Ilana Kloss facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ilana Sheryl Kloss
Born	(1956-03-22) 22 March 1956 (age 69) Johannesburg, South Africa
Spouse(s)	Billie Jean King ​ ​ (m. 2018)​
Tennis career
Turned pro	1973
Plays	Left-handed
Singles
Highest ranking	No. 19 (1979)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open	2R (1976, 1979)
Wimbledon	3R (1975, 1976, 1978)
US Open	3R (1973, 1978)
Doubles
Career titles	19
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	QF (1983)
French Open	SF (1976, 1979)
Wimbledon	SF (1976)
US Open	W (1976)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French Open	W (1976)
Medal record Maccabiah Games Gold 1973 Tel Aviv Women's singles Gold 1973 Tel Aviv Women's doubles Gold 1973 Tel Aviv Mixed doubles Silver 1977 Tel Aviv Mixed doubles

Ilana Sheryl Kloss (born March 22, 1956) is a former professional tennis player from South Africa. She was also a tennis coach and helped manage tennis organizations. In 1976, she was ranked the number one doubles player in the world. By 1979, she was ranked number 19 in singles.

Ilana Kloss won the junior singles title at Wimbledon in 1972. She also won the US Open junior singles title in 1974. In 1976, she achieved major wins, taking home the US Open Doubles title and the French Open Mixed Doubles title. She also won three gold medals at the 1973 Maccabiah Games in Israel. After her playing career, Kloss became the commissioner of World TeamTennis from 2001 to 2021.

Tennis Career Highlights

Before becoming a professional player, Ilana Kloss won the junior singles title at Wimbledon in 1972. She also won the South African doubles title several times with her partner, Linky Boshoff. These wins happened in 1973, 1975, and 1977.

Maccabiah Games Success

Ilana Kloss also competed in the Maccabiah Games in Israel. These games are a big international Jewish athletic event. In 1973, she won three gold medals. She earned gold in singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. For the women's doubles, she teamed up with Helen Weiner. In 1977, she won a silver medal in mixed doubles.

Junior and Early Professional Wins

In 1974, Ilana Kloss won the US Open junior singles title. She was the youngest player ever to be ranked number one in South Africa. In 1973, she won a tournament in Cincinnati with her partner Pat Walkden. They beat famous players Evonne Goolagong and Janet Young in the final match.

Top Rankings and Major Titles

Ilana Kloss reached the top of the tennis world in 1976. She was ranked number one in doubles and number 19 in singles. That year was very successful for her. She won several doubles titles, including the US Open, the Italian Open, and the German Open. She also won the mixed doubles title at the French Open. Her most frequent doubles partner was Linky Boshoff. In 1977, she continued her success, winning championships in Canada and Germany.

In 1999, Kloss showed she still had it by winning the US Open doubles and mixed doubles championships for players aged 35 and over.

Recognitions and Awards

Ilana Kloss has been honored for her achievements in tennis. In 2006, she was inducted into the US National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Four years later, in 2010, she was also inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.

Playing for South Africa

From 1973 to 1977, Ilana Kloss was an important member of the South African team in the Federation Cup. This is a major international team competition in women's tennis. She had a strong record, winning 12 matches and losing only 5.

World TeamTennis Leadership

Ilana Kloss joined the San Francisco Golden Gaters WTT team in 1974. WTT is a unique tennis league where teams play matches with different formats. She helped her team reach the WTT Finals in 1975. She later returned to the Golden Gaters in 1978.

Kloss also became a successful coach. In 1983, she coached the Chicago Fyre team to a WTT Championship. She was even named Coach of the Year for her efforts. In 1985, she played and coached for the Miami Beach Breakers. Her leadership skills were recognized, and she became the vice-president of WTT in 1987. By 1991, she was the executive director. From 2001 to 2021, she served as the chief executive officer and commissioner of World Team Tennis.

Grand Slam Tournament Wins

Ilana Kloss won two major Grand Slam titles during her career.

Doubles Title

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1976	US Open	Clay	Linky Boshoff	Olga Morozova Virginia Wade	6–1, 6–4

Mixed Doubles Title

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1976	French Open	Clay	Kim Warwick	Linky Boshoff Colin Dowdeswell	5–7, 7–6, 6–2

Life After Tennis

After her tennis career, Ilana Kloss continued to be involved in sports. In September 2018, she and her partner, Billie Jean King, became part-owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. This means Kloss has been part of two World Series championships with the Dodgers, in 2020 and 2024. They also became owners of Angel City FC, a women's soccer team in Los Angeles that started playing in 2022.

Kloss and King are also on the Advisory Board of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL), which began in 2023. The award for the most valuable player in the PWHL playoffs is named the Ilana Kloss Playoff MVP award. The first player to win this award was Taylor Heise from Minnesota.

Personal Life

Ilana Kloss was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. On October 18, 2018, Ilana Kloss and American tennis legend Billie Jean King formalized their long-term partnership. The ceremony was performed by former New York City Mayor David Dinkins.

See also

In Spanish: Ilana Kloss para niños

• List of select Jewish tennis players

External links

• Ilana Kloss at the Women's Tennis AssociationLua error in Module:EditAtWikidata at line 29: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).Lua error in Module:WikidataCheck at line 22: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
• Ilana Kloss at the International Tennis Federation
• Ilana Kloss at the Fed Cup
• Jewish Sports Hall of Fame profile