Elizabeth Smylie

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian professional tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one of them in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles.

Elizabeth Smylie
Country (sports) Australia
Born (1963-04-11) 11 April 1963
Perth
Turned pro1982
Retired1997
Prize moneyUS$1,615,247
Singles
Career record181 – 213 (45.93%)
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 20 (14 September 1987)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenQF (1987)
French Open2R (1983)
Wimbledon4R (1984, 1985)
US Open2R (1986, 1987, 1989)
Doubles
Career record483 – 215 (69.19%)
Career titles36
Highest rankingNo. 5 (28 March 1988)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenF (1993)
French OpenSF (1984)
WimbledonW (1985)
US OpenF (1987)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1990)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1990, 1991)
French OpenSF (1993)
WimbledonW (1991)
US OpenW (1983, 1990)

Career

Smylie turned professional in 1982. She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1985 with Kathy Jordan. In mixed doubles, she teamed with John Fitzgerald to win the 1983 US Open and 1991 Wimbledon titles and with Todd Woodbridge to win the 1990 US Open. She won the Virginia Slims Championships with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.

She played Fed Cup from 1984 to 1994. She won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Over the course of her career, Smylie won 3 singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.

Personal life

She is married to player-manager Peter Smylie and they have three children, Laura, Jordan and Elvis. She was the long-time tournament director of the Australian Women's Hardcourts and also works as a sports television commentator.

Major finals

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 5 (1 win, 4 losses)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1985WimbledonGrass Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss1987WimbledonGrass Betsy Nagelsen Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
7–5, 7–5
Loss1987US OpenHard Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Loss1990WimbledonGrass Kathy Jordan Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
6–3, 6–4
Loss1993Australian OpenHard Pam Shriver Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 6–3

Mixed doubles: 8 (3 wins, 5 losses)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1983US OpenHard John Fitzgerald Barbara Potter
Ferdi Taygan
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss1984US OpenHard John Fitzgerald Manuela Maleeva
Tom Gullikson
2–6, 7–5, 6–4
Loss1985WimbledonGrass John Fitzgerald Martina Navratilova
Paul McNamee
7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Loss1985US OpenHard John Fitzgerald Martina Navratilova
Heinz Günthardt
6–3, 6–4
Loss1988US OpenHard Patrick McEnroe Jana Novotná
Jim Pugh
7–5, 6–3
Loss1990WimbledonGrass John Fitzgerald Zina Garrison
Rick Leach
7–5, 6–2
Win1990US OpenHard Todd Woodbridge Natasha Zvereva
Jim Pugh
6–4, 6–2
Win1991WimbledonGrass John Fitzgerald Natasha Zvereva
Jim Pugh
7–6(7–4), 6–2

Olympics

Doubles: 1 medal (1 bronze medal)

Result Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Bronze1988SeoulHard Wendy TurnbullTiedDNP

Smylie and Turnbull lost in the semi-finals to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 7–6(5), 6–4. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semi-final pairs received bronze medals.

Year-End Championships finals

Doubles: 1 final (1 title, 0 runners-up)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1990New York CityCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Mercedes Paz
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4

