Elizabeth Smylie Explained

Elizabeth Smylie
Birth Date:11 April 1963
Birth Place:Perth, Australia[1]
Turnedpro:1982
Retired:1997
Plays:Right-handed
Careerprizemoney:$1,615,247
Singlestitles:3
Highestsinglesranking:No. 20 (14 September 1987)
Australianopenresult:QF (1987)
Frenchopenresult:2R (1983)
Wimbledonresult:4R (1984, 1985)
Usopenresult:2R (1986, 1987, 1989)
Doublestitles:36
Highestdoublesranking:No. 5 (28 March 1988)
Australianopendoublesresult:F (1993)
Frenchopendoublesresult:SF (1984)
Wimbledondoublesresult:W (1985)
Usopendoublesresult:F (1987)
Othertournamentsdoubles:yes
Wtachampionshipsdoublesresult:W (1990)
Australianopenmixedresult:SF (1990, 1991)
Frenchopenmixedresult:SF (1993)
Wimbledonmixedresult:W (1991)
Usopenmixedresult:W (1983, 1990)

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one of them in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles on the tour. Liz also taught junior tennis players at Smith's Tennis Center, North Curl Curl. Sydney in the early 1990's.

Career

Smylie turned professional in 1982.[2] She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1985 with Kathy Jordan.[3] In mixed doubles, she teamed with John Fitzgerald to win the 1983 US Open and 1991 Wimbledon titles and with Todd Woodbridge to win the 1990 US Open. She won the Virginia Slims Championships with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.

She played Federation Cup from 1984 to 1994, and won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Over her career, Smylie won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.

Personal life

She is married to player-manager Peter Smylie and they have three children.[4] She was the long-time tournament director of the Australian Women's Hardcourts and also works as a sports television commentator. Her brother Mervyn Sayers played one first-class cricket game for Western Australia in 1979.

Grand Slam tournaments

Doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)

ResultYearTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win 1985 Grass 5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1987 Grass 7–5, 7–5
Loss 1987 Hard Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 1990 Grass Kathy Jordan Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
6–3, 6–4
Loss 1993 Australian Open Hard 6–4, 6–3

Mixed doubles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

ResultYearTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win 1983 Hard 3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1984 Hard John Fitzgerald 2–6, 7–5, 6–4
Loss 1985 Grass John Fitzgerald 7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Loss 1985 Hard John Fitzgerald 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1988 Hard 7–5, 6–3
Loss 1990 Grass John Fitzgerald 7–5, 6–2
Win 1990 Hard 6–4, 6–2
Win 1991 Grass John Fitzgerald Natasha Zvereva
Jim Pugh
7–6(7–4), 6–2

Olympic Games

Doubles: 1 (bronze medal)

Smylie and Turnbull lost their semifinal match to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 6–7(5), 4–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal pairs received bronze medals.[5] [6]

Other significant finals

Year-end championships

Doubles: 1 (title)

