Kathleen Horvath

Erica Kathleen "Kathy" Horvath (born August 25, 1965) is a retired American professional tennis player.

Kathleen Horvath
Country (sports) United States
ResidenceShort Hills, New Jersey
Born (1965-08-25) August 25, 1965
Chicago, Illinois
Height5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (1.69 m)
Turned pro1981
Retired1989
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$220,905
Singles
Career record176–154
Career titles6
Highest rankingNo. 10 (June 11, 1984)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open1R (1989)
French OpenQF (1983, 1984)
Wimbledon3R (1986)
US Open3R (1981, 1986)
Doubles
Career record150–132
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 45 (September 12, 1988)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open2R (1989)
French OpenSF (1982, 1984)
Wimbledon3R (1982)
US Open3R (1985)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open1R (1989)
French OpenSF (1981)
Wimbledon1R (1986)
US OpenSF (1985)

Career

She was the youngest player to play in the US Open in 1979 at 14 years and five days — this record still stands. Horvath was the youngest player to win the U.S. National 16 and under in 1979.[1] She also is the only player to ever win all four age groups in the U.S. Girls Clay Courts in all consecutive years.

Horvath played on the WTA Tour from 1981 to 1989, winning six singles titles and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 10 in 1984.[2][1] She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 1983 and 1984. She retired with a 176–154 singles record.[3]

Horvath was the only player to defeat Martina Navratilova in the 1983 season (at the French Open), winning in the fourth round in three sets.[1] Navratilova's coaches (Renee Richards and Nancy Lieberman) argued in the stands over strategy, something Navratilova noticed during the match.[4]

Horvath had career victories over Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Manuela Maleeva, Gabriela Sabatini, Dianne Fromholtz, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Mary Joe Fernández, Betty Stöve, and Sylvia Hanika. She was a member of the 1984 United States Fed Cup team. Horvath played in the 1984 Olympics when tennis was reintroduced as a demonstration sport and was the first seed. She was coached by Harry Hopman and Nick Bollettieri.

After her tennis career, she got her BS and MBA at the Wharton School of Business and then worked on Wall Street until 2003.

WTA career finals

Singles 9: (6–3)
Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (6–3)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (2–3)
Carpet (4–0)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 25 January 1981 Montreal Carpet (i) Candy Reynolds 6–4, 7–6
Winner 2. 6 March 1983 Nashville Carpet (i) Marcela Skuherská 6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 23 May 1983 Berlin Clay Chris Evert-Lloyd 4–6, 6–7(1–7)
Winner 3. 13 November 1983 Honolulu Carpet Carling Bassett 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–1)
Runner-up 2. 29 January 1984 Marco Island Clay Bonnie Gadusek 6–3, 0–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 20 May 1984 Berlin Clay Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 6–7(8–10), 1–6
Winner 4. 10 March 1985 Indianapolis Carpet (i) Elise Burgin 6–2, 6–4
Winner 5. 31 March 1985 Palm Beach Gardens Clay Petra Jauch-Delhees 3–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner 6. 12 July 1987 Knokke Clay Bettina Bunge 6–1, 7–6(7–5)

Doubles 9: (3–6)
Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims (3–6)
Finals by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (2–6)
Carpet (1–0)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 9 May 1982 Perugia Clay Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King
Ilana Kloss		 2–6, 6–4, 7–6
Winner 2. 7 August 1983 Indianapolis Clay Virginia Ruzici Gigi Fernández
Beth Herr		 4–6, 7–6, 6–2
Runner-up 1. 20 May 1984 Berlin Clay Virginia Ruzici Anne Hobbs
Candy Reynolds		 3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11–13)
Runner-up 2. 27 May 1984 Perugia Clay Virginia Ruzici Iva Budařová
Helena Suková		 6–7(5–7), 6–1, 4–6
Winner 3. 10 March 1985 Indianapolis Carpet (i) Elise Burgin Jennifer Mundel
Molly Van Nostrand		 6–4, 6–1
Runner-up 3. 28 April 1985 Orlando Clay Elise Burgin Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver		 3–6, 1–6
Runner-up 4. 24 May 1987 Strasbourg Clay Marcella Mesker Jana Novotná
Catherine Suire		 0–6, 2–6
Runner-up 5. 12 July 1987 Knokke Clay Marcella Mesker Bettina Bunge
Manuela Maleeva		 6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Runner-up 6. 5 October 1987 Athens Clay Dinky Van Rensburg Andrea Betzner
Judith Wiesner		 4–6, 6–7(0–7)

Grand Slam singles performance timeline
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)
Tournament19791980198119821983198419851986198719881989Career SR
Australian Open A A A A A A A NH A A 1R 0 / 1
French Open A 2R 3R 3R QF QF 3R 1R 1R 1R A 0 / 9
Wimbledon A A A 1R A 2R A 3R 1R 1R A 0 / 5
US Open 2R 2R 3R A 2R 1R 1R 3R 1R A A 0 / 8
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 23
Year-end ranking NR NR 28 49 15 29 50 47 37 85 218

References
  1. John Barrett, ed. (1985). The International Tennis Federation : World of Tennis 1985. London: Willow Books. p. 331. ISBN 0002181703.
  2. "WTA Tour".
  3. "ITF Kathy Horvath (USA)". Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  4. Cindy Shmerler (June 3, 2017). "The Tennis Mom Who Put the Blemish in Martina Navratilova's 86-1 Record". The New York Times.
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