Dianne Fromholtz
Australian tennis player (born 1956)
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Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat (née Fromholtz; born 10 August 1956) is an Australian former professional tennis player who reached a highest singles ranking of world No. 4 in 1979.
 Fromholtz in 1989 | |
| Country (sports) | Australia |
|---|---|
| Residence | Melbourne, Australia |
| Born | 10 August 1956 Albury, Australia |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Turned pro | 1973 |
| Retired | 1990 |
| Plays | Left-handed (one-handed backhand) |
| Prize money | US$1,145,377 |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 429–223 |
| Career titles | 8 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (19 March 1979) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | F (1977Jan) |
| French Open | SF (1979, 1980) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1979, 1987) |
| US Open | SF (1976) |
| Doubles | |
| Career record | 134–141 |
| Career titles | 6 |
| Highest ranking | No. 56 (14 September 1987) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | W (1977) |
| French Open | SF (1979) |
| Wimbledon | QF (1979) |
| US Open | QF (1979) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Australian Open | QF (1987, 1988) |
| French Open | SF (1975) |
| Wimbledon | F (1980) |
| US Open | 2R (1983) |
| Team competitions | |
| Fed Cup | W (1974) |
Career
Fromholtz began playing tennis at the age of seven. She left school at the age of 16 to play in international tournaments. She turned pro in 1973 and joined the WTA Tour.[citation needed]
At the age of 17, she participated in the professional tennis circuit, winning the singles title at a dozen tournaments in 1973, but the rules at the time did not permit prize money to be paid to participants under 18 years of age.[1]
She reached the finals of the Australian Open in January 1977, losing to fellow Australian Kerry Melville Reid in two sets. She was a semifinalist at the French Open in 1979 and 1980. She also reached the semifinals of the US Open in 1976.
Fromholtz won eight WTA Tour singles titles and reached a career-high ranking of world No. 4 in 1979. Partnering with Helen Gourlay Cawley, she won the Australian Open women's doubles in January 1977. She had career wins over Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong Cawley, Margaret Court, Virginia Wade, Pam Shriver, and Gabriela Sabatini. She holds an 8–7 career record over King.
Fromholtz met French businessman Claude Balestrat at a New Year's Eve party in 1981, and the couple wed in Dural on 26 December 1982.[2]
On 30 August 2000, Fromholtz was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for her commitment to tennis.[3]
In 2019, Fromholtz was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame, commemorated by a bronze bust located in Garden Square, within Melbourne Park.[4]
Grand Slam finals
Singles: (1 runners-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1977(J) | Australian Open | Grass |  Kerry Melville Reid | 5–7, 2–6 |
Doubles: (1 title)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1977(J) | Australian Open | Grass | Helen Gourlay | Kerry Melville Reid Betsy Nagelsen | 5–7, 6–1, 7–5 |
Mixed doubles: (1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1980 | Wimbledon | Grass | Mark Edmondson | Tracy Austin John Austin | 6–4, 6–7(6–8), 3–6 |
WTA career finals
Singles: 24 (8–16)
|
|
| Result | W–L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1–0 | May 1973 | Guildford, UK | Clay |  Kazuko Sawamatsu |
7–5, 4–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 2–0 | Jun 1973 | Chichester, UK | Grass |  Brigitte Cuypers |
6–1, 6–0 |
| Win | 3–0 | Jun 1973 | Beckenham, UK | Grass | Janet Newberry |
7–5, 0–6, 6–1 |
| Loss | 3–1 | Jul 1973 | Newport, US | Grass | Julie Heldman |
6–1, 1–6, 9–11 |
| Loss | 3–2 | Nov 1973 | Adelaide, Australia | Grass | Janet Young |
5–7, 1–6 |
| Win | 4–2 | Nov 1973 | Sydney, Australia | Clay | Ann Kiyomura |
6–1, 7–5 |
| Loss | 4–3 | Aug 1974 | South Orange, US | Grass | Pam Teeguarden |
5–7, 3–6 |
| Loss | 4–4 | Nov 1974 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | Kerry Melville |
