Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat
Country (sports)Australia
ResidenceMelbourne, Australia
Born (1956-08-10) 10 August 1956
Albury, Australia
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Turned pro1973
Retired1990
PlaysLeft-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS$1,145,377
Singles
Career record429–223 (65.8%)
Career titles8
Highest rankingNo. 4 (19 March 1979)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenF (1977Jan)
French OpenSF (1979, 1980)
WimbledonQF (1979, 1987)
US OpenSF (1976)
Doubles
Career record134–141
Career titles6
Highest rankingNo. 56 (14 September 1987)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenW (1977)
French OpenSF (1979)
WimbledonQF (1979)
US OpenQF (1979)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenQF (1987, 1988)
French OpenSF (1975)
WimbledonF (1980)
US Open2R (1983)
Team competitions
Fed CupW (1974)

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.

In 2019, Fromholtz was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame, commemorated by a bronze bust.

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.

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.

Dianne Fromholtz Balestrat in Wimbledon Mixed Doubles with Tom Okker in the background, 1985

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
Loss1977(J)Australian OpenGrassAustralia Kerry Melville Reid5–7, 2–6

Doubles: (1 title)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1977(J)Australian OpenGrassAustralia Helen GourlayAustralia Kerry Melville Reid
United States Betsy Nagelsen
5–7, 6–1, 7–5

Mixed doubles: (1 runner-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1980WimbledonGrassAustralia Mark EdmondsonUnited States Tracy Austin
United States John Austin
6–4, 6–7(6–8), 3–6

WTA career finals

Singles: 24 (8–16)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–1)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (8–15)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–4)
Grass (4–5)
Clay (3–1)
Carpet (1–6)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. May 1973 Guildford Clay Japan Kazuko Sawamatsu 7–5, 4–6, 6–3
Win 2. Jun 1973 Chichester Grass South Africa Brigitte Cuypers 6–1, 6–0
Win 3. Jun 1973 Beckenham Grass United States Janet Newberry 7–5, 0–6, 6–1
Loss 1. Jul 1973 Newport Grass United States Julie Heldman 6–1, 1–6, 9–11
Loss 2. Nov 1973 Adelaide Grass Australia Janet Young 5–7, 1–6
Win 4. Nov 1973 Sydney Clay United States Ann Kiyomura 6–1, 7–5
Loss 3. Aug 1974 South Orange Grass United States Pam Teeguarden 5–7, 3–6
Loss 4. Nov 1974 Johannesburg Hard Australia Kerry Melville 3–6, 5–7
Loss 5. Aug 1975 Indianapolis Clay United States Chris Evert 3–6, 4–6
Loss 6. Octr 1976 Phoenix Hard United States Chris Evert 1–6, 5–7
Win 5. Nov 1976 Sydney Clay Australia Leanne Harrison 6–1, 6–0
Loss 7. Dec 1976 Sydney Grass Australia Kerry Melville Reid 6–3, 2–6, 3–6
Loss 8. Jan 1977 Australian Open Grass Australia Kerry Melville Reid 5–7, 2–6
Loss 9. Oct 1977 Atlanta Carpet United States Chris Evert 3–6, 2–6
Loss 10. Feb 1978 Detroit Carpet United States Martina Navratilova 3–6, 2–6
Win 6. Dec 1978 Sydney Grass Australia Kerry Melville Reid 6–1, 1–6, 6–4
Win 7. Dec 1978 Sydney Grass Australia Wendy Turnbull 6–2, 7–5
Loss 11. Jan 1979 Hollywood Carpet South Africa Greer Stevens 4–6, 6–2, 4–6
Win 8. Mar 1979 Boston Carpet United Kingdom Sue Barker 6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Loss 12. Mar 1979 Carlsbad Hard United States Chris Evert 6–3, 3–6, 1–6
Loss 13. Oct 1979 Minneapolis Carpet Australia Evonne Goolagong 3–6, 4–6
Loss 14. Sep 1980 Minneapolis Carpet United States Tracy Austin 1–6, 6–2, 2–6
Loss 15. May 1985 Sydney Carpet United States Pam Shriver 3–6, 4–6
Loss 16. Mar 1987 Phoenix Hard United States Anne White 1–6, 2–6

Doubles: 12 (5-1–6)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (4–1-6)
Titles by surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (1-1–3)
Clay (2–1)
Carpet (0–0)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Draw 1. 9 July 1973 Newport Grass United States Julie Heldman United States Patti Hogan
United States Sharon Walsh
1–5 Shared –
final rained out
Loss 1. 17 December 1973 Hobart Grass United Kingdom Jackie Fayter Australia Helen Gourlay
Australia Karen Krantzcke
2–6, 1–6
Win 1. 8 April 1974 Phoenix, Arizona Hard Australia Janet Young United States Ann Kiyomura
United States Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Loss 2. 18 November 1974 Johannesburg Hard Australia Margaret Court South Africa Ilana Kloss
Australia Kerry Melville
3–6, 5–7
Win 2. 19 May 1975 Hamburg Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová Israel Paulina Peisachov
Japan Kazuko Sawamatsu
6–3, 6–2
Win 3. 8 March 1976 Tallahassee, Florida Hard United States Julie Anthony Romania Virginia Ruzici
Romania Mariana Simionescu
6–2, 7–5
Loss 3. 26 December 1976 Sydney Grass Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová Australia Helen Gourlay
United States Betsy Nagelsen
4–6, 1–6
Win 4. 3 January 1977 Australian Open Grass Australia Helen Gourlay Australia Kerry Melville Reid
United States Betsy Nagelsen
5–7, 6–1, 7–5
Loss 4. 23 September 1977 Hilton Head Clay United Kingdom Virginia Wade Australia Evonne Goolagong
Australia Kerry Melville Reid
2–6, 6–3, 4–6
Win 5. 14 May 1979 Vienna Clay South Africa Marise Kruger South Africa Ilana Kloss
United States Betty Ann Stuart
3–6, 6–4, 6–1
Loss 5. 26 November 1979 Melbourne Grass United States Anne Smith United States Billie Jean King
Australia Wendy Turnbull
3–6, 3–6
Loss 6. 28 February 1983 Palm Springs Hard Netherlands Betty Stöve United States Kathy Jordan
United States Ann Kiyomura
2–6, 2–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament19711972197319741975197619771978197919801981198219831984198519861987198819891990Career 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.

See also

References

  1. "Dianne's tenth title of year", Sydney Morning Herald, 3 December 1973
  2. "Fromholtz Marries". The Canberra Times. 31 December 1982. p. 14. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  3. "Dianne Balestrat". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  4. "Albury tennis product Dianne Balestrat inducted into Hall of Fame". The Border Mail (subscription required). Retrieved 14 January 2024.
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