Christine Truman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Christine Truman
MBE

Full name	Christine Clara Truman Janes
ITF name	Christine Janes
Country (sports)	United Kingdom
Born	(1941-01-16) 16 January 1941 (age 84) Loughton, England
Plays	Right-handed
Singles
Career record	611-207 (74.7%)
Career titles	38
Highest ranking	No. 2 (1959)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	SF (1960)
French Open	W (1959)
Wimbledon	F (1961)
US Open	F (1959)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	W (1960)
French Open	SF (1959)
Wimbledon	F (1959)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	SF (1960)
French Open	SF (1967)
Wimbledon	QF (1959)
US Open	SF (1958)
Team competitions
Wightman Cup	W (1958, 1960, 1968)

Christine Clara Truman Janes (born 16 January 1941) is a famous former tennis player from the United Kingdom. She played tennis from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s. Christine won a major tennis title, called a Grand Slam, at the French Championships in 1959. She also reached the finals at Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships. She was a key player in helping Great Britain win the Wightman Cup three times.

Christine's Tennis Journey

Early Career and Family Support

Christine Truman grew up in a family that loved tennis. Her family was very supportive of her playing. She often played mixed doubles at Wimbledon with her brother, Humphrey. She also had a successful doubles team with her younger sister, Nell Truman. Christine was a top junior player, winning the British junior championship in both 1956 and 1957.

She first played at Wimbledon in 1957 when she was only 16 years old. She surprised many by beating the French Open champion, Shirley Bloomer. Christine reached the semifinals before losing to the eventual champion, Althea Gibson.

Big Wins and Challenges

In 1958, Christine made headlines by beating Althea Gibson again. This time, it was at the Wightman Cup. This victory helped Great Britain win the cup after 21 years of losses to the United States. She also won her doubles match with Shirley Bloomer. Later that year at Wimbledon, she lost in an early round. This made some people think she was an unpredictable player.

The year 1959 was Christine's best. She became the youngest women's singles champion at the French Championships at 18. She beat Sandra Reynolds and then Zsuzsa Körmöczy in the final. That same year, she also won the Italian Championships. She reached the final of the U.S. Championships, but lost to Maria Bueno. At Wimbledon, she and her partner Beverly Baker reached the women's doubles final.

In 1960, Christine reached the semifinals of both Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, losing to Maria Bueno in both. However, she teamed up with Maria Bueno to win the women's doubles title at the Australian Championships. She also won the British Hard Courts championships and the Queen's tournament.

Wimbledon Final and Later Years

In 1961, Christine had another great run at Wimbledon. She beat Margaret Smith (who later became Margaret Court) in a tough match. She then won her semifinal match. In the final, she played against fellow British player Angela Mortimer and lost in three close sets.

In 1962, it was shared that Christine had partial blindness in her left eye. After a difficult year, she came back strong in 1963. She reached the semifinals of the French Open and the quarterfinals of the U.S. Open. She also won tournaments in Monte Carlo in 1964 and the South African championships in 1965.

Christine had another good Wimbledon performance in 1965. She reached the semifinals, even though she wasn't expected to go that far. She was defeated by Margaret Smith in the semifinals. Christine faced injuries and illnesses during these years. In 1965, she hurt her Achilles tendon badly. This injury kept her from playing for 18 months. After this, she was no longer ranked among the world's top 10 players.

In 1968, Christine and her sister Nell Truman made history. They were the first women to win a doubles title in an "open" tennis event. This happened at the British Hard Court Championships.

Playing Style and Achievements

Christine Truman played an attacking style of tennis. She liked to get to the net quickly. She had a very powerful forehand and a good sliced backhand. Her volleys, smash, and serve were also excellent.

Throughout her career, Christine beat many of the top players of her time. These included Althea Gibson, Maria Bueno, and Margaret Smith. According to tennis expert Lance Tingay, Christine was ranked in the world's top 10 from 1957 to 1961, and again in 1965. Her highest ranking was world number 2 in 1959.

Life After Tennis

In December 1967, Christine married Gerry Janes, a former rugby player. They have four children, including former professional tennis player Amanda Keen. They also have six grandchildren. Christine retired from tennis in 1975. That same year, she started working as a commentator for BBC Radio.

In 2001, Christine was honored with the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award. This was for her great contributions to tennis. Since 2011, she has also written several children's books. As of 2023, Christine is known as Doctor Christine Janes.

Grand Slam Finals

Christine Truman reached several Grand Slam finals during her career.

Singles Finals: 3 (1 Title, 2 Runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1959	French Championships	Clay	Zsuzsi Körmöczy	6–4, 7–5
Loss	1959	U.S. Championships	Grass	Maria Bueno	1–6, 4–6
Loss	1961	Wimbledon	Grass	Angela Mortimer	6–4, 4–6, 5–7

Doubles Finals: 2 (1 Title, 1 Runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1959	Wimbledon	Grass	Beverly Baker	Jeanne Arth Darlene Hard	6–2, 2–6, 3–6
Win	1960	Australian Championships	Grass	Maria Bueno	Lorraine Coghlan Robinson Margaret Smith	6–2, 5–7, 6–2

Grand Slam Singles Tournament Timeline

This table shows Christine Truman's performance in Grand Slam singles tournaments over the years.