Kathy May Explained

Kathy May
Fullname:Kathy May Fritz
Birth Date:18 June 1956
Birth Place:Beverly Hills, California, USA
Height: [1]
Plays:Right-handed
Singlesrecord:56–50
Singlestitles:7
Highestsinglesranking:No. 10 (July 3, 1977)
Frenchopenresult:QF (1977, 1978)
Wimbledonresult:4R (1977)
Usopenresult:QF (1978)
Doublesrecord:36–49
Doublestitles:4
Frenchopendoublesresult:2R (1977)
Wimbledondoublesresult:3R (1974)
Usopendoublesresult:QF (1978, 1979)

Kathy May Fritz (born June 18, 1956) is an American former professional tennis player.[2] She reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals, once at the US Open in 1978 and twice at the French Open in 1977 and 1978. She won seven WTA singles titles during her career, and achieved a career-high ranking of world no. 10 in 1977.

She also competed under the names Kathy May Teacher after her marriage in 1979 to tennis player Brian Teacher, and Kathy May-Paben. Her son Taylor Fritz is also a professional tennis player, and he was the 2015 ITF Junior World Champion.

Early and personal life

May was born and grew up in Beverly Hills, California.[3] She is the great-granddaughter of David May, founder of The May Department Stores Company (now Macy's).

In 1979, she married fellow Californian player Brian Teacher, also a top 10 tennis player and the 1980 Australian Open champion; they subsequently divorced.[4] She married fireman Donn Paben in 1981 with whom she had two sons, and subsequently divorced.[5] [6] She later married Guy Fritz (brother of Harry Fritz), her third husband, and had her third son Taylor Fritz but she and Guy have since divorced.[7] [8] [9]

Tennis career

She reached three Grand Slam quarterfinals, once at the US Open in 1978 and twice at the French Open in 1977 and 1978. She won seven WTA singles titles during her career, and achieved a career-high ranking of world no. 10 in 1977.

She was coached by Tony Trabert.[10]

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 7 (7–0)

Winner - Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (7–0)
Titles by surface
Hard (3–0)
Grass (1–0)
Clay (3–0)
Carpet (0–0)
OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Winner1.September 17, 1973Los AngelesHard Lea Antonoplis5–7, 6–1, 6–2
Winner2.April 22, 1974Ojai Tennis TournamentHard Susan Hagey2–6, 6–0, 6–1
Winner3.May 6, 1974Los AngelesHard Lindsay Morse6–4, 7–6
Winner4.August 19, 1974HaverfordGrass Barbara Jordan6–3, 7–5
Winner5.March 17, 1975Pensacola, FloridaClay Ilana Kloss5–7, 6–4, 7–6
Winner6.January 19, 1976Fort Myers, FloridaClay Ann Kiyomura5–7, 6–3, 6–1
Winner7.September 8, 1976IndianapolisClay Brigitte Cuypers6–4, 4–6, 6–2

Doubles: 7 (4–3)

Winner - Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (4–3)
Titles by surface
Hard (3–2)
Grass (0–0)
Clay (1–1)
Carpet (0–0)
OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1.May 7, 1973Los AngelesHard Marita Redondo Lindsay Morse
Jean Nachand
6–4, 6–0
Winner2.September 17, 1973Los AngelesHard Marita Redondo Laurie Tenney
Robin Tenney
6–3, 7–5
Runner-up1.May 6, 1974Los AngelesHard Maricaye Christenson Lea Antonoplis
Susan Hagey
6–3, 6–4
Winner3.July 8, 1974Raleigh, North CarolinaClay Rayni Fox Lindsay Morse
JoAnne Russell
5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Winner4.September 16, 1974Los AngelesHard Susan Hagey Dodo Cheney
Cynthia-Ann Thomas
6–2, 6–4
Runner-up2.August 18, 1975South OrangeClay Kathleen Harter Kristien Shaw
Greer Stevens
w/o
Runner-up3.November 21, 1978TokyoHard (i) Tracy Austin Martina Navratilova
Betty Stöve
6–4, 6–7, 3–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament Career SR
Australian OpenAAAAAAAAA0 / 0
French OpenAAA3RQFQF2RA0 / 4
WimbledonA2R3R2R4R3R3R2R0 / 7
US Open1RA3R2R1RQF4R2R0 / 7
SR0 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 18
Year-end ranking5719211519130

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Bostic. Stephanie. USTA Player Records 1978. 1979. United States Tennis Association (USTA). 220.
  2. Book: 1978 Colgate Series Media Guide. 1978. H.O. Zimman Inc.. New York. Jim Bainbridge. 88.
  3. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/08/the-making-of-americas-next-great-tennis-talent.html The Making of America's Next Great Tennis Talent
  4. http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/11283 "The Australian Open Champion Who Almost Wasn't - Book Excerpt From 'The Greatest Jewish Tennis Players of All Time,'"
  5. https://www.familytreenow.com/records/marriage/may/katherine Katherine May - Free Marriage & Vital Records
  6. https://books.google.com/books?id=FyAdAQAAMAAJ&q=%22kathy+may%22+%22don+paben%22 World Tennis
  7. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/dad-at-19-a-young-tennis-star-turning-heads-raising-eyebrows/articleshow/57767450.cms "Dad at 19: A young tennis star turning heads, raising eyebrows,"
  8. http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2015-10-20/20938.php Is Taylor Fritz The Next American Tennis Star?
  9. https://www.desertsun.com/story/sports/tennis/bnp/2023/03/03/bnp-paribas-open-taylor-fritz-returns-to-indian-wells-as-top-5-player/69928658007/
  10. News: Kathy May Hands Wade Upset Loss. Spokane Daily Chronicle. AP. January 5, 1978. 34.