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 6 (3–3)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV (0–1)
Tier V (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (3–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (1–0)
Carpet (0–0)
ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Win1.Apr 1982SardiniaClay Dana Gilbert6–3, 6–0
Win2.Sep 1983Kansas CityHard Anne Minter6–3, 6–1
Loss1.Nov 1984BrisbaneGrass Helena Suková4–6, 4–6
Win3.Feb 1987Oklahoma CityHard Lori McNeil4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss2.Apr 1989TokyoHard Kumiko Okamoto4–6, 2–6
Loss3.Apr 1990TokyoHard Catarina Lindqvist3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 69 (36–33)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–4)
WTA Championships (1–0)
Tier I (2–1)
Tier II (7–1)
Tier III (2–3)
Tier IV (3–3)
Tier V (3–2)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (17–19)
Finals by surface
Hard (17–10)
Grass (5–12)
Clay (4–1)
Carpet (10–10)
ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss1.Oct 1981KyotoHard Kim Steinmetz Nanette Schutte
Marianne van der Torre
2–6, 4–6
Win1.Feb 1983RidgewoodCarpet (i) Beverly Mould Rosalyn Fairbank
Susan Leo
7–6, 4–6, 7–5
Loss2.Jun 1983BirminghamGrass Beverly Mould Billie Jean King
Sharon Walsh
2–6, 4–6
Loss3.Jul 1983NewportGrass Barbara Jordan Barbara Potter
Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Win2.Sep 1983Kansas CityHard Sandy Collins Chris O'Neil
Brenda Remilton
7–5, 7–6
Loss4.Jan 1984IndianapolisCarpet (i) Beverly Mould Cláudia Monteiro
Yvonne Vermaak
7–6(9–7), 4–6, 5–7
Loss5.Mar 1984TokyoCarpet (i) Barbara Jordan Ann Kiyomura
Pam Shriver
3–6, 7–6(9–7), 3–6
Loss6.Mar 1984DallasCarpet (i) Sandy Collins Leslie Allen
Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss7.Jun 1984BirminghamGrass Barbara Jordan Leslie Allen
Anne White
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Win3.Aug 1984MontrealHard Kathy Jordan Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Hana Mandlíková
6–1, 6–2
Win4.Sep 1984Deerfield BeachHard Martina Navratilova Barbara Potter
Sharon Walsh
2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win5.Oct 1984TampaHard Carling Bassett Mary-Lou Piatek
Wendy White
6–4, 6–3
Loss8.Dec 1984TokyoCarpet (i) Catherine Tanvier Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
4–6, 4–6
Win6.Jan 1985Key BiscayneHard Kathy Jordan Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Win7.Jan 1985Marco IslandHard Kathy Jordan Camille Benjamin
Bonnie Gadusek
6–3, 6–3
Loss9.Mar 1985PrincetonCarpet (i) Marcella Mesker Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Win8.Apr 1985TokyoCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Betsy Nagelsen
Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win9.May 1985SydneyCarpet (i) Pam Shriver Barbara Potter
Sharon Walsh
7–5, 7–5
Win10.May 1985MelbourneCarpet (i) Pam Shriver Anne Hobbs
Kathy Jordan
6–2, 5–7, 6–1
Loss10.Jun 1985EastbourneGrass Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 4–6
Win11.Jun 1985WimbledonGrass Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss11.Jul 1985NewportGrass Pam Shriver Chris Evert
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win12.Aug 1985MahwahHard Kathy Jordan Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
7–6(8–6), 6–3
Win13.Sep 1985ChicagoCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Elise Burgin
JoAnne Russell
6–2, 6–2
Loss12.Dec 1985TokyoCarpet (i) Marcella Mesker Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
0–6, 4–6
Win14.Jan 1986Key BiscayneHard Kathy Jordan Betsy Nagelsen
Barbara Potter
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 6–2
Win15.Mar 1986PrincetonCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Hana Mandlíková
Helena Suková
6–3, 7–5
Loss13.Mar 1986NashvilleCarpet /u( Kathy Jordan Barbara Potter
Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Loss14.Jun 1986BirminghamGrass Wendy Turnbull Elise Burgin
Rosalyn Fairbank
2–6, 4–6
Win16.Aug 1986MahwahHard Betsy Nagelsen Steffi Graf
Helena Suková
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss15.Dec 1986BrisbaneGrass Betsy Nagelsen Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 3–6
Win17.Jan 1987SydneyGrass Betsy Nagelsen Jenny Byrne
Janine Thompson
6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–1
Loss16.Mar 1987PiscatawayCarpet (i) Betsy Nagelsen Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
1–6, 4–6
Win18.May 1987GenevaClay Betsy Nagelsen Laura Gildemeister
Catherine Tanvier
4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss17.Jun 1987EastbourneGrass Rosalyn Fairbank Svetlana Parkhomenko
Larisa Savchenko
6–7(6–8), 6–4, 5–7
Loss18.Jun 1987WimbledonGrass Betsy Nagelsen Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
5–7, 5–7
Loss19.Aug 1987MahwahHard Anne Hobbs Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
3–6, 2–6
Loss20.Aug 1987US OpenHard Kathy Jordan Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–5, 4–6, 2–6
Win19.Jun 1988EastbourneGrass Eva Pfaff Belinda Cordwell
Dinky Van Rensburg
6–3, 7–6(8–6)
Loss21.Jan 1989SydneyHard Wendy Turnbull Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 3–6
Loss22.Jan 1989AucklandHard Janine Thompson Patty Fendick
Jill Hetherington
4–6, 4–6
Win20.Feb 1989WellingtonHard Janine Thompson Tracey Morton
Heidi Sprung
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Loss23.Feb 1989Oklahoma CityHard (i) Elise Burgin Lori McNeil
Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Win21.Apr 1989SingaporeHard Belinda Cordwell Ann Henricksson
Beth Herr
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–1
Win22.Apr 1989TokyoHard Jill Hetherington Ann Henricksson
Beth Herr
6–1, 6–3
Win23.May 1989RomeClay Janine Thompson Manon Bollegraf
Mercedes Paz
6–4, 6–3
Win24.May 1989BerlinClay Janine Thompson Lise Gregory
Gretchen Magers
5–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss24.Jul 1989NewportGrass Wendy Turnbull Gigi Fernández
Lori McNeil
3–6, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Loss25.Sep 1989TokyoCarpet Wendy Turnbull Gigi Fernández
Robin White
2–6, 2–6
Win25.Jan 1990TokyoCarpet (i) Gigi Fernández Jo-Anne Faull
Rachel McQuillan
6–2, 6–2
Win26.Mar 1990San AntonioHard Kathy Jordan Gigi Fernández
Robin White
7–5, 7–5
Win27.Apr 1990TokyoHard Kathy Jordan Michelle Jaggard
Hu Na
6–0, 3–6, 6–1
Loss26.May 1990StrasbourgClay Kathy Jordan Nicole Provis
Elna Reinach
1–6, 4–6
Loss27.Jun 1990WimbledonGrass Kathy Jordan Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
3–6, 4–6
Win28.Nov 1990VS ChampionshipsCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Mercedes Paz
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4
Win29.Jan 1991TokyoCarpet (i) Kathy Jordan Mary Joe Fernández
Robin White
4–6, 6–0, 6–3
Win30.May 1991GenevaClay Nicole Provis Cathy Caverzasio
Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
6–1, 6–2
Win31.Jun 1991BirminghamGrass Nicole Provis Sandy Collins
Elna Reinach
6–3, 6–4
Win32.Jan 1993SydneyHard Pam Shriver Lori McNeil
Rennae Stubbs
7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss28.Jan 1993Australian OpenHard Pam Shriver Gigi Fernández
Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 3–6
Loss29.Jun 1993BirminghamGrass Pam Shriver Lori McNeil
Martina Navratilova
3–6, 4–6
Win33.Jul 1993Stratton MountainHard Helena Suková Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
Mercedes Paz
6–1, 6–2
Loss30.Aug 1993San DiegoHard Pam Shriver Gigi Fernández
Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win34.Jan 1994TokyoCarpet (i) Pam Shriver Manon Bollegraf
Martina Navratilova
6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–3)
Loss31.Feb 1994OsakaCarpet (i) Pam Shriver Larisa Neiland
Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 5–7
Win35.Jul 1994Stratton MountainHard Pam Shriver Conchita Martínez
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–5
Loss32.Aug 1994MontrealHard Pam Shriver Meredith McGrath
Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 2–6, 4–6
Loss33.Aug 1994SchenectadyHard Pam Shriver Meredith McGrath
Larisa Neiland
2–6, 2–6
Win36.Jun 1996BirminghamGrass Linda Wild Lori McNeil
Nathalie Tauziat
6–3, 3–6, 6–1

