Helen Gourlay Explained

Helen Gourlay
Fullname:Helen Gourlay Cawley
Birth Date:1946 12, df=yes
Birth Place:Launceston, Australia
Height:[1]
Retired:1978
Plays:Right-handed
Highestsinglesranking:No. 12 (1971)
Australianopenresult:F (1977Dec)
Frenchopenresult:F (1971)
Wimbledonresult:4R (1968, 1972, 1977)
Usopenresult:QF (1970)
Doublestitles:20
Australianopendoublesresult:W (1972, 1976, 1977, 1977)
Frenchopendoublesresult:F (1971, 1977)
Wimbledondoublesresult:W (1977)
Usopendoublesresult:QF (1971, 1974)
Australianopenmixedresult:2R (1967)
Frenchopenmixedresult:SF (1966)
Wimbledonmixedresult:SF (1970, 1974)
Usopenmixedresult:QF (1971)

Helen Gourlay Cawley (née Gourlay; born 23 December 1946) is a retired tennis player from Australia.

Personal

Helen Gourlay was born in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. She married Richard Leon Cawley in January 1977, and married William Timothy Cape in October 1986.

Career

Cawley reached the singles final of two Grand Slam tournaments, losing the 1971 French Open and the December 1977 Australian Open to countrywoman Evonne Goolagong.[2]

An operation on her elbow sidelined her for 10 months in 1973.[3]

In women's doubles, Cawley was a four-time winner of the Australian Open (1972, 1976, 1977 (January), 1977 (December)). She won Wimbledon in 1977 partnering JoAnne Russell and was the runner-up there in 1974 with Karen Krantzcke. Gourlay was twice the runner-up at the French Open in 1971 with Kerry Harris and 1977 with Rayni Fox. In 1977, Gourlay played in four of the five Grand Slam Women's Doubles finals (the Australian Open was contested twice), only failing to reach the US Open final, where she lost in the second round with JoAnne Russell.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss 1971 Clay 3–6, 5–7
Loss 1977 Australian Open (Dec) Grass Evonne Goolagong 3–6, 0–6

Doubles (5 titles, 3 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss 1971 French Open Clay 4–6, 1–6
Win 1972 Australian Open Grass Kerry Harris 6–0, 6–4
Loss 1974 Grass 6–2, 4–6, 3–6
Win 1976 Australian Open Grass 8–1
Win 1977(Jan)Australian OpenGrass5–7, 6–1, 7–5
Loss 1977 French Open Clay 7–5, 4–6, 2–6
Win 1977 Wimbledon Grass 6–3, 6–3
Win 1977(Dec) Australian Open Grass Evonne Goolagong Mona Guerrant
Kerry Melville Reid
Shared
Note: Evonne Goolagong Cawley occasionally is credited incorrectly with winning the 1977 Ladies Doubles event at Wimbledon, due to the confusion regarding the married name of her compatriot Helen Gourlay who in fact took the trophy. Both women were listed in tournaments as Mrs. R. Cawley (Goolagong was Mrs. R.A. Cawley and Gourlay Mrs. R.L. Cawley). Goolagong Cawley did not participate at Wimbledon 1977.

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Career SR
AustraliaQF3R3R2R1RQFAQFSFA2R2RSFSFFAA1R0 / 14
FranceAA1R3R3R2R1RF4RAAAA3RAAA0 / 8
WimbledonAA2R1R4R3R2R1R4R1R3R2RA4R2RAA0 / 11
United StatesAAAAAAQF2R1R1R2R2R3R2RAAA0 / 8
SR0 / 10 / 10 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 40 / 40 / 20 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 50 / 10 / 00 / 10 / 41

Note: The Australian Open was held twice in 1977, in January and December.

Coaching

Gourlay was coached by Brian Hudson for over 10 years. She lived with Hudson, his wife Beryl and their children for three years while he coached her for free at his Granville (Sydney) tennis courts (1963-1965). Gourlay and Hudson played mixed doubles at White City (1968) and Wimbledon (1972). Gourlay also was coached by Hudson at his Terranora court, leading into many international events, including Grand Slams. Hudson coached Gourlay in the 1977 Australian Open, in which Gourlay defeated Sue Barker in the semifinals.

Gourlay was one of the inaugural coaches of the Australian Institute of Sport tennis program when it was established in Canberra in 1981. Gourlay left the program in 1986.

Recognition

In 1987, she was inducted into the Tasmanian Sporting Hall of Fame, and in 2000, she received the Australian Sports Medal.[4]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bostic. Stephanie. USTA Player Records 1978. 1979. United States Tennis Association (USTA). 181.
  2. News: Evonne Goolagong routs Cawley to win 4th lid . 16 . 2 January 1978 . Bangor Daily News.
  3. News: Jack Gurney. Helen Gourlay's Persistence Typifies Aussie Standards. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. 14 April 1974. 4-D.
  4. Web site: Helen Gourlay (Cawley). dpac.tas.gov.au. Tasmanian Government. 30 December 2014. 23 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150923220305/http://www.dpac.tas.gov.au/divisions/csrt/programs_and_services/tasmanian_honour_roll_of_women/inductees/2012/helen_gourlay_cawley. dead.