Elise Burgin


Elise Burgin is an American former tennis player. Her highest ranking was No. 22 in singles, and her highest world doubles ranking was No. 7.

Personal life

Burgin, who is Jewish, was born in Baltimore, Maryland and grew up in Maryland.

Tennis career

Before playing professionally, Burgin was an outstanding singles and doubles player at Stanford University, from which she graduated. A four-time All-American from 1981 to 1984, she teamed with Linda Gates in 1984 to win the NCAA doubles championship.
She competed professionally from 1980 to 1993.
In 1982, she reached the 4th round of the US Open, her best performance in singles in a Grand Slam tournament. In 1986, she won her only career singles title at Charleston, South Carolina.
Burgin was a member of the U.S. Federation Cup team in 1985 and 1987. In 1986, Burgin was captain of the US Wightman Cup team.
During her career, she won 11 WTA tournaments, including 10 in doubles. She reached Number 7 in the world in doubles.
After she retired in 1993, Burgin became a tennis commentator.
In 2003, she was inducted into the USTA Mid–Atlantic Tennis Hall of Fame.

WTA Tour finals

Singles 8 (5–3)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Runner-up1.March 10, 1985Indianapolis, Indiana, USAHard Kathleen Horvath2–6, 4–6
Runner-up2.May 3, 1985Houston, Texas, USAClay Martina Navratilova4–6, 1–6
Winner3.April 27, 1986Isle of Palms, South Carolina, USAClay Tine Scheuer-Larsen6–1, 6–3
Runner-up4.September 17, 1989Phoenix, Arizona, USAHard Conchita Martínez6–3, 4–6, 2–6

Doubles 29 (11–18)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1.August 11, 1984US Open Clay Courts, USAClay Joanne Russell Beverly Mould
Paula Smith
2–6, 5–7
Winner2.March 10, 1985Indianapolis, Indiana, USAHard Kathleen Horvath Jennifer Mundel
Molly Van Nostrand
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up3.April 7, 1985Seabrook Island, USAClay Lori McNeil Svetlana Cherneva
Larisa Savchenko
1–6, 3–6
Runner-up4.April 28, 1985Orlando, Florida, USAClay Kathleen Horvath Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Winner5.May 3, 1985Houston, Texas, USAClay Martina Navratilova Manuela Maleeva
Helena Suková
6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Runner-up6.June 16, 1985Birmingham, EnglandGrass Alycia Moulton Terry Holladay
Sharon Walsh-Pete
4–6, 7–5, 3–6
Runner-up7.September 22, 1985Chicago, Illinois, USACarpet Joanne Russell Kathy Jordan
Liz Smylie
2–6, 2–6
Runner-up8.May 11, 1986Houston, Texas, USAClay Joanne Russell Chris Evert-Lloyd
Wendy Turnbull
2–6, 4–6
Winner9.May 25, 1986Lugano, SwitzerlandClay Betsy Nagelsen Jenny Byrne
Janine Tremelling
6–2, 6–3
Winner10.June 15, 1986Birmingham, EnglandGrass Rosalyn Fairbank Liz Smylie
Wendy Turnbull
6–2, 6–4
Runner-up11.August 3, 1986San Diego, California, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Beth Herr
Alycia Moulton
7–5, 2–6, 4–6
Winner12.September 21, 1986Tampa, Florida, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Gigi Fernández
Kim Sands
7–5, 6–2
Runner-up13.February 1, 1987Tokyo Women's Doubles, JapanCarpet Pam Shriver Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Helena Suková
1–6, 6–7
Runner-up14.March 22, 1987Dallas, Texas, USACarpet Robin White Mary-Lou Daniels
Anne White
5–7, 3–6
Winner15.March 29, 1987Washington, D.C., USACarpet Pam Shriver Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
6–1, 3–6, 6–4
Runner-up16.May 3, 1987Tampa, Florida, USAClay Rosalyn Fairbank Chris Evert
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up17.August 9, 1987San Diego, California, USAHard Sharon Walsh-Pete Jana Novotná
Catherine Suire
3–6, 4–6
Winner18.November 8, 1987Worcester, Massachusetts, USACarpet Rosalyn Fairbank Bettina Bunge
Eva Pfaff
6–4, 6–4
Winner18.September 18, 1988Phoenix, Arizona, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Beth Herr
Terry Phelps
6–7, 7–6, 7–6
Winner19.October 23, 1988Nashville, Tennessee, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Jenny Byrne
Janine Tremelling
5–7, 7–6, 4–6
Runner-up20.March 5, 1989Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USAHard Liz Smylie Lori McNeil
Betsy Nagelsen
W/O
Runner-up21.April 23, 1989Tampa, Florida, USAClay Rosalyn Fairbank Brenda Schultz
Andrea Temesvári
6–7, 4–6
Winner22.August 6, 1989San Diego, California, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Gretchen Magers
Robin White
4–6, 6–3, 6–3
Runner-up23.September 17, 1989Phoenix, Arizona, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Penny Barg
Mareen Louie-Harper
6–7, 6–7
Runner-up24.September 24, 1989Dallas, Texas, USACarpet Rosalyn Fairbank Mary Joe Fernandez
Betsy Nagelsen
6–7, 3–6
Runner-up25.November 5, 1989Worcester, Massachusetts, USACarpet Rosalyn Fairbank Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
4–6, 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up26.March 11, 1990Boca Raton, Florida, USAHard Wendy Turnbull Jana Novotná
Helena Suková
4–6, 2–6
Runner-up27.May 27, 1990European Open, SwitzerlandClay Betsy Nagelsen Louise Field
Dianne Van Rensburg
7–5, 6–7, 5–7
Runner-up28.August 12, 1990San Diego, California, USAHard Rosalyn Fairbank Patty Fendick
Zina Garrison
4–6, 6–7
Winner29.October 21, 1990Scottsdale, Arizona, USAHard Helen Kelesi Sandy Collins
Ronni Reis
6–4, 6–2