3–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 4–5 | Aug 1975 | Indianapolis, US | Clay | Chris Evert |
3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 4–6 | Octr 1976 | Phoenix, US | Hard | Chris Evert |
1–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 5–6 | Nov 1976 | Sydney, Australia | Clay | Leanne Harrison |
6–1, 6–0 |
| Loss | 5–7 | Dec 1976 | Sydney, Australia | Grass | Kerry Melville Reid |
6–3, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 5–8 | Jan 1977 | Australian Open | Grass | Kerry Melville Reid |
5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 5–9 | Oct 1977 | Atlanta, US | Carpet | Chris Evert |
3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 5–10 | Feb 1978 | Detroit, US | Carpet | Martina Navratilova |
3–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 6–10 | Dec 1978 | Sydney, Australia | Grass | Kerry Melville Reid |
6–1, 1–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 7–10 | Dec 1978 | Sydney, Australia | Grass | Wendy Turnbull |
6–2, 7–5 |
| Loss | 7–11 | Jan 1979 | Hollywood, US | Carpet | Greer Stevens |
4–6, 6–2, 4–6 |
| Win | 8–11 | Mar 1979 | Boston, US | Carpet |  Sue Barker |
6–2, 7–6(7–4) |
| Loss | 8–12 | Mar 1979 | Carlsbad, US | Hard | Chris Evert |
6–3, 3–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 8–13 | Oct 1979 | Minneapolis, US | Carpet | Evonne Goolagong |
3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 8–14 | Sep 1980 | Minneapolis, US | Carpet | Tracy Austin |
1–6, 6–2, 2–6 |
| Loss | 8–15 | May 1985 | Sydney, Australia | Carpet | Pam Shriver |
3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 8–16 | Mar 1987 | Phoenix, US | Hard | Anne White |
1–6, 2–6 |
Doubles: 12 (5-1–6)
|
|
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw | 1. | Jul 1973 | Newport, US | Grass | Julie Heldman |
Patti Hogan Sharon Walsh |
1–5 shared – final rained out |
| Loss | 1. | Dec 1973 | Hobart, Australia | Grass | Jackie Fayter |
Helen Gourlay Karen Krantzcke |
2–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 1. | Apr 1974 | Phoenix, US | Hard | Janet Young |
Ann Kiyomura Betsy Nagelsen |
w/o |
| Loss | 2. | Nov 1974 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | Margaret Court |
Ilana Kloss Kerry Melville |
3–6, 5–7 |
| Win | 2. | May 1975 | Hamburg, West Germany | Clay |  Renáta Tomanová |
 Paulina Peisachov Kazuko Sawamatsu |
6–3, 6–2 |
| Win | 3. | Mar 1976 | Tallahassee, US | Hard | Julie Anthony |
 Virginia Ruzici Mariana Simionescu |
6–2, 7–5 |
| Loss | 3. | Dec 1976 | Sydney, Australia | Grass | Renáta Tomanová |
Helen Gourlay Betsy Nagelsen |
4–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 4. | Jan 1977 | Australian Open | Grass | Helen Gourlay |
Kerry Melville Reid Betsy Nagelsen |
5–7, 6–1, 7–5 |
| Loss | 4. | Sep 1977 | Hilton Head, US | Clay | Virginia Wade |
Evonne Goolagong Kerry Melville Reid |
2–6, 6–3, 4–6 |
| Win | 5. | May 1979 | Vienna, Austria | Clay | Marise Kruger |
Ilana Kloss Betty Ann Stuart |
3–6, 6–4, 6–1 |
| Loss | 5. | Nov 1979 | Melbourne, Australia | Grass | Anne Smith |
Billie Jean King Wendy Turnbull |
3–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 6. | Feb 1983 | Palm Springs, US | Hard |  Betty Stöve |
Kathy Jordan Ann Kiyomura |
2–6, 2–6 |
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| Tournament | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Open (Jan) | 1R | A | QF | 2R | 3R | A | F | Held in December | NH | 3R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 0 / 13 | |||||||
| French Open | A | A | A | 3R | 3R | A | A | A | SF | SF | 3R | A | A | A | 1R | A | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 7 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 4R | A | 4R | QF | 4R | 3R | A | 1R | A | 2R | 4R | QF | 2R | 1R | A | 0 / 14 |
| US Open | A | A | A | 3R | 2R | SF | 4R | 3R | 4R | 4R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | A | A | 0 / 13 |
| Australian Open (Dec) | Held in January | A | A | A | A | 1R | 2R | A | 2R | 3R | NH | Held in January | |||||||||
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 47 |
| Year-end ranking | 20 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 38 | 32 | 75 | 99 | 30 | 25 | 21 | 56 | 112 | NR | |||||
Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.
