Olga Morozova

Olga Vasilyevna Morozova (Russian: Ольга Васильевна Морозова) (born 22 February 1949) is a retired tennis player who competed for the Soviet Union. She was the runner-up in singles at the 1974 French Open and 1974 Wimbledon Championships.

Olga Morozova
Ольга Морозова
Country (sports) Soviet Union
ResidenceLondon, England
Born (1949-02-22) 22 February 1949
Moscow, Soviet Union
Height1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro1966
Retired1977 and 1989
PlaysRight-handed (one handed-backhand)
Prize moneyno value
Singles
Career recordno value
Career titles8 WTA, 25 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 7 (3 November 1975)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenQF (1972, 1975)
French OpenF (1974)
WimbledonF (1974)
US OpenQF (1972)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals5th place (1975)
Doubles
Career recordno value
Career titles16 WTA, 26 ITF
Highest rankingno value
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenF (1975)
French OpenW (1974)
US OpenF (1976)
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
WimbledonF (1968, 1970)

Career

Morozova won the Wimbledon junior's singles title in 1965 at the age of 16. Morozova was the first Soviet tennis player to reach the singles final of a major tournament when she was the runner-up at the 1972 Italian Open. Perhaps the peak of her career occurred in 1974 when she was the women's singles runner-up at Wimbledon and the French Open, losing to Chris Evert in both tournaments. She rose to No. 3 in the world going into the US Open that year—the highest ranking she would achieve in her career.

Morozova became the first Soviet tennis player to win a Grand Slam title when she teamed with Evert to win the women's doubles championship at the French Open in 1974. Earlier, she and Alex Metreveli were the first players from the Soviet Union to reach a Grand Slam final when they teamed at Wimbledon in 1968, losing to Margaret Court and Ken Fletcher. They also reached the final at Wimbledon in 1970, losing to Rosemary Casals and Ilie Năstase.

Morozova also was the runner-up in three Grand Slam women's doubles tournaments. She teamed with Court at the 1975 Australian Open, losing to Evonne Goolagong and Peggy Michel. She played with Julie Anthony at the 1975 French Open, losing to Evert and Martina Navratilova, and with Virginia Wade at the 1976 US Open, losing to Ilana Kloss and Linky Boshoff.

Morozova's playing career was cut short in 1977 because of the Soviet Union's policy against competing with South Africans. At this point, she retired from the professional tour. Morozova then began a highly successful coaching career. She became head coach of the Soviet Union ladies squad through the 1980s leading the Soviets to their first appearance in a Federation Cup Final (1988, losing to Czechoslovakia). Morozova as a player had taken her team to the Federation Cup semifinals (at that point a first) in both 1978 and 1979. Morozova also helped pioneer the creation of the Kremlin Cup.

In 1990, the LTA of the UK headhunted Morozova as a national coach based at the national performance centre in Bisham Abbey. Morozova was a fixture in UK tennis for much of the 1990s, and in 2003, she began working individually with notable players, including Elena Dementieva, Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sergiy Stakhovsky and Laura Robson. Morozova has been widely credited as one of the few successful female coaches on tour.[1]

In 1998, she was awarded the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Trophy for character, sportsmanship, manners, spirit of cooperation, and contribution to the growth of the game as well as the help she rendered to professional players and junior players.[2]

In 2000, the Russian Tennis Federation awarded Morozova the honour of Russian Tennis Player of the Twentieth Century.[3] Due to her achievements as both player and coach, Morozova often is referred to as the Godmother of Russian tennis.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 2 (2 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss1974French OpenClay Chris Evert6–1, 6–2
Loss1974WimbledonGrass Chris Evert6–0, 6–4

Doubles: 4 (1 title, 3 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1974French OpenClay Chris Evert Gail Chanfreau
Katja Ebbinghaus
6–4, 2–6, 6–1
Loss1975Australian OpenGrass Margaret Court Evonne Goolagong
Peggy Michel
7–6, 7–6
Loss1975French OpenClay Julie Anthony Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
6–3, 6–2
Loss1976US OpenClay Virginia Wade Linky Boshoff
Ilana Kloss
6–1, 6–4

