilors of São Paulo, according to the Resolution 03/2014. The award is instituted within the scope of the Municipality of São Paulo, to be awarded annually to the entity or citizen of São Paulo in recognition of the relevance of services rendered in favor of sport in the Municipality of São Paulo, or that, in any case, have contributed to the aggrandizement of the sport or significantly encourage its practice, whether through personal goals achieved or activity with society.[25]

Grand Slam finals

Bueno won 19 and lost 16 of her Grand Slam finals.[26][27] This represents a success rate of 54%.

Singles: 12 (7 titles, 5 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Won1959WimbledonGrassUnited States Darlene Hard6–4, 6–3
Won1959U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom Christine Truman6–1, 6–4
Won1960Wimbledon (2)GrassSouth Africa Sandra Reynolds8–6, 6–0
Lost1960U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Darlene Hard4–6, 12–10, 4–6
Won1963U.S. Championships (2)GrassAustralia Margaret Court7–5, 6–4
Lost1964French ChampionshipsClayAustralia Margaret Court7–5, 1–6, 2–6
Won1964Wimbledon (3)GrassAustralia Margaret Court6–4, 7–9, 6–3
Won1964U.S. Championships (3)GrassUnited States Carole Caldwell Graebner6–1, 6–0
Lost1965Australian ChampionshipsGrassAustralia Margaret Court7–5, 4–6, 2–5, ret.
Lost1965WimbledonGrassAustralia Margaret Court4–6, 5–7
Lost1966WimbledonGrassUnited States Billie Jean King3–6, 6–3, 1–6
Won1966U.S. Championships (4)GrassUnited States Nancy Richey6–3, 6–1

Doubles: 16 (11 wins, 5 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Won1958WimbledonGrassUnited States Althea GibsonUnited States Margaret Osborne duPont
United States Margaret Varner
6–3, 7–5
Lost1958U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Althea GibsonUnited States Jeanne Arth
United States Darlene Hard
6–2, 3–6, 4–6
Lost1959U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Sally MooreUnited States Jeanne Arth
United States Darlene Hard
2–6, 3–6
Won1960Australian ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom Christine TrumanAustralia Lorraine Coghlan Robinson
Australia Margaret Court
6–2, 5–7, 6–2
Won1960French ChampionshipsClayUnited States Darlene HardUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon-Jones
United Kingdom Patricia Ward Hales
6–2, 7–5
Won1960Wimbledon (2)GrassUnited States Darlene HardSouth Africa Sandra Reynolds
South Africa Renée Schuurman
6–4, 6–0
Won1960U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Darlene HardUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon-Jones
United Kingdom Deidre Catt
6–1, 6–1
Lost1961French ChampionshipsClayUnited States Darlene HardSouth Africa Sandra Reynolds
South Africa Renée Schuurman
walkover
Won1962U.S. Championships (2)GrassUnited States Darlene HardUnited States Billie Jean Moffitt
United States Karen Hantze Susman
4–6, 6–3, 6–2
Won1963Wimbledon (3)GrassUnited States Darlene HardAustralia Margaret Court
Australia Robyn Ebbern
8–6, 9–7
Lost1963U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Darlene HardAustralia Margaret Court
Australia Robyn Ebbern
6–4, 8–10, 3–6
Won1965Wimbledon (4)GrassUnited States Billie Jean MoffittFrance Françoise Dürr
France Janine Lieffrig
6–2, 7–5
Won1966Wimbledon (5)GrassUnited States Nancy RicheyAustralia Margaret Court
Australia Judy Tegart
6–3, 4–6, 6–4
Won1966U.S. Championships (3)GrassUnited States Nancy RicheyUnited States Billie Jean King
United States Rosemary Casals
6–3, 6–4
Lost1967WimbledonGrassUnited States Nancy RicheyUnited States Rosemary Casals
United States Billie Jean King
11–9, 4–6, 2–6
Won1968US Open (4)GrassAustralia Margaret CourtUnited States Billie Jean King
United States Rosemary Casals
4–6, 9–7, 8–6

Mixed doubles: 7 (1 win, 6 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Lost1958U.S. ChampionshipsGrassUnited States Alex OlmedoUnited States Margaret Osborne duPont
Australia Neale Fraser
3–6, 6–3, 7–9
Lost1959WimbledonGrassAustralia Neale FraserUnited States Darlene Hard
Australia Rod Laver
4–6, 3–6
Won1960French ChampionshipsClayAustralia Bob HoweUnited Kingdom Ann Haydon-Jones
Australia Roy Emerson
1–6, 6–1, 6–2
Lost1960WimbledonGrassAustralia Bob HoweUnited States Darlene Hard
Australia Rod Laver
11–13, 6–3, 6–8
Lost1960U.S. ChampionshipsGrassMexico Antonio PalafoxUnited States Margaret Osborne duPont
Australia Neale Fraser
3–6, 2–6
Lost1965French ChampionshipsClayAustralia John NewcombeAustralia Margaret Court
Australia Ken Fletcher
4–6, 4–6
Lost1967WimbledonGrassAustralia Ken FletcherUnited States Billie Jean King
Australia Owen Davidson
6–3, 2–6, 13–15

