Beverly Baker Fleitz


Beverly Baker Fleitz was a women's tennis player from the United States who was active in the late 1940s and during the 1950s. According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Fleitz was ranked in the world top 10 in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959, reaching a career high of World No. 3 in those rankings in 1954, 1955, and 1958. Fleitz was included in the year-end top 10 rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association from 1948 through 1951 and in 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959. She was the top-ranked U.S. player in 1959. She was ambidextrous and played with two forehands.

Career

Fleitz began playing tennis at age 11 and played mostly on public courts in Lincoln Park in Santa Monica, California. Her father Frank Baker was her only coach and was the assistant director of recreation for the city of Santa Monica.
During 11 of the 12 weeks following June 19, 1950, Fleitz competed in tournaments across the U.S. In singles, she won three titles, was the runner-up three times, and was a semifinalist at both the U.S. National Championships and the U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships. Her 6 losses during this period were to Doris Hart, Margaret Osborne duPont, Maureen Connolly, and Magda Berescu Rurac. She recorded wins over Louise Brough, Connolly, Berescu Rurac, Patricia Canning Todd, and Dorothy Bundy Cheney. In women's doubles, she was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. National Doubles Championships.

Grand Slam tournaments

At the U.S. National Championships, Fleitz reached the semifinals twice and the quarterfinals in four of her six other attempts. She played Grand Slam singles tournaments outside the U.S. only six times. At the 1951 Wimbledon Championships, she defeated Althea Gibson in the third round 6–1, 6–3 and Margaret Osborne duPont in the quarterfinals before falling to Doris Hart in the semifinals 6–3, 6–1. Fleitz was the top seed at the 1955 French International Championships, but she was upset by fourth-seeded Dorothy Head Knode in the semifinals 6–2, 6–3.
At the 1955 Wimbledon Championships, third-seeded Fleitz defeated top-seeded Hart in the semifinals 6–3, 6–0, which was the last Wimbledon singles match of Hart's career. Fleitz then played second-seeded Louise Brough in the final. Fleitz was the first mother to play in a Wimbledon singles final since Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers in 1920. Fleitz had won the last four matches with Brough since the beginning of 1954, but Brough prevailed on this day 7–5, 8–6 in 1 hour, 32 minutes. The veteran BBC tennis broadcaster Max Robertson observed, "Louise was always prone to tighten up at important points, but had a greater breadth of stroke and experience at her command, which just saw her through a keenly fought struggle. In the sixth game of the second set, for example, it was only after nine deuces and five ... Fleitz that Louise wrong-footed her... exhausted opponent with a backhand slice down the line to lead 4-2. That was the turning point, and Louise went on to win her fourth singles ...." Afterwards, Fleitz said, "I've no excuses for my defeat. Louise was just marvelous today. She played as well as I've ever seen her play and well deserved her victory."
At the 1956 Wimbledon Championships, Fleitz reached the quarterfinals where she was forced to withdraw from the tournament because of a pregnancy-related illness. She last played Wimbledon in 1959 as the third-seeded player. Unseeded Edda Buding from West Germany defeated her in the fourth round 8–6, 2–6, 7–5.
Fleitz never played contemporaries Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones, Christine Truman, Darlene Hard, Maureen Connolly, or Shirley Fry in a Grand Slam singles tournament. Her win-loss record against other top players at those tournaments was as follows: Althea Gibson 2–1, Doris Hart 1–2, Louise Brough 0–3, Margaret Osborne duPont 2–1, and Maria Bueno 1–0.
Fleitz's only Grand Slam title was in women's doubles at the 1955 French International Championships. In the final, she and partner Darlene Hard needed 50 games to defeat their opponents in the longest Grand Slam women's doubles final of all time.