WTA Career finals

Singles: 6 (3–3)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV (0–1)
Tier V (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (3–1)
Titles by Surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (1–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. Apr 1982 Sardinia Clay Dana Gilbert 6–3, 6–0
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard Anne Minter 6–3, 6–1
Loss 1. Nov 1984 Brisbane Grass Helena Suková 4–6, 4–6
Win 3. Feb 1987 Oklahoma City Hard Lori McNeil 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss 2. Apr 1989 Tokyo Hard Kumiko Okamoto 4–6, 2–6
Loss 3. Apr 1990 Tokyo Hard Catarina Lindqvist 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 69 (36–33)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–4)
WTA Tour Championships (1–0)
Tier I (2–1)
Tier II (7–1)
Tier III (2–3)
Tier IV (3–3)
Tier V (3–2)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (17–19)
Titles by Surface
Hard (17–10)
Grass (5–12)
Clay (4–1)
Carpet (10–10)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Oct 1981 Kyoto Hard Kim Steinmetz Nanette Schutte
Marianne van der Torre
2–6, 4–6
Win 1. Feb 1983 Ridgewood Carpet Beverly Mould Rosalyn Fairbank
Susan Leo
7–6, 4–6, 7–5
Loss 2. Jun 1983 Birmingham Grass Beverly Mould Billie Jean King
Sharon Walsh
2–6, 4–6
Loss 3. Jul 1983 Newport Grass Barbara Jordan Barbara Potter
Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard Sandy Collins Chris O'Neil
Brenda Remilton
7–5, 7–6
Loss 4. Jan 1984 Indianapolis Carpet Beverly Mould Cláudia Monteiro
Yvonne Vermaak
7–6(9–7), 4–6, 5–7
Loss 5. Mar 1984 Tokyo Carpet Barbara Jordan Ann Kiyomura
Pam Shriver
3–6, 7–6(9–7), 3–6
Loss 6. Mar 1984 Dallas Carpet Sandy Collins Leslie Allen
Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss 7. Jun 1984 Birmingham Grass Barbara Jordan Leslie Allen
Anne White
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Win 3. Aug 1984 Montreal Hard Kathy Jordan Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Hana Mandlíková
6–1, 6–2
Win 4. Sep 1984 Deerfield Beach Hard Martina Navratilova Barbara Potter
Sharon Walsh
2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win 5. Oct 1984 Tampa Hard Carling Bassett Mary-Lou Piatek
Wendy White
6–4, 6–3
Loss 8. Dec 1984 Tokyo Carpet Catherine Tanvier Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
4–6, 4–6
Win 6. Jan 1985 Key Biscayne Hard Kathy Jordan Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Win 7. Jan 1985 Marco Island Hard Kathy Jordan Camille Benjamin
Bonnie Gadusek
6–3, 6–3
Loss 9. Mar 1985 Princeton Carpet Marcella Mesker Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Win 8. Apr 1985 Tokyo Carpet Kathy Jordan Betsy Nagelsen
Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win 9. May 1985 Sydney Carpet Pam Shriver Barbara Potter
Sharon Walsh
7–5, 7–5
Win 10. May 1985 Melbourne Carpet Pam Shriver Anne Hobbs
Kathy Jordan
6–2, 5–7, 6–1
Loss 10. Jun 1985 Eastbourne Grass Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 4–6
Win 11. Jun 1985 Wimbledon Grass Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 11. Jul 1985 Newport Grass Pam Shriver Chris Evert
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win 12. Aug 1985 Mahwah Hard Kathy Jordan Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
7–6(8–6), 6–3
Win 13. Sep 1985 Chicago Carpet Kathy Jordan Elise Burgin
JoAnne Russell
6–2, 6–2
Loss 12. Dec 1985 Tokyo Carpet Marcella Mesker Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
0–6, 4–6
Win 14. Jan 1986 Key Biscayne Hard Kathy Jordan Betsy Nagelsen
Barbara Potter
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 6–2
Win 15. Mar 1986 Princeton Carpet Kathy Jordan Hana Mandlíková
Helena Suková
6–3, 7–5
Loss 13. Mar 1986 Nashville Carpet Kathy Jordan Barbara Potter
Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Loss 14. Jun 1986 Birmingham Grass Wendy Turnbull Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank
2–6, 4–6
Win 16. Aug 1986 Mahwah Hard Betsy Nagelsen Steffi Graf
Helena Suková
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss 15. Dec 1986 Brisbane Grass Betsy Nagelsen Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 3–6
Win 17. Jan 1987 Sydney Grass Betsy Nagelsen Jenny Byrne
Janine Thompson
6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–1
Loss 16. Mar 1987 Piscataway Carpet Betsy Nagelsen Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
1–6, 4–6
Win 18. May 1987 Geneva Clay Betsy Nagelsen Laura Gildemeister
Catherine Tanvier
4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 17. Jun 1987 Eastbourne Grass Rosalyn Fairbank Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
6–7(6–8), 6–4, 5–7
Loss 18. Jun 1987 Wimbledon Grass Betsy Nagelsen Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
5–7, 5–7
Loss 19. Aug 1987 Mahwah Hard Anne Hobbs Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
3–6, 2–6
Loss 20. Aug 1987 US Open Hard Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–5, 4–6, 2–6
Win 19. Jun 1988 Eastbourne Grass Eva Pfaff Belinda Cordwell
Dinky Van Rensburg
6–3, 7–6(8–6)
Loss 21. Jan 1989 Sydney Hard Wendy Turnbull Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 3–6
Loss 22. Jan 1989 Auckland Hard Janine Thompson Patty Fendick
Jill Hetherington
4–6, 4–6
Win 20. Feb 1989 Wellington Hard Janine Thompson Tracey Morton
Heidi Sprung
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Loss 23. Feb 1989 Oklahoma City Hard (I) Elise Burgin Lori McNeil
Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Win 21. Apr 1989 Singapore Hard Belinda Cordwell Ann Henricksson
Beth Herr
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–1
Win 22. Apr 1989 Tokyo Hard Jill Hetherington Ann Henricksson
Beth Herr
6–1, 6–3
Win 23. May 1989 Rome Clay Janine Thompson Manon Bollegraf
Mercedes Paz
6–4, 6–3
Win 24. May 1989 Berlin Clay Janine Thompson Lise Gregory
Gretchen Magers
5–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 24. Jul 1989 Newport Grass Wendy Turnbull Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
3–6, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Loss 25. Sep 1989 Tokyo Carpet Wendy Turnbull Gigi Fernández
Robin White
2–6, 2–6
Win 25. Jan 1990 Tokyo Carpet Gigi Fernández Jo-Anne Faull
Rachel McQuillan
6–2, 6–2
Win 26. Mar 1990 San Antonio Hard Kathy Jordan Gigi Fernández
Robin White
7–5, 7–5
Win 27. Apr 1990 Tokyo Hard Kathy Jordan Michelle Jaggard
Hu Na
6–0, 3–6, 6–1
Loss 26. May 1990 Strasbourg Clay Kathy Jordan Nicole Provis
Elna Reinach
1–6, 4–6
Loss 27. Jun 1990 Wimbledon Grass Kathy Jordan Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
3–6, 4–6
Win 28. Nov 1990 VS Championships Carpet Kathy Jordan Mercedes Paz
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4
Win 29. Jan 1991 Tokyo Carpet Kathy Jordan Mary Joe Fernández
Robin White
4–6, 6–0, 6–3
Win 30. May 1991 Geneva Clay Nicole Provis Cathy Caverzasio
Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere
6–1, 6–2
Win 31. Jun 1991 Birmingham Grass Nicole Provis Sandy Collins
Elna Reinach
6–3, 6–4
Win 32. Jan 1993 Sydney Hard Pam Shriver Lori McNeil
Rennae Stubbs
7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss 28. Jan 1993 Australian Open Hard Pam Shriver Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 3–6
Loss 29. Jun 1993 Birmingham Grass Pam Shriver Lori McNeil
Martina Navratilova
3–6, 4–6
Win 33. Jul 1993 Stratton Mountain Hard Helena Suková Manuela Maleeva-Fragniere
Mercedes Paz
6–1, 6–2
Loss 30. Aug 1993 San Diego Hard Pam Shriver Gigi Fernández
Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win 34. Jan 1994 Tokyo Carpet Pam Shriver Manon Bollegraf
Martina Navratilova
6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–3)
Loss 31. Feb 1994 Osaka Carpet Pam Shriver Larisa Neiland
Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 5–7
Win 35. Jul 1994 Stratton Mountain Hard Pam Shriver Conchita Martínez
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–5
Loss 32. Aug 1994 Montreal Hard Pam Shriver Meredith McGrath
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 33. Aug 1994 Schenectady Hard Pam Shriver Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
2–6, 2–6
Win 36. Jun 1996 Birmingham Grass Linda Wild Lori McNeil
Nathalie Tauziat
6–3, 3–6, 6–1