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.
Tournament1957195819591960196119621963196419651966196719681969–197519761977Career SR
Australia A A A QF A A A A F A A A A A A / A 0 / 2
France 1R SF QF SF QF A A F SF SF QF QF A 1R A 0 / 11
Wimbledon A QF W W A SF QF W F F 4R QF A 4R 3R 3 / 12
United States A QF W F A SF W W SF W 2R SF A 3R 2R 4 / 12
SR 0 / 1 0 / 3 2 / 3 1 / 4 0 / 1 0 / 2 1 / 2 2 / 3 0 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 2 7 / 37

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

See also

Notes

  1. Bueno won the Italian Championships again in 1961 and 1965 to become the second three-time winner of the tournament after Margaret Smith.[11]

References

  1. Schudel, Matt (9 June 2018). "Maria Bueno, Brazilian tennis star who won 3 Wimbledon singles titles, dies at 78". The Washington Post. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  2. "Maria BUeno, 60 years on – The Championships, Wimbledon 2021 – Official Site by IBM". wimbledon.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022.
  3. "O Globo – 4 July 2017". Maria Esther Bueno. Archived from the original on 21 February 2022.
  4. "Maria Bueno, Brazilian tennis star, dies aged 78". The Guardian. 9 June 2018.
  5. "The early years: Fast track to the top: 1939 to 1959". Maria Esther Bueno. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  6. "Maria Bueno, three-time Wimbledon champion whose pink knickers caused a storm, dies from cancer". The Daily Telegraph. 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  7. Leigh Walsh (29 May 2014). "Throwback Thursday: Maria Bueno Wins Her Third Wimbledon". wimbledon,com. AELTC. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014.
  8. "Maria Bueno". tennisfame.com. International Tennis Hall of Fame.
  9. "Europeans rate Bueno as next tennis champ". The Miami News. 16 August 1958. p. 2C via Newspapers.com.
  10. Paul Newman (16 August 2016). "From the archive: Maria Bueno, pride of Brazil". wimbledon.com. AELTC.
  11. "Maria Bueno Cops Italian Net Crown". Schenectady Gazette. Associated Press. 12 May 1965. p. 36 via Google News Archive.
  12. "Australians Fail in Wimbledon Doubles Attempt". The Canberra Times. Vol. 32, no. 9, 525. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 7 July 1958. p. 12. Retrieved 10 June 2018 via National Library of Australia.
  13. "Fraser And Emerson Tale Doubles Title". The Canberra Times. Vol. 33, no. 9, 334. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 6 July 1959. p. 6. Retrieved 10 June 2018 via National Library of Australia.
  14. "Maria Bueno: A Brazilian Tennis Legend". wtatennis.com. WTA. 26 February 2014.
  15. "Wimbledon Champions: Women's top 25". The Telegraph. 28 June 2008.
  16. 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.
  17. Collins, Bud (2016). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (3rd ed.). New York: New Chapter Press. pp. 589–590. ISBN 978-1-937559-38-0.
  18. "Maria Bueno: Brazilian star of 1960s women's tennis dies". BBC. 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  19. "Seven-time Grand Slam champion Maria Esther Bueno, who passed away on Friday, was "the first superstar of South America"". Women's Tennis Association. 9 June 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2018.
  20. "Brazilian Tennis Great Maria Bueno Dies After Cancer Battle". The New York Times. 8 June 2018.
  21. Obituaries, Telegraph (10 June 2018). "Maria Bueno, three-times women's singles champion at Wimbledon – obituary". The Telegraph.
  22. Lehman, Stan; Savarese, Mauricio (9 June 2018). "Brazilian tennis great Maria Bueno dies after cancer battle". The Bradenton Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  23. "Maria Esther Bueno Cup (W50)". itftennis.com. International Tennis Federation (ITF).
  24. Carol Fontes (12 December 2016). "Paes inaugura arena olímpica de tênis em homenagem a Maria Esther Bueno". Globoesporte.com (in Portuguese).
  25. "Sessão Solene Archives". 27 June 2023.
  26. Robertson, Max (1974). The Encyclopedia of Tennis. London: Allen & Unwin. pp. 175, 213. ISBN 9780047960420.
  27. Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. p. 555. ISBN 978-0942257700.
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