Sheila Piercey Summers

Sheila Piercey (18 March 1919 – 14 August 2005) was a South African tennis player. She was also known under her married name Sheila Piercey-Summers.

Sheila Piercey
Full nameSheila Piercey-Summers
Country (sports)South Africa South Africa
Born(1919-03-18)18 March 1919
Johannesburg, South Africa
Died14 August 2005(2005-08-14) (aged 86)
PlaysRight–handed
Singles
Highest rankingNo.6 (1947)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenSF (1949)
WimbledonSF (1947)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French OpenSF (1949)
WimbledonQF (1947, 1949)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1947, 1949)
WimbledonW (1949)

Piercey was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. With her compatriot Eric Sturgess, she won three mixed doubles titles: at the French Open in 1947 and 1949 and at Wimbledon in 1949.

In 1947, she became the first South African woman to reach a Wimbledon semifinal in the singles event.[2] She lost the match in straight sets to top-seeded and eventual champion Margaret Osborne.[3] Two years later, in 1949, she again reached the semifinals of the French Championships and again lost to Osborne in straight sets.

Summers won the South African Championships singles title in 1948, 1949 and 1951 and was runner–up in 1939, 1940 and 1947. In August 1947, she won the singles title at the International Swiss Championships at Lausann, defeating Doris Hart in the final in three sets.[4]

After her playing career, she coached the South African Federation Cup team.[2]

Grand Slam finals

Mixed doubles (3 titles)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1947 French Championships Clay South Africa Eric Sturgess Poland Jadwiga Jędrzejowska
Romania Cristea Caralulis		 6–0, 6–0
Win1949 French Championships Clay South Africa Eric Sturgess United Kingdom Jean Quertier
United Kingdom Gerry Oakley		 6–1, 6–1
Win1949 Wimbledon Grass South Africa Eric Sturgess United States Louise Brough
Australia John Bromwich		 9–7, 9–11, 7–5

References
  1. Collins, Bud (2016). "Ranking Histories". History of tennis (3 ed.). New York: New Chapter Press. p. 763. ISBN 978-1937559380.
  2. "SA tennis champion from 1940s dies". Mail & Guardian. South Africa. 15 August 2005. Archived from the original on 15 February 2017.
  3. "Wimbledon player archive – Sheila Summers (Piercey)". wimbledon.com. AELTC.
  4. G.P. Hughes, ed. (1948). The Dunlop Lawn Tennis Almanack 1948. London: Ed. J. Burrow & Co. pp. 201, 201.
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