Tennis Legend Louise Brough Goes To The Big Grass Court in Heaven

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 5th February 2014

Tennis Legend Louise Brough Goes To The Big Grass Court in Heaven |

Louise Brough Clapp, the United States tennis star who was unquestionably one of the sport’s true legends, winning 35 Grand Slam titles in the 1940’s and ‘50’s, has died at the age of 90.

After being enshrined in the International Tennis Hall of Fame as long ago as 1967, she lived quietly in Vista, California and passed there earlier this week, surrounded by her family, after a short illness.

Her 35 Grand Slam titles ties her with Doris Hart for fifth on the all-time list, behind only Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, and her long time doubles partner Margaret Osborne duPont.

In total Brough Clapp won 13 titles at Wimbledon, 17 titles at the U.S. Championships, three titles at the French Championships, and two titles at the Australian Championships.

Together with Osborne DuPont, she was part one of the sport’s most successful doubles pairings in the sport’s history. Together, they won 20 titles at majors (12 U.S., five Wimbledon, three French).

From 1942 through 1950, Brough Clapp and duPont won nine consecutive women’s doubles titles at the U.S. Championships, which remains the longest championship run in history in any event at any Grand Slam tournament.

She also appeared in 21 of the 30 finals contested at Wimbledon from 1946 through 1955 in singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

She was born in Oklahoma City but moved to Beverly Hills, California with her parents at the age of four. She took up tennis at a young age and was coached by the legendary Dick Skeen who also worked with legends such as Jack Kramer, Gussie Moran and Pauline Betz.

Editors Note: Steve Pratt a Los Angeles publicist and a member of tennis guardian’s of the game (Ojai especially! he is one of their guardian angels)

He added this note: it was sad to hear of the passing of one of Ojai’s all- time greats. Louise first played in the Ojai way back in 1938 when she won the girls 14 and under for Beverly Hills High School against Gussy Moran of Santa Monica California. Louise Brough Clapp is a member of the Ojai Wall of Fame , and went on to win 35 grand slam titles.

Topics: 10sballs, Billie Jean King, Doris Hart, gussie moran, Legend, Louise Brough Clapp, Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News