Angie Cunningham facts for kids
| Full name | Angie Kate Cunningham nee Woolcock |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  Australia |
| Born | 2 February 1973 Launceston, Australia |
| Died | 4 October 2016 (aged 43) Melbourne, Australia |
| Prize money | $67,087 |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 318 (17 April 1995) |
| Doubles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 111 (10 May 1993) |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Australian Open | 2R (1993) |
| French Open | 2R (1992) |
| Wimbledon | 1R (1991, 1993) |
| US Open | 1R (1993) |
Angie Kate Cunningham (born 2 February 1973 – died 4 October 2016) was a talented professional tennis player from Australia. She was known by her maiden name, Angie Woolcock, during her playing career.
Contents
Angie Cunningham: A Tennis Star
Early Days and Junior Success
Angie Cunningham was born in Launceston, Australia. She showed great promise in tennis from a young age. When she was just 13, she won the Pardey Shield, a major tennis competition for schools in Tasmania. This made her the youngest person ever to win it!
To follow her dream of becoming a professional tennis player, Angie moved to Melbourne. She was accepted into the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, which is a special place where top athletes train.
As a junior player, Angie was very successful, especially in doubles. She reached the finals of three junior Grand Slam doubles tournaments. She was a finalist twice at the Australian Open (in 1989 with Nicole Pratt and in 1991 with Joanne Limmer). She also reached the girls' doubles final at Wimbledon in 1991, again with Joanne Limmer. Her highest junior doubles ranking was an amazing second in the world!
Playing as a Professional
When Angie became a professional tennis player, she mostly focused on doubles matches. Her best result on the WTA Tour (the top professional tennis circuit) was reaching the semi-finals at the Malaysian Women's Open in 1993, playing with Jo-Anne Faull.
In 1993, she reached her highest doubles ranking of 111 in the world. This allowed her to play in the main doubles events at all four Grand Slam tournaments that year. She also won two smaller professional singles titles in 1994.
Life After the Courts
Angie retired from professional tennis in 1996. After her playing career, she went to La Trobe University to study business. In 2000, she started working for the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), which runs professional women's tennis.
She worked for the WTA for 10 years, based in London. She held important roles, including Vice President of Player Relations and On-Site Operations. This meant she helped manage relationships with players and oversaw events.
Her Brave Fight and Lasting Legacy
Angie Cunningham was the middle of three children. She had a husband, Pat, and two daughters.
In 2012, Angie was diagnosed with a serious illness called motor neurone disease (MND). She bravely faced her illness and worked to raise awareness about it. She passed away at her home in Melbourne on 4 October 2016, at the age of 43.
Angie's courage and efforts were recognized after her death. At the 2016 Newcombe Medal awards (a big tennis awards ceremony in Australia), she was given the President's Spirit of Tennis Award. This award honored her for her amazing spirit and her work to help others understand MND.
To further honor her, the trophy for the Hobart International tennis tournament is now called the Angie Cunningham Trophy. This ensures her legacy lives on in the world of tennis.
