Country (sports) USA Australian Open 3R (1988) Career end 1991 Plays Right-handed Name Lea Antonoplis Retired 1991 | Career record 78–96 Role Tennis Player Handed Right-handed Career titles 0 Height 1.65 m | |
Born January 20, 1959 (age 65) West Covina, United States ( 1959-01-20 ) Highest ranking No. 66 (February 4, 1985) Education Glendora High School, University of Southern California | ||
Lea Antonoplis (born January 20, 1959) is a former professional tennis player who won the Wimbledon Girls' Singles in 1977 and four WTA doubles titles.
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Early life
Antonoplis attended Glendora High School from 1973 to 1977 and graduated from the University of Southern California.
Tennis career
In 1974, Antonoplis played her first Grand Slam match in the US Open, which Sue Mappin won in three sets. In the 1976 Wimbledon Championships, she lost to Natasha Chmyreva in the quarter final of the Girls' Singles. In the 1977 Wimbledon Championships, Antonoplis won the Girls' Singles, beating compatriot Mareen Louie-Harper in the final in straight sets.
In 1979, she won her first WTA doubles title in the Player's Canadian Open partnering Diane Evers, winning the final against Chris O'Neil and Mimi Wikstedt 2–6 6–1 6–3. In 1983, she won two doubles titles partnering Barbara Jordan. In Indianapolis, they beat Rosalyn Fairbank and Candy Reynolds 5–7 6–4 7–5 in the final, and in Hershey they beat Sherry Acker and Ann Henricksson 6–3 6–4. In 1986, she won her fourth and last WTA doubles title partnering Barbara Gerken and beating Gigi Fernández and Susan Leo 6–1 6–2 in the final.
Antonoplis also acquired some notability at a 1976 satellite tournament in South Orange, New Jersey when she prevailed in a close three set semifinal match against transsexual player Renée Richards. This was the first tournament in which Richards competed after she was publicized as having undergone a sex change procedure.