Janet Newberry
Encyclopedia
Janet Newberry is an American former professional tennis player who was active in the 1970s. She is also known by her former married name Janet Newberry-Wright and Janet Wright. She reached the semifinals of the French Open in 1977 and 1979 and the final of the 1973 Wimbledon Championships
mixed doubles.
In 1974, she played for the Boston Lobsters
of the World Team Tennis
league. In 1975, she won the British Hardcourt Championship in Bournemouth, reached the semifinals of the French Open
, and played for the United States Federation Cup team
in doubles, partnering Julie Heldman
.
In 1976, Newberry beat Martina Navratilova in the first round of the US Open
1–6, 6–4, 6–3. Navratilova said, "I still consider that loss the worst of my career, at least in the way I responded to it on and off the court." Newberry was reported as saying that she had never seen anyone so distraught, and she helped Navratilova calm down afterwards.
In 1977, Newberry won the Italian Open
, and reached the semifinals of the French Open
.
In 1984, Newberry achieved her best Grand Slam women's doubles result, reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon
partnering Renee Blount
, losing to Kathy Jordan
and Anne Smith
6–0, 6–1.
Newberry's highest world ranking was World No. 17.
.
In 2004, she opened an antique shop in St Petersburg, Florida based on her collection of tennis memorabilia.
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
mixed doubles.
Personal life
Janet Newberry is a stepdaughter of lawyer Edward A. Turville, a former Davis Cup Captain, President of the USTA and a founder of the Florida Lawn Tennis Association in 1949 who served as its first president for five years. Janet married Frank I. Wright, a horse trainer at Belmont Park, television horse racing commentator for CBS and ESPN and World War II veteran, in 1981 and went by the name Janet Newberry Wright. After Frank's passing in 1991, she married Ralph Howe, the national grass court 60 & over singles champion, court tennis champion, Yale intercollegiate squash champion, North American singles squash chmpion, in 1991 and now is known as Janet Newberry Howe.Career
In 1968, Newberry won the USLTA 16-and-under championship.In 1974, she played for the Boston Lobsters
Boston Lobsters
The Boston Lobsters are New England's World TeamTennis pro league tennis team based in Middleton, Massachusetts.The Boston Lobsters pro tennis team originally joined the WTT league in 1974 and competed until 1978...
of the World Team Tennis
World Team Tennis
World TeamTennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format in the United States. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration . Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played...
league. In 1975, she won the British Hardcourt Championship in Bournemouth, reached the semifinals of the French Open
1975 French Open - Women's Singles
Chris Evert defeated Martina Navratilova 2–6 6–2 6–1 in the final to win the Women's Singles title at the 1975 French Open.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below...
, and played for the United States Federation Cup team
United States Fed Cup team
The United States Fed Cup team is the most successful national team in Fed Cup competition. The team has won 17 titles and finished second a further 9 times, out of 44 participations.-History:...
in doubles, partnering Julie Heldman
Julie Heldman
Julie Heldman is a retired American tennis player who won 22 professional tennis titles.In 1969 she was World No. 5, her highest career world ranking, and was ranked No. 2 in the U.S.-Tennis career:...
.
In 1976, Newberry beat Martina Navratilova in the first round of the US Open
1976 U.S. Open - Women's Singles
Chris Evert defeated Evonne Goolagong 6-3 6-0 in the final to win the Women's Singles title at the 1976 US Open.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below. Chris Evert is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.-Key:...
1–6, 6–4, 6–3. Navratilova said, "I still consider that loss the worst of my career, at least in the way I responded to it on and off the court." Newberry was reported as saying that she had never seen anyone so distraught, and she helped Navratilova calm down afterwards.
In 1977, Newberry won the Italian Open
Rome Masters
The Italian Open is an annual tennis tournament held in Rome, Italy. It is the most prestigious red clay tennis tournament in the world after the French Open, with the men's competition being an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event on the Association of Tennis Professionals tour, and the women's...
, and reached the semifinals of the French Open
1977 French Open - Women's Singles
Mima Jaušovec defeated Florenţa Mihai 6–2 6–7 6–1 in the final to win the Women's Singles title at the 1977 French Open.See also:-Seeds:The seeded players are listed below...
.
In 1984, Newberry achieved her best Grand Slam women's doubles result, reaching the quarterfinals at Wimbledon
1984 Wimbledon Championships
The 1984 Wimbledon Championships was a tennis tournament played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon in London in England...
partnering Renee Blount
Renee Blount
Renee Blount is a retired American professional tennis player.-Early career:Blount, a protégé of Arthur Ashe, was a number one singles and doubles All-American player for UCLA...