Mixed doubles: 2 (2 runner-ups)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1968WimbledonGrass Alex Metreveli Margaret Court
Ken Fletcher
6–1, 14–12
Loss1970WimbledonGrass Alex Metreveli Rosemary Casals
Ilie Năstase
6–3, 4–6, 9–7

WTA career finals

Singles: 16 (8 titles, 8 runner-ups)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 4 January 1971 Sydney, Australia Hard Margaret Court 2–6, 2–6
Winner 2. 15 February 1971 Moscow, Soviet Union Carpet (i) Maria Kull 6–1, 7–5
Winner 3. 26 April 1971 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Anna-Maria Nasuelli 6–0, 6–3
Runner-up 4. 17 January 1972 Adelaide, Australia Hard Evonne Goolagong 6–7(4–7), 3–6
Runner-up 5. 31 January 1972 Perth, Australia Hard Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 5–7
Runner-up 6. 24 April 1972 Rome, Italy Clay Linda Tuero 4–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 21 August 1972 New Jersey, United States Grass Marina Kroschina 6–2, 6–7, 7–5
Runner-up 8. 19 March 1973 Akron, United States Hard Chris Evert 3–6, 4–6
Winner 9. 18 June 1973 London, United Kingdom Grass Evonne Goolagong 6–2, 6–3
Winner 10. 22 April 1974 Philadelphia, United States Hard (i) Billie Jean King 7–6, 6–1
Runner-up 11. 17 June 1974 French Open Clay Chris Evert 1–6, 2–6
Runner-up 12. 7 July 1974 Wimbledon Grass Chris Evert 0–6, 4–6
Winner 13. 2 December 1974 Adelaide, Australia Grass Evonne Goolagong 7–6, 2–6, 6–2
Runner-up 14. 9 December 1974 Perth, Australia Hard Margaret Court 4–6, 5–7
Winner 15. 18 January 1975 Moscow, Soviet Union Carpet (i) Elena Granaturova 6–0, 1–6, 6–4
Winner 16. 7 June 1977 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Marise Kruger 7–5, 2–6, 6–3