Grand Slam performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Singles

Tournament198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994Career SR
Australian Open 1R A 1R 2R 1R 2R NH QF 1R 1R 3R 3R A 1R 1R 0 / 12
French Open A A A 2R 1R A 1R 1R A 1R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 8
Wimbledon A 2R 1R 1R 4R 4R 3R 3R 1R 3R 1R 3R A 2R 1R 0 / 13
US Open A 1R A 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R A 2R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 10
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 43
Year End Ranking 96 225 115 73 36 43 114 27 154 66 53 115 336 119 194

Doubles

Tournament198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997Career SR
Australian Open QF 2R 1R 2R 1R 2R NH 1R SF QF 3R QF A F SF A 1R 1R 0 / 15
French Open A A 3R 2R SF A A QF A 1R 2R 2R A 2R 2R A 3R A 0 / 10
Wimbledon A A 1R 1R 2R W QF F QF 3R F 3R 1R SF QF A SF 1R 1 / 15
US Open A 1R 2R 3R 3R 2R QF F 1R 2R SF 2R 2R 3R 3R A 1R A 0 / 15
DR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 1 / 55
Year End Ranking 13 7 8 8 20 12 10 14 54 9 13 NR 27 NR
  • NR = not ranked

Mixed doubles

Tournament198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997Career SR
Australian Open NH NH NH NH 2R QF QF SF SF A QF 2R A 1R 1R 0 / 9
French Open 2R QF A A 1R A A 3R A A SF 2R A A A 0 / 6
Wimbledon A SF F QF QF SF 2R F W 2R 3R QF A 3R A 1 / 12
US Open W F F SF 2R F 2R W 2R 1R 2R 1R A 1R A 2 / 13
XR 1 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 1 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 1 3 / 40
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