, losing to Kathy Jordan
Kathy Jordan
Kathryn "Kathy" Jordan is a former American tennis player. During her career, she won 7 Grand Slam titles, 5 of them in women's doubles and 2 of them in mixed doubles...
and Anne Smith
Anne Smith
Anne Smith is a female former professional tennis player from the United States. Smith's highest women's doubles ranking was World No. 1 in 1980 and 1981. Her highest singles ranking was World No. 12 in 1982...
6–0, 6–1.
Newberry's highest world ranking was World No. 17.
Later
Newberry was manager of British women's national training. She later worked for the Women's Tennis AssociationWomen's Tennis Association
The Women's Tennis Association , founded in 1973 by Billie Jean King, is the principal organizing body of Women's Professional Tennis. It governs the WTA Tour which is the worldwide professional tennis tour for women. Its counterpart organization in the men's professional game is the Association of...
.
In 2004, she opened an antique shop in St Petersburg, Florida based on her collection of tennis memorabilia.
Singles 1
| Legend | |
| Grand Slam | 0 |
| WTA Championships | 0 |
| Tier I | 0 |
| Tier II | 0 |
| Tier III | 0 |
| Tier IV & V | 0 |
| Olympic Games | 0 |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 30 October 1977 | San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of... , USA |
Hard |  Billie Jean KingBillie Jean King Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society... |
1-6, 3-6 |
Doubles 3 (2-1)
| Legend | |
| Grand Slam | 0 |
| WTA Championships | 0 |
| Tier I | 0 |
| Tier II | 0 |
| Tier III | 0 |
| Tier IV & V | 0 |
| Olympic Games | 0 |
| Titles by Surface | |
| Hard | 0 |
| Clay | 0 |
| Grass | 1 |
| Carpet | 1 |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 27 February 1977 | Detroit, Michigan, USA | Carpet |  JoAnne RussellJoAnne Russell JoAnne Russell is a former American professional tennis player. With partner Helen Gourlay Cawley, Russell won the Wimbledon Ladies' Doubles title in 1977. They beat the team of Chris Evert and Rosie Casals in the first round and the top-ranked team of Martina Navratilova and Betty Stöve in the... |
 Martina Navrátilová  Betty StöveBetty Stöve Betty Stöve is a former Dutch professional tennis player. She is best remembered for reaching the ladies' singles final at Wimbledon in 1977. She also won ten Grand Slam titles in women's doubles and mixed doubles.-Career:... |
6-4, 2-6, 4-6 |
| Winner | 2. | 16 Jun3 1978 | Chichester Chichester Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings... , England |
Grass | Pam Shriver Pam Shriver Pamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and is currently a sports broadcaster from the United States for ESPN2. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and one mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments... |
 Michelle Tyler  Yvonne VermaakYvonne Vermaak Yvonne Vermaak is a former tour tennis player who represented her native South Africa.Vermaak's best result was defeating Virginia Wade in the quarter-finals of the 1983 Wimbledon Championships.Late in her playing career, Vermaak became an American citizen.... |
3-6, 6-3, 6-4 |
| Winner | 3. | 21 January 1979 | Houston, Texas, USA | Carpet | Martina Navrátilová |
Pam Shriver Pam Shriver Pamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and is currently a sports broadcaster from the United States for ESPN2. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and one mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments... Betty StöveBetty Stöve Betty Stöve is a former Dutch professional tennis player. She is best remembered for reaching the ladies' singles final at Wimbledon in 1977. She also won ten Grand Slam titles in women's doubles and mixed doubles.-Career:... |
4-6, 6-4, 6-2 |
Mixed doubles 1
| Legend | |
| Grand Slam | 0 |
| WTA Championships | 0 |
| Tier I | 0 |
| Tier II | 0 |
| Tier III | 0 |
| Tier IV & V | 0 |
| Olympic Games | 0 |
| Titles by Surface | |
| Hard | 0 |
| Clay | 0 |
| Grass | 0 |
| Carpet | 0 |
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Runner-up | 1. | 8 July 1973 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... , England |
Grass |  Raúl RamírezRaúl Ramírez Raúl Ramírez is a retired Mexican professional tennis player. He was active during the 1970s and 1980s, and is regarded as one of the great all-around players of the modern era. Ramírez was also the first player to finish first in both singles and doubles Grand Prix point standings, accomplishing... |
 Owen DavidsonOwen Davidson ' was a professional tennis player of the 1960s and 1970s.Partnering Billie Jean King, Davidson managed to win eight grand slam mixed doubles titles. Davidson was one of very few to win a calendar year slam for mixed doubles, when he won the Australian Championships, French Championships,... Billie Jean KingBillie Jean King Billie Jean King is a former professional tennis player from the United States. She won 12 Grand Slam singles titles, 16 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, and 11 Grand Slam mixed doubles titles. King has been an advocate against sexism in sports and society... |
3-6, 2-6 |