Doubles: 27 (16 titles, 11 runner-ups)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponent Score
Winner 1. 4 January 1971 Sydney, Australia Hard Margaret Court Helen Gourlay
Kerry Harris
6–2, 6–0
Runner-up 2. 15 February 1971 Moscow, Soviet Union Carpet (i) Elena Granaturova Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
6–7, 7–5, 5–7
Winner 3. 26 April 1971 Buenos Aires, Argentina Clay Betty Stöve Beatriz Araujo
Ines Roget
7–5, 6–1
Runner-up 4. 7 June 1971 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Zaiga Jansone Christine Truman
Nell Truman
3–6, 7–9
Winner 5. 17 January 1972 Adelaide, Australia Hard Evonne Goolagong Marilyn Tesch
Kerry Hogarth
6–3, 6–0
Runner-up 6. 31 January 1972 Perth, Australia Hard Janet Young Evonne Goolagong
Barbara Hawcroft
3–6, 0–6
Winner 7. 24 April 1972 Rome, Italy Clay Lesley Hunt Gail Chanfreau
Rosalba Vido
6–3, 6–4
Winner 8. 21 August 1972 New Jersey, United States Grass Marina Kroschina Carole Caldwell
Patti Hogan
6–7, 6–2, 6–2
Winner 9. 12 March 1973 Hingham, United States Hard Marina Kroschina Evonne Goolagong
Janet Young
6–2, 6–4
Winner 10. 4 June 1973 Rome, Italy Clay Virginia Wade Martina Navratilova
Renáta Tomanová
3–6, 6–2, 7–5
Winner 11. 11 June 1973 Beckenham, United Kingdom Clay Marina Kroschina Jackie Fayter
Peggy Michel
8–6, 6–3
Runner-up 12. 18 March 1974 Akron, United States Hard Julie Heldman Rosie Casals
Billie Jean King
2–6, 4–6
Winner 13. 15 April 1974 St. Petersburg, United States Hard Betty Stöve Chris Evert
Evonne Goolagong
6–4, 6–2
Winner 14. 29 April 1974 Hilton Head, United States Hard Rosie Casals Karen Krantzcke
Helen Gourlay
6–2, 6–1
Winner 15. 27 May 1974 Rome, Italy Clay Chris Evert Helga Masthoff
Heide Orth
w/o
Winner 16. 17 June 1974 French Open Clay Chris Evert Gail Chanfreau
Katja Ebbinghaus
6–4, 2–6, 6–1
Winner 17. 9 December 1974 Perth, Australia Hard Martina Navratilova Lesley Hunt
Kazuko Sawamatsu
6–1, 6–3
Runner-up 18. 16 December 1974 Perth, Australia Hard Martina Navratilova Evonne Goolagong
Peggy Michel
7–6, 4–6, 1–6
Runner-up 19. 5 December 1975 Australian Open Grass Margaret Court Evonne Goolagong
Peggy Michel
6–7, 6–7
Runner-up 20. 10 February 1975 Chicago, United States Hard Margaret Court Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
2–6, 5–7
Runner-up 21. 21 April 1975 Amelia Island, United States Hard Rosie Casals Evonne Goolagong
Virginia Wade
6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 22. 15 June 1975 French Open Clay Julie Anthony Chris Evert
Martina Navratilova
3–6, 2–6
Winner 23. 22 June 1975 Eastbourne, United Kingdom Gras Julie Anthony Evonne Goolagong
Peggy Michel
6–2, 6–4
Winner 24. 19 January 1976 Washington, United States Hard Virginia Wade Wendy Overton
Mona Guerrant
7–6, 6–2
Winner 25. 26 January 1976 Chicago, United States Hard Virginia Wade Evonne Goolagong
Martina Navratilova
6–7(4–5), 6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 26. 12 September 1976 US Open Clay Virginia Wade Linky Boshoff
Ilana Kloss
1–6, 4–6
Runner-up 27. 7 June 1977 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Natasha Chmyreva Brigitte Cuypers
Annette DuPlooy
7–9, 4–6

