Olga Morozova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Olga Morozova

Country (sports)	Soviet Union
Residence	Marlow, England, United Kingdom
Born	(1949-02-22) 22 February 1949 (age 76) Moscow, Soviet Union
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Turned pro	1965 (ILTF World Circuit)
Retired	1977 and 1989
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize money	n/a
Singles
Career record	354–133 (72.69%)
Career titles	42 (WTA/ITF)
Highest ranking	No. 3 (US Open 1974)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open	QF (1972, 1975)
French Open	F (1974)
Wimbledon	F (1974)
US Open	QF (1972)
Other tournaments
Tour Finals	5th place (1975)
Doubles
Career titles	16 WTA, 26 ITF
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open	F (1975)
French Open	W (1974)
Wimbledon	SF (1974)
US Open	F (1976)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open	n/a
French Open	SF (1974)
Wimbledon	F (1968, 1970)
US Open	SF (1976)
Medal record Representing  Soviet Union Tennis Summer Universiade Gold 1973 Moscow Women's Singles Gold 1973 Moscow Women's Doubles Gold 1973 Moscow Mixed Doubles

Olga Vasilyevna Morozova (born 22 February 1949) is a famous former professional tennis player from Russia. She played for the Soviet Union (a country that existed from 1922 to 1991) and was a true pioneer for tennis in her country.

In 1974, she reached the singles finals at both the French Open and the Wimbledon Championships. That same year, she became the first Soviet player ever to win a Grand Slam title when she won the women's doubles at the French Open. Because of her amazing playing and coaching career, she is often called the "Godmother of Russian tennis."

Early Life and Junior Success

Olga Morozova started playing tennis when she was 10 years old. Her coach, Nina Teplyakova, trained her for her entire career. Morozova improved very quickly. By the time she was 16, she was chosen to represent the Soviet Union at the famous Wimbledon tournament in the junior girls' competition.

It was her first time traveling outside her country and her first time playing on a grass court. Despite these challenges, she won the 1965 Wimbledon Junior Girls' singles title. This was a huge victory and showed the world her incredible talent.

Professional Career Highlights

Morozova's success continued as she became a professional player. She broke many barriers for Soviet athletes in the world of tennis.

Breaking New Ground

In 1972, Morozova became the first Soviet tennis player, male or female, to reach the singles final of a major tournament at the Italian Open. She and her partner, Alex Metreveli, were also the first players from the USSR to reach a Grand Slam final together. They played in the mixed doubles final at Wimbledon in 1968.

The Amazing Year of 1974

The best year of Morozova's career was 1974. She reached the women's singles finals at both Wimbledon and the French Open. In both finals, she played against the American superstar Chris Evert. At Wimbledon, she had an incredible victory in the quarterfinals against the defending champion, Billie Jean King. After her amazing run, she was ranked No. 3 in the world, the highest ranking she ever achieved.

That year, she also won her first and only Grand Slam title. She teamed up with Chris Evert to win the women's doubles championship at the French Open. This made her the first Soviet player to ever win a Grand Slam.

Early Retirement

Morozova's playing career ended earlier than expected in 1977. At the time, the government of the Soviet Union had rules that stopped its athletes from competing against players from South Africa. Because of this policy, Morozova had to retire from the professional tour.

Coaching Career

After she stopped playing, Morozova became a very successful coach. She was the head coach for the Soviet Union's women's tennis team in the 1980s. She led the team to its first-ever final in the Fed Cup, a major international team competition.

In the 1990s, she moved to the United Kingdom to work as a coach for Great Britain's national tennis association. She even coached a young Andy Murray when he was a teenager. Later, she coached other famous players like Elena Dementieva and Svetlana Kuznetsova.

Legacy and Awards

Olga Morozova is remembered as a trailblazer who opened the door for future generations of Russian tennis stars.

• In 1998, she received the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Trophy. This award is given for great character, sportsmanship, and contributions to the game of tennis.
• In 2000, the Russian Tennis Federation named her the Russian Tennis Player of the Twentieth Century.

Grand Slam Finals Summary

A Grand Slam tournament is one of the four most important tennis events of the year. Here is a summary of Olga Morozova's appearances in Grand Slam finals.

Singles: 2 finals

Morozova reached two Grand Slam singles finals in 1974 but lost both to Chris Evert.

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1974	French Open	Clay	Chris Evert	1–6, 2–6
Loss	1974	Wimbledon	Grass	Chris Evert	0–6, 4–6

Women's Doubles: 4 finals (1 title)

Morozova won the French Open doubles title in 1974 with her partner, Chris Evert.

Result	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1974	French Open	Chris Evert	Gail Chanfreau Katja Ebbinghaus	6–4, 2–6, 6–1
Loss	1975	Australian Open	Margaret Court	Evonne Goolagong Peggy Michel	6–7, 6–7
Loss	1975	French Open	Julie Anthony	Chris Evert Martina Navratilova	3–6, 2–6
Loss	1976	US Open	Virginia Wade	Linky Boshoff Ilana Kloss	1–6, 4–6

Mixed Doubles: 2 finals

Mixed doubles is when a male and female player team up. Morozova reached two Wimbledon finals with her partner Alex Metreveli.

Result	Year	Championship	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1968	Wimbledon	Alex Metreveli	Margaret Court Ken Fletcher	1–6, 12–14
Loss	1970	Wimbledon	Alex Metreveli	Rosemary Casals Ilie Năstase	3–6, 6–4, 7–9

See also

In Spanish: Olga Morózova para niños