Karen Krantzcke

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Karen Krantzcke
Country (sports) Australia
Born(1946-02-01)1 February 1946
Brisbane, Australia
Died11 April 1977(1977-04-11) (aged 31)
Tallahassee, Florida, US
Singles
Career recordno value
Highest rankingNo. 9 (1970)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1970, 1977Jan)
French OpenSF (1970)
WimbledonQF (1970)
US OpenQF (1969)
Doubles
Career recordno value
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1968)
French OpenSF (1969, 1972)
WimbledonF (1974)
US OpenQF (1968, 1973, 1974)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1968)
French Open3R (1969, 1970)
WimbledonSF (1969, 1973)
US Open2R
Team competitions
Fed CupW (1970)

Karen Krantzcke (1 February 1946 – 11 April 1977) was an Australian tennis player. She achieved a world top ten singles ranking in 1970.[1] In her short career, she made the quarterfinals or better at each of the four Grand Slam championships in both singles and doubles. She also won the Australian Open in doubles, and assisted Australia to victory in the Federation Cup.

At the age of 31, Krantzcke died from a heart attack while jogging in Florida, United States, where she was playing on the Challenger circuit.[2][3]

Early career

Krantzcke, a tall right-handed player, achieved much junior success including winning the Australian junior singles title in 1966.[4]

Professional career

Her most successful season came in 1969/70. After reaching the US Open quarterfinals, she reached the semifinals at the Australian Open and the French Open and then reached the quarterfinals at Wimbledon. At these tournaments, she upset highly ranked players like Virginia Wade, Françoise Dürr, and Judy Tegart Dalton.[5]

During this time, she also combined with Dalton to win the Federation Cup for Australia, remaining undefeated in singles and doubles on the German clay.[6]

After Wimbledon in 1970, 'Kran' took eighteen months off the tour after discovering she was hypoglycemic.[7]

On returning to the tour, she was never able to get back to her best form. She continued to do well in her home Australian championship and reached the semi-finals for the second time in 1977.[4] During her career she defeated Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong Cawley four times, Billie Jean King twice, Kerry Melville Reid four times, and Virginia Wade. At the New South Wales Open in 1974 Krantzcke defeated Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the final 6–2, 6–3 and at Strathfield in 1969 she defeated Evonne Goolagong Cawley in the final 6–3, 6–4.[8]

Death

While playing on the Challenger circuit in the US in 1977, Krantzcke suffered a heart attack while jogging. In response to her untimely death, the WTA instituted the Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award which is still awarded annually to an active WTA Tour player after a vote by fellow tennis pros.

A street in the Canberra suburb of Nicholls, Australian Capital Territory, Krantzcke Crescent, is named after the tennis star.[9]

Team results

Krantzcke played twice in Federation Cup for Australia; in 1966 and 1970.[6] She also represented Australia in the Bonne Bell Cup in 1974.[9]

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (1 title, 3 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1968 Australian Championships Grass Australia Kerry Melville Australia Judy Tegart Dalton
Australia Lesley Turner Bowrey		 6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Loss 1970 Australian Open Grass Australia Kerry Melville Australia Margaret Court
Australia Judy Tegart Dalton		 3–6, 1–6
Loss 1972 Australian Open Grass Australia Patricia Coleman Australia Helen Gourlay
Australia Kerry Harris		 0–6, 4–6
Loss 1974 Wimbledon Grass Australia Helen Gourlay Australia Evonne Goolagong
United States Peggy Michel		 6–2, 4–6, 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.
Tournament 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977
Australia 2R 2R 3R 3R QF QF SF A 2R QF QF A A SF A
France A A 3R 2R 3R 1R SF A 3R A A A A A
Wimbledon A A 4R 3R 2R 4R QF A 2R 2R 4R A A A
United States A A A A 3R QF A A 3R 3R 3R A A A

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

References

  1. ^ Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). : New Chapter Press. p. 724. ISBN 978-0942257700.
  2. ^ "Karen Krantzcke: Gentle Giant, Good Sport". Women's Tennis Association. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  3. ^ Time Magazine – Ready, Set, Sweat – 6 January 1977
  4. ^ a b ITF Database
  5. ^ Sporting Heroes – Karen Krantzcke[permanent dead link‍]
  6. ^ a b "Fed Cup profile – Karen Krantzcke". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  7. ^ "TennisForum – Kerry Reid". Archived from the original on 23 June 2007. Retrieved 20 February 2008.
  8. ^ "Tennis Abstract: Karen Krantzcke Match Results, Splits, and Analysis".
  9. ^ a b ACT Legislation 2000