Grand Slam performance timelines

Singles

Tournament Career SR
Australian Open1RA1R2R1R2RNHQF1R1R3R3RA1R1R0 / 12
French OpenAAA2R1RA1R1RA1R1R1RA1RA0 / 8
WimbledonA2R1R1R4R4R3R3R1R3R1R3RA2R1R0 / 13
US OpenA1RA1R1R1R2R2RA2R1R1RA1RA0 / 10
SR0 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 30 / 30 / 40 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 00 / 40 / 20 / 43
Year-end ranking96225115733643114271546653115336119194

Doubles

Tournament Career SR
Australian OpenQF2R1R2R1R2RNH1RSFQF3RQFAFSFA1R1R0 / 15
French OpenAA3R2RSFAAQFA1R2R2RA2R2RA3RA0 / 10
WimbledonAA1R1R2RWQFFQF3RF3R1RSFQFASF1R1 / 15
US OpenA1R2R3R3R2RQFF1R2RSF2R2R3R3RA1RA0 / 15
SR0 / 10 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 41 / 30 / 20 / 40 / 30 / 40 / 40 / 40 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 00 / 40 / 21 / 55
Year-end ranking137882012101454913NR27NR

Mixed doubles

Tournament 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career SR
Australian OpenNHNHNHNH2RQFQFSFSFAQF2RA1R1R0 / 9
French Open2RQFAA1RAA3RAASF2RAAA0 / 6
WimbledonASFFQFQFSF2RFW2R3RQFA3RA1 / 12
US OpenWFFSF2RF2RW2R1R2R1RA1RA2 / 13
SR1 / 20 / 30 / 20 / 20 / 40 / 30 / 31 / 41 / 30 / 20 / 40 / 40 / 00 / 30 / 13 / 40

Notes and References

  1. Book: World of Tennis 1984 : The Official Yearbook of the International Tennis Federation. 1984. Willow Books. London. 0002181223. 339. John Barrett.
  2. Web site: Elizabeth (Sayers) Smylie . 2022-01-04 . Tennis Australia.
  3. News: 1985-07-08 . Smylie doubles triumph . 27 . The Age . 2022-01-04.
  4. News: Pearce . Linda . 2006-01-15 . The two of us. The Age . 2022-01-04.
  5. News: Shriver, Garrison gain doubles final . 4 January 2022 . South Florida Sun Sentinel . 28 September 1988.
  6. News: Craig . Gabriel . Gold gives Mecir his biggest thrill . 4 January 2022 . The Sydney Morning Herald . 1 October 1988.