Biography

She won 19 Grand Slam titles in tennis (7 singles, 11 doubles and 1 mixed doubles):

• singles -

Wimbledon (1959, 1960, 1964) and U.S. Open (1959, 1963, 1964, 1966).

• doubles -

Australian Open (1960); French Open (1960); Wimbledon (1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966) and U.S. Open (1960, 1962, 1966, 1968).

• mixed doubles -

Roland Garros (1960).

She won her first major title as a 19-year-old, winning the 1959 Wimbledon.

Played both alongside and against Billie Jean King in the championships.

She won her first tournament at age twelve with no formal training.

In 1960, Maria Esther Bueno became the first woman to win the Grand Slam in doubles (all four majors in a year), three of them partnering Darlene Hard and one with Darlene Hard.