Tracy Austin
Tracy Austin ( born December 12, 1962 in Palos Verdes, California ) is a former American tennis player.
Tracy Austin was next to her compatriot Andrea Jaeger as a "miracle child" and the rising star of tennis. Only 16, she won the 1979 U.S. Open and was able to repeat this success in 1981. She also won the WTA Championships in 1980 and the title in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon. From 7 to 20 April 1980, she took over the lead in the short term in the tennis world rankings. Her career was short lived due to numerous injuries. Persistent health problems forced the young American woman in 1983 to resign. Austin was the youngest player ever to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of tennis.
Life
As a junior Austin won 21 years transition championships, including 10 years with the American championship of the 12 -year-olds. In 1977 she won a WTA tournament as youngest player in Portland / Oregon. Austin was 14 years and 28 days old. In the same year she made her debut at Wimbledon. Two months later, she reached the quarter-finals sensational at the U.S. Open.
1979 Austin was 16 years and 9 months, the youngest U.S. Open champion of all time. They met in the finals to Chris Evert, who had previously won four times in a row, American Championships. Austin won 6:4 and 6:3. It was she who ended incredible winning streak on clay in the semifinals of the Italian Open in the same year Everts. Evert had remained undefeated in 125 consecutive games.
1980 Tracy Austin won by the side of her brother John Austin at Wimbledon the title in mixed doubles. As early as 1979, they reached again the semi-finals in singles. In April, she succeeded as by this time the youngest player to take the lead in the tennis world rankings. She pushed Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova, who had six years alternately shared the first and second place.
In 1981 it succeeded Austin as 18 -year-old once again to win the U.S. Open. She beat Martina Navratilova in a highly dramatic match 1:6, 7:6 (7-4 ) and 7-6 ( 7-1). Like two years ago, she was honored for this achievement with the Sportsman of the Year Award from the Associated Press.
After this successful period, which would have only a prelude for the promising tennis star of the future should be, back problems began more and more to be felt that restricted Austin's mobility on the court much.
Nevertheless, Austin won in 1982 their 29th tournament on the WTA Tour in San Diego. In the first round of the tournament in Filderstadt 1982, the former child prodigy met another talent, which a great future was predicted. Austin's opponent was the then 13 -year-old Steffi Graf, who played their first game on the professional tour. The American won clearly in two sentences and said at the press conference that there were hundreds of young girls from Graf's skill level in America. Graf responded by saying "In three years, I suggest you. "
Already in 1983, had to announce his resignation as the burnt young star Austin. She was just 20 years old. You and Andrea Jaeger early burn-out prompted the WTA to introduce in the following game restrictions for young players.
After exercise, it was quiet around the former child star.
In 1989, the media reported that Austin had a serious car accident survived just barely.
1992 Austin was admitted as the youngest player ever in the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Between 1993 and 1994, Tracy Austin attempted a comeback as a player on the tour, but could not find the more connected to the world's best. In one of the few games they have played, they met Steffi Graf, whom she had referred in 1982 as average talent. Graf won 6:0 and 6:0.
Since her final resignation as a player Austin works from time to time as Sportkommentatorin on American television. She commented recently in 2006, the Australian Open.