Other tournaments

Outside of the U.S., Fleitz won singles tournaments in Bermuda, England, Ireland, Mexico, and West Germany. She was the runner-up at tournaments in Cuba and England.
Within the U.S., she was the runner-up at the 1949 U.S. Clay Court Championships, losing to former Romanian national champion Magda Berescu Rurac. Fleitz won the U.S. Hardcourt Championships three times, in 1954, 1957, and 1958. She defeated future Wimbledon singles champion Karen Hantze in the 1958 final. In tournaments sponsored by sections of the United States Lawn Tennis Association, Fleitz was the singles champion of the Southern California section four times, the Pacific Northwest section once, and the Western section once.
In March 1954, Fleitz defeated Maureen Connolly 6–0, 6–4 at a tournament in La Jolla, California, which was the last time anyone defeated Connolly in a singles tournament and her only loss of 1954. Connolly had won the last seven Grand Slam singles tournaments she had played. Fleitz won four of their nine career singles matches.
Fleitz was a four-time singles champion at the Pacific Southwest Championships in Los Angeles and was the runner-up three times. She defeated Hard in the 1958 final and Bueno in the 1959 final. At the Tri-State Championships in Cincinnati, Fleitz won the 1950 singles title and was the runner-up in 1949, with Berescu Rurac being her opponent in both finals.

Retirement years

Fleitz retired permanently from singles tennis in 1959 and was inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2005.

Personal life

She married actor Scotty Beckett on September 28, 1949, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Baker was granted a divorce in June 1950. She married tennis player John Fleitz on October 6, 1951. They had five daughters together. John Fleitz died in Long Beach, California on November 14, 2011, at age 82.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: (1 runner-up)

Women's doubles: (1 title, 1 runner-up)

Other singles finals (38 titles, 13 runner-ups)

ResultDateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
LostApr 1948Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament
Ojai, California, U.S.
HardLouise Brough2–6, 2–6
WonJul 1948Colorado State Championships
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
HardMaureen Connolly6–0, 6–3
WonJul 1948Pacific Northwest Sectional Championships
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
UnknownMaureen Connolly6–2, 6–1
LostSep 1948Pacific Southwest Championships
Los Angeles Tennis Club,
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardLouise Brough2–6, 3–6
LostApr 1949Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament
Ojai, California, U.S.
HardLouise Brough1–6, 4–6
LostJun 1950Hotel del Coronado Invitational
Coronado, California, U.S.
HardMaureen Connolly2–6, 9–7, 2–6
LostJun 1950Southern Sectional Championships
Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
ClayMagda Berescu Rurac6–8, 2–6
WonJul 1950Tri-State Tennis Championships
Cincinnati Tennis Club
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
ClayMagda Berescu Rurac5–7, 6–3, 9–7
WonJul 1950Western Sectional Championships
Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
ClayImelda Ramirez6–1, 6–2
WonJul 1950Maidstone Club Invitational
East Hampton, New York, U.S.
GrassMaureen Connolly6–4, 9–7
LostAug 1950Essex County Club Championships
Manchester-by-the-Sea,
Massachusetts, U.S.
GrassMargaret Osborne duPont3–6, 0–6
WonJan 1951Dixie Championships
Tampa, Florida, U.S.
ClayShirley Fry6–3, 6–4
WonJan 1951South Florida Championships
Howard Park
West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.
ClayShirley Fry6–4, 6–4
LostJan 1951Havana InternationalUnknownDoris Hart4–6, 6–8
LostFeb 1951U.S. Indoor National Championships
Seventh Regiment Armory
New York City
WoodNancy Chaffee4–6, 4–6
WonFeb 1951Bermuda International
Hamilton
UnknownBarbara Scofield9–7, 7–5
WonMar 1951Coral Beach Club Invitational
Hamilton, Bermuda
UnknownBetty Rosenquest4–6, 6–4, 6–2
WonMay 1951Hurlingham Hard CourtsClayKay Tuckey6–4, 5–7, 7–5
WonMay 1951Priory Club Tournament
Birmingham, England
GrassNancye Wynne Bolton4–6, 6–4, 6–2
LostJun 1951Northern Championships
Northern Lawn Tennis Club
Manchester, England
GrassDoris Hart6–8, 3–6
WonJun 1951West of England Championships
Bristol
GrassBeryl Nicholas Bartlett6–3, 6–3
LostJul 1951Maidstone Club Invitational
East Hampton, New York, U.S.
GrassPatricia Canning Todd4–6, 1–6
LostSep 1951Pacific Southwest Championships
Los Angeles Tennis Club
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardMaureen Connolly7–9, 4–6
WonJun 1953Hotel del Coronado Invitational
Coronado, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney4–6, 8–6, 6–1
WonAug 1953Balboa Bay Club Invitational,
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney6–4, 7–5
WonSep 1953Santa Monica City Tournament
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney6–4, 6–4
WonMay 1954Southern California Sectional Championships
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardLouise Brough5–7, 6–4, 7–5
WonJul 1954Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championships
Merion Cricket Club
Haverford, Pennsylvania, U.S.
GrassLouise Brough6–4, 2–6, 8–6
WonDec 1954U.. Women's Hardcourt Championships
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club
La Jolla, California, U.S.
HardBarbara Green6–1, 6–3
WonJan 1955Thunderbird Invitational
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
HardPatricia Canning Todd6–1, 6–1
WonFeb 1955Shadow Mountain Club Invitational
Palm Desert, California, U.S.
HardBarbara Breit6–2, 6–3
WonMar 1955La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Invitational
La Jolla, California, U.S.
HardLouise Brough8–6, 3–6, 6–2
WonMay 1955Southern California Sectional Championships
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardLouise Brough7–5, 6–4
WonMay 1955Wiesbaden InternationalClayElaine Watson6–3, 6–2
WonJul 1955Irish Lawn Tennis Championships
Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
Dublin
GrassDarlene Hard6–2, 6–2
WonSep 1955Pacific Southwest Championships
Los Angeles Tennis Club,
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardBarbara Breit6–1, 6–4
WonFeb 1956Shadow Mountain Club Invitational
Palm Desert, California, U.S.
HardDarlene Hard6–4, 6–1
WonApr 1956Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament
Ojai, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney7–5, 6–2
WonMay 1956Southern California Sectional Championships
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardLouise Brough6–3, 6–4
LostAug 1957Santa Monica City Tournament
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney3–6, 6–0, 4–6
WonOct 1957Balboa Bay Club Invitational
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
HardDorothy Bundy Cheney6–4, 6–1
WonDec 1957U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championships
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club
La Jolla, California, U.S.
HardMary "Mimi" Arnold6–1, 6–1
WonJan 1958Thunderbird Invitational
Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
HardLouise Brough6–2, 3–6, 10–8
WonMar 1958Puerto Rican Invitational
San Juan, Puerto Rico
HardAlthea Gibson6–4, 10–8
WonSep 1958Pacific Southwest Championships
Los Angeles Tennis Club,
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardDarlene Hard6–3, 9–7
WonDec 1958U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championships
La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club
La Jolla, California, U.S.
HardKaren Hantze6–1, 8–6
WonFeb 1959Shadow Mountain Club Invitational
Palm Desert, California, U.S.
HardSally Moore6–2, 6–2
LostJul 1959U.S. Women's Hardcourt Championships
Denver, Colorado, U.S.
HardSandra Reynolds3–6, 2–6
WonAug 1959Santa Monica City Tournament
Lincoln Park
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
HardDiane Wootton6–3, 6–2
WonSep 1959Pacific Southwest Championships
Los Angeles Tennis Club,
Los Angeles, U.S.
HardMaria Bueno4–6, 6–4, 6–3
WonOct 1959Pan American International Championships
Mexico City, Mexico
ClayPatricia Canning Todd6–1, 7–5

Grand Slam tournament timeline

Singles

1In 1947, the French International Championships were held after the Wimbledon Championships.

Doubles

Tournament19491950195119521953195419551956195719581959Career SRWin-Loss
Australian ChampionshipsAAAAAAAAAAA0 / 00–0
French ChampionshipsAA1RAAAWAAAA0 / 24–1
Wimbledon ChampionshipsAASFAAASF2RAAF0 / 413–3
U.S. National ChampionshipsQFQF2RAAAAAAAA0 / 33–3
SR0 / 10 / 10 / 30 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 20 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 10 / 9
Win-Loss2–11–14–30–00–00–07–11–00–00–05–120–7