Angela Buxton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Angela Buxton

Angela Buxton in 1955, when she was ranked among the top 10 female players in the world.
Country (sports)	United Kingdom
Born	(1934-08-16)16 August 1934 Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Died	14 August 2020(2020-08-14) (aged 85) Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
Retired	1957
Singles
Grand Slam singles results
French Open	QF (1954)
Wimbledon	F (1956)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French Open	W (1956)
Wimbledon	W (1956)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	3R (1956)
Medal record Representing  England Maccabiah Games Gold 1953 Israel Women's Singles

Angela Buxton (born August 16, 1934 – died August 14, 2020) was a talented British tennis player. She made history in 1956. Angela won the women's doubles titles at both the French Championships and Wimbledon. She achieved these big wins with her doubles partner, Althea Gibson.

Early Life and Tennis Start

Angela Buxton was born in Liverpool, England, on August 16, 1934. Her family had moved to England from Russia. They were seeking safety from difficult times in the early 1900s. Angela spent part of her childhood growing up in South Africa.

Her father owned a successful chain of movie theaters. This allowed Angela to attend a special boarding school called Gloddaeth Hall. While there, a tennis coach noticed her amazing talent. The coach encouraged her to get more training.

Tennis Career Highlights

Angela started playing tennis when she was young. She trained in London and Los Angeles. By 1954, she was ranked as the No. 4 player in Britain. The next year, in 1955, she reached the quarterfinals in singles at Wimbledon. She also climbed to be the World No. 9 player. Angela played for the United Kingdom in the Wightman Cup in 1954, 1955, and 1956.

Her best year in tennis was 1956. She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon. She also reached the singles final there. She was the first British player in 17 years to do so. Angela won other important championships that year. These included the English Indoor and London Grass Court singles titles. She also won the English Hard Court doubles title with Darlene Hard.

At the French Championships, she reached the singles semifinals. She then won the women's doubles title with Althea Gibson. Althea Gibson was the first African-American champion in tennis. This partnership was very special. Angela was ranked World No. 5 by World Tennis magazine. She was also ranked World No. 6 by tennis expert Lance Tingay.

Angela also won the women's singles title at the 1953 Maccabiah Games in Israel.

Sadly, Angela had to retire from tennis early. She developed a serious hand condition called tenosynovitis in late 1956. She stopped playing after the 1957 season, when she was only 22 years old.

Angela faced some challenges during her career. Because of her background, it was sometimes hard for her to get full acceptance in the tennis world. She was even refused access to some training places. However, she found support from people who believed in her talent. For example, Simon Marks, a Jewish owner of a big department store, let her practice at his private indoor court.

After Angela and Althea Gibson won the doubles title at Wimbledon, their win was sometimes reported in a way that highlighted their backgrounds. Angela remembered one newspaper headline that said "Minorities Win." She felt it was printed in small letters, as if it wasn't a big deal. Despite these challenges, Angela focused on her game and her friendships.

Later Life and Legacy

Angela Buxton was honored for her achievements after her tennis career. In 1981, she was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. In 2014, she joined the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. In 2015, the Black Tennis Hall of Fame also honored her. They recognized her strong doubles partnership and friendship with Althea Gibson. They also noted her efforts to help Althea when she was ill later in life.

Angela also wrote several tennis books. These include Tackle Lawn Tennis This Way (1958) and Starting Tennis (1975). She also wrote Winning Tennis: Doubles Tactics (1980).

She founded the Angela Buxton Tennis Centre. This center helped many people learn and play tennis. In her later years, she lived in both England and Florida. She often attended tennis tournaments and helped mentor young players. Angela Buxton passed away on August 14, 2020, just two days before her 86th birthday.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score	Source
Loss	1956	Wimbledon	Grass	Shirley Fry	3–6, 1–6

Doubles (2 titles)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score	Source
Win	1956	French Championships	Clay	Althea Gibson	Darlene Hard Dorothy Head Knode	6–8, 8–6, 6–1
Win	1956	Wimbledon	Grass	Althea Gibson	Fay Muller Daphne Seeney	6–1, 8–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

See also

• List of select Jewish tennis players
• Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam final

Images for kids

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  Angela Buxton in 1955, when she was ranked among the top 10 female players in the world.