ITF Circuit finals

Singles: 30 (25–5)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 22 January 1967 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Anna Dmitrieva 9-7, 8-6
Winner 2. 27 September 1967 Tbilisi, Soviet Union Hard (i) Anna Dmitrieva 7-5, 4-6, 6-1
Winner 3. 7 January 1968 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Anna Dmitrieva 7-9, 6-1, 10-8
Winner 4. 18 August 1968 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard Marina Chuvyrina 6-1, 6-3
Winner 5. 23 February 1969 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Betty Stöve 6-2, 6-2
Runner-up 6. 16 March 1969 Cairo, Egypt Clay Lea Pericoli 1-6, 2-6
Runner-up 7. 23 March 1969 Alexandria, Egypt Clay Nell Truman 3-6, 6-2, 3-6
Winner 8. 11 January 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Marina Chuvyrina 6-3, 6-2
Winner 9. 8 February 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Anna Yeremeyeva 6-4, 6-2
Runner-up 10. 22 February 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Helga Niessen 5-7, 6-2, 3-6
Winner 11. 15 March 1970 Cairo, Egypt Clay Lea Pericoli 6-3, 3-6, 9-7
Winner 12. 22 March 1970 Cairo, Egypt Clay Marcela Barochová 6-4, 6-0
Runner-up 13. 13 June 1970 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Patti Hogan 1-6, 3-6
Winner 14. 2 August 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Clay Tiiu Kivi 6-4, 6-4
Winner 15. 26 December 1970 Adelaide, Australia Hard Kristien Shaw-Kemmer 6-4, 4-6, 9-7
Winner 16. 22 March 1971 Cairo, Egypt Clay Lea Pericoli 7-5, 6-0
Winner 17. 16 January 1972 Hobart, Australia Grass Anne Guerrant 6-3, 6-3
Winner 18. 31 January 1972 Perth, Australia Grass Janet Young 6-4, 6-2
Winner 19. 16 April 1972 Tashkent, Soviet Union Hard Eugenia Birioukova 6-2, 6-0
Winner 20. 17 June 1972 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Jill Cooper 6-4, 6-1
Winner 21. 1 August 1972 Tallinn, Estonia Clay Zaiga Jansone 6-1, 6-0
Runner-up 22. 13 August 1972 Bucarest, Romania Clay Marina Kroshina 6-4, 2-6, 5-7
Winner 23. 19 August 1972 Moscow, Soviet Union Clay Marina Kroshina 8-6, 6-2
Winner 24. 12 February 1973 Baku, Soviet Union Hard (i) Marina Kroshina 6-1, 6-2
Winner 25. 1 March 1973 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Galina Baksheeva 6-2, 6-3
Winner 26. 15 August 1973 Pescara, Italy Clay Éva Szabó 6-0, 1-6, 9-7
Winner 27. 10 February 1974 Salavat, Soviet Union Hard (i) Elena Granaturova 6-4, 4-6, 6-2
Winner 28. 24 February 1974 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Marina Kroschina 6-3, 6-1
Winner 29. 23 August 1975 Tallinn, Estonia Clay Marina Kroschina 2-6, 7-6, 6-0
Winner 30. 6 August 1979 Sopot, Poland Clay Hana Mandlíková 4-6, 7-6, 6-3

Doubles: 36 (26–10)

Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1. 19 February 1967 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Tatiana Chalko Galina Baksheeva
Anna Dmitrieva
2–6, 1–6
Runner-up 2. 4 March 1967 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Tatiana Chalko Galina Baksheeva
Anna Dmitrieva
3–6, 1–6
Runner-up 3. 25 February 1968 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Rauza Islanova Galina Baksheeva
Anna Dmitrieva
2–6, 5–7
Winner 4. 7 July 1968 Båstad, Sweden Hard Eva Lundqvist Kathy Harter
Julie Heldman
6–2, 6–3
Winner 5. 18 August 1968 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard Marina Chuvyrina Kerry Harris
Lesley Hunt
6–0, 6–4
Winner 6. 23 February 1969 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Tiiu Kivi
Maria Kull
6–4, 8–6
Winner 7. 17 August 1969 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard Zaiga Jansone Galina Baksheeva
Marina Chuvyrina
6–3, 6–2
Winner 8. 21 September 1969 Turin, Italy Hard Zaiga Jansone Marina Chuvyrina
Tiiu Kivi
6–1, 4–6, 6–3
Winner 9. 11 January 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Anna Islanova
Eugenia Isopaitis
6–2, 6–2
Winner 10. 8 February 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Tiiu Kivi
Maria Kull
6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 11. 22 February 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Nell Truman
Joyce Williams
5–7, 5–7
Winner 12. 2 August 1970 Moscow, Soviet Union Clay Tiiu Kivi Peggy Michel
Valerie Ziegenfuss
6–4, 6–3
Winner 13. 10 January 1971 Hobart, Australia Grass Patti Hogan Brenda Kirk
Laura Rossouw
6–2, 6–0
Runner-up 14. 16 January 1972 Hobart, Australia Grass Barbara Hawcroft Anne Guerrant
Janet Young
3–6, 2–6
Winner 15. 27 February 1972 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
6–3, 5–7, 6–4
Runner-up 16. 3 April 1972 Monte Carlo, Monaco Clay Helga Niessen Masthoff Lucia Bassi
Lea Pericoli
4–6, 4–6
Winner 17. 16 April 1972 Tashkent, Soviet Union Hard Zaiga Jansone Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
5–7, 6–3, 11–9
Winner 18. 17 June 1972 Beckenham, United Kingdom Grass Sharon Walsh Laura DuPont
Anne Guerrant
8–6, 6–1
Winner 19. 1 August 1972 Tallinn, Estonia Clay Zaiga Jansone Galina Baksheeva
Anna Yeremeyeva
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Winner 20. 13 August 1972 Bucarest, Romania Clay Zaiga Jansone Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
6–1, 6–1
Winner 21. 19 August 1972 Moscow, Soviet Union Clay Zaiga Jansone Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
4–6, 7–5, 7–5
Runner-up 22. 14 January 1973 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Eugenia Isopaitis Galina Baksheeva
Marina Chuvyrina
6–3, 3–6, 6–3
Winner 23. 21 January 1973 Tallinn, Estonia Hard (i) Marina Chuvrina Eugenia Birioukova
Anna Yeremeyeva
6–0, 7–5
Winner 24. 12 February 1973 Baku, Soviet Union Hard (i) Zaiga Jansone Galina Baksheeva
Marina Chuvyrina
6–3, 6–1
Winner 25. 22 July 1973 Kitzbühel, Austria Clay Alexandra Ivanova Janet Young
Evonne Goolagong
2–6, 6–4, 6–2
Winner 26. 15 August 1973 Pescara, Italy Clay Alexandra Ivanova Eugenia Birioukova
Marina Kroschina
6–3, 3–6, 6–1
Winner 27. 10 February 1974 Salavat, Soviet Union Hard (i) Eugenia Birioukova Rauza Islanova
Eugenia Isopaitis
6–3, 6–4
Runner-up 28. 24 February 1974 Moscow, Soviet Union Hard (i) Eugenia Birioukova Galina Baksheeva
Marina Chuvyrina
5–7, 1–6
Runner-up 29. 23 June 1974 Eastbourne, United Kingdom Grass Chris Evert Helen Gourlay-Cawley
Karen Krantzcke
2–6, 0–6
Winner 30. 4 August 1974 Wrocław, Soviet Union Clay Marina Kroschina Natasha Chmyreva
Elena Granaturova
6–2, 6–0
Winner 31. 25 July 1975 Tallinn, Estonia Clay Marina Kroschina Natasha Chmyreva
Marina Chuvyrina
6–1, 6–2
Winner 32. 11 August 1975 Vienna, Austria Clay Marina Kroschina Martina Navratilova
Renáta Tomanová
4–6, 7–5, 6–4
Winner 33. 23 August 1975 Tallinn, Estonia Clay Marina Kroschina Galina Baksheeva
Lydia Zinkevich
6–7, 6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 34. 30 November 1975 Osaka, Japan Hard (i) Jeanne Evert Françoise Dürr
Rosie Casals
3–6, 3–6
Winner 35. 8 August 1976 Přerov, Czechoslovakia Clay Marina Chuvyrina Galina Baksheeva
Natasha Chmyreva
6–4, 6–4
Winner 36. 6 August 1979 Sopot, Soviet Union Clay Natasha Chmyreva Eugenia Birioukova
Natalia Borodina
1–6, 6–0, 6–0

Junior Grand Slam finals

Girls' singles (1–0)

Result Year Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1965 Wimbledon Grass Raquel Giscafré 6–3, 6–3

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)
Tournament19661967196819691970197119721973197419751976Career SR
Australian Open A A A A A A QF A A QF A 0 / 2
French Open A 1R 2R 3R 2R 2R QF 2R F SF A 0 / 9
Wimbledon 1R A 1R 4R 2R 3R 4R QF F QF QF 0 / 10
US Open A A A A 3R A QF 3R A 2R 3R 0 / 5
SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 26
Year-end ranking 7 9

Bibliography

Olga Morozova (2000). Only Tennis (in Russian). Moscow: Vagrius. Archived from the original on 26 February 2007.

See also

References

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