Elizabeth Smylie

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Elizabeth Smylie
Country (sports) 
1990)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1990, 1991)
French OpenSF (1993)
WimbledonW (1991)
US OpenW (1983, 1990)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Seoul Doubles

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one of them in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles on the tour. Liz also taught junior tennis players at Smith's Tennis Center, North Curl Curl. Sydney in the early 1990's.

Career

Smylie turned professional in 1982.

Virginia Slims Championships
with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.

She played

Federation Cup from 1984 to 1994, and won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul
.

Over her career, Smylie won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.

Personal life

She is married to player-manager

Mervyn Sayers played one first-class cricket game for Western Australia
in 1979.

Grand Slam tournaments

Doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1985 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1987 Wimbledon Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–5, 7–5
Loss 1987 US Open Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Loss 1990 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–3, 6–4
Loss 1993 Australian Open Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 6–3

Mixed doubles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1983 US Open Hard Australia John Fitzgerald United States Barbara Potter
United States Ferdi Taygan
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 1984 US Open Hard Australia John Fitzgerald Bulgaria Manuela Maleeva
United States Tom Gullikson
2–6, 7–5, 6–4
Loss 1985 Wimbledon Grass Australia John Fitzgerald United States Martina Navratilova
Australia Paul McNamee
7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Loss 1985 US Open Hard Australia John Fitzgerald United States Martina Navratilova
Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
6–3, 6–4
Loss 1988 US Open Hard United States Patrick McEnroe Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
United States Jim Pugh
7–5, 6–3
Loss 1990 Wimbledon Grass Australia John Fitzgerald United States Zina Garrison
United States Rick Leach
7–5, 6–2
Win 1990 US Open Hard Australia Todd Woodbridge Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva
United States Jim Pugh
6–4, 6–2
Win 1991 Wimbledon Grass Australia John Fitzgerald Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva
United States Jim Pugh
7–6(7–4), 6–2

Olympic Games

Doubles: 1 (bronze medal)

Result Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Bronze 1988 Seoul Hard Australia Wendy Turnbull Tied DNP

Smylie and Turnbull lost their semifinal match to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 6–7(5), 4–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal pairs received bronze medals.[5][6]

Other significant finals

Year-end championships

Doubles: 1 (title)

Result Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1990 New York Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan Argentina Mercedes Paz
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 6 (3–3)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV (0–1)
Tier V (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (3–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (1–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. Apr 1982 Sardinia Clay United States Dana Gilbert 6–3, 6–0
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard Australia Anne Minter 6–3, 6–1
Loss 1. Nov 1984 Brisbane Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková 4–6, 4–6
Win 3. Feb 1987
Oklahoma City
Hard United States Lori McNeil 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss 2. Apr 1989
Tokyo
Hard Japan Kumiko Okamoto 4–6, 2–6
Loss 3. Apr 1990
Tokyo
Hard Sweden Catarina Lindqvist 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 69 (36–33)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–4)
WTA Championships (1–0)
Tier I (2–1)
Tier II (7–1)
Tier III (2–3)
Tier IV (3–3)
Tier V (3–2)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (17–19)
Finals by surface
Hard (17–10)
Grass (5–12)
Clay (4–1)
Carpet (10–10)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Oct 1981 Kyoto Hard United States Kim Steinmetz Netherlands Nanette Schutte
Netherlands Marianne van der Torre
2–6, 4–6
Win 1. Feb 1983 Ridgewood Carpet (i) South Africa Beverly Mould South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
United States Susan Leo
7–6, 4–6, 7–5
Loss 2. Jun 1983
Birmingham
Grass South Africa Beverly Mould United States Billie Jean King
United States Sharon Walsh
2–6, 4–6
Loss 3. Jul 1983 Newport Grass United States Barbara Jordan United States Barbara Potter
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard United States Sandy Collins Australia Chris O'Neil
Australia Brenda Remilton
7–5, 7–6
Loss 4. Jan 1984 Indianapolis Carpet (i) South Africa Beverly Mould Brazil Cláudia Monteiro
South Africa Yvonne Vermaak
7–6(9–7), 4–6, 5–7
Loss 5. Mar 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Barbara Jordan United States Ann Kiyomura
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 7–6(9–7), 3–6
Loss 6. Mar 1984 Dallas Carpet (i) United States Sandy Collins United States Leslie Allen
United States Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss 7. Jun 1984
Birmingham
Grass United States Barbara Jordan United States Leslie Allen
United States Anne White
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Win 3. Aug 1984 Montreal Hard United States Kathy Jordan West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
6–1, 6–2
Win 4. Sep 1984 Deerfield Beach Hard United States Martina Navratilova United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win 5. Oct 1984 Tampa Hard
Carling Bassett
Mary-Lou Piatek
United States Wendy White
6–4, 6–3
Loss 8. Dec 1984
Tokyo
Carpet (i) France Catherine Tanvier West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 4–6
Win 6. Jan 1985 Key Biscayne Hard United States Kathy Jordan
Larisa Savchenko
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Win 7. Jan 1985 Marco Island Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Camille Benjamin
United States Bonnie Gadusek
6–3, 6–3
Loss 9. Mar 1985
Princeton
Carpet (i) Netherlands Marcella Mesker United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Win 8. Apr 1985 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Betsy Nagelsen
United States Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win 9. May 1985 Sydney Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
7–5, 7–5
Win 10. May 1985 Melbourne Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
United States Kathy Jordan
6–2, 5–7, 6–1
Loss 10. Jun 1985 Eastbourne Grass United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 4–6
Win 11. Jun 1985 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 11. Jul 1985 Newport Grass United States Pam Shriver United States Chris Evert
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win 12. Aug 1985 Mahwah Hard United States Kathy Jordan West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–6(8–6), 6–3
Win 13. Sep 1985 Chicago Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Elise Burgin
United States JoAnne Russell
6–2, 6–2
Loss 12. Dec 1985
Tokyo
Carpet (i) Netherlands Marcella Mesker West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
0–6, 4–6
Win 14. Jan 1986 Key Biscayne Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Betsy Nagelsen
United States Barbara Potter
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 6–2
Win 15. Mar 1986
Princeton
Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–3, 7–5
Loss 13. Mar 1986 Nashville Carpet /u( United States Kathy Jordan United States Barbara Potter
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Loss 14. Jun 1986
Birmingham
Grass