Betty Rosenquest Pratt
| Country (sports) |  United States /  Jamaica |
|---|---|
| Born | April 15, 1925 |
| Died | January 31, 2016 (aged 90) Winter Park, Florida, U.S. |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 7 (1954) |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| French Open | QF (1950) |
| Wimbledon | SF (1954) |
| US Open | SF (1956) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | SF (1951) |
| US Open | F (1956) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | QF (1954) |
Betty Rosenquest Pratt (April 15, 1925 – January 31, 2016) was an American amateur tennis player who competed in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s.[1]
Pratt was a student at Florida's Rollins College[2] where she played collegiate tennis, graduating in 1947.[3] She was ranked in the Top Ten in the U.S. in 1951 (ranked number eight), 1954 (number five) and 1956 (number five).[4] At the Wimbledon Championships, Pratt was a semifinalist in both singles (1954), losing to eventual winner Maureen Connolly, and doubles (1951).[5] At the U.S. Nationals, she was a doubles finalist and singles semifinalist in 1956.[2][6]
At the tournament in Cincinnati, Pratt won the singles title in 1947 (over Betty Hulbert James in the final) and was a doubles finalist (with Margaret Varner) in 1948.[citation needed]
She captained both the U.S. Wightman Cup team and the U.S. Federation Cup Team.[2]
Active in the Caribbean, she also represented Jamaica,[7] and directed the Caribbean Tennis Circuit between 1952 and 1964.[8]
Pratt continued to win titles at seniors events into her 60s and 70s.[5][9] She was a charter member of the Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame (1977),[10] and is a member of the Florida Tennis Association Hall of Fame (1979) and Eastern Tennis Association Hall of Fame (1998).[2][5]
Grand Slam finals
[edit]Doubles ( 1 runner-up)
[edit]| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1956 | U.S. National Championships | Grass |  Shirley Fry |
Louise Brough Margaret Osborne |
3–6, 0–6 |
References
[edit]- ^ "Tennis Groundbreaker, Florida Volunteer and Former World Top 10 Pratt Dies at Age 90". United States Tennis Association. February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ^ a b c d McShea, Nancy Gill. "Inductees: 1998". USTA Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on February 3, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ "Tradition". Rollins College. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ "USTA Yearbook – Top 10 U.S. Women's Rankings". United States Tennis Association. Archived from the original on August 5, 2010. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ a b c "ITA Women's Hall of Fame – McCormack–Nagelsen Tennis Center: Betty Rosenquest Pratt". The College of William & Mary. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
- ^ "Australian Duo Wins US Doubles Net Title". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. August 27, 1956.
- ^ "Mrs. Pratt, Unranked, Defeats Miss Bloomer in Essex Tennis". The New York Times. August 17, 1956. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ "BETTY ROSENQUEST PRATT". ITA Women's Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
- ^ Storm, Stephanie (June 15, 1995). "Pratt Adds World Title To Her Ongoing Collection". Orlando Sentinel.
- ^ "Rollins Hall of Fame". Rollins College. Archived from the original on July 15, 2011. Retrieved February 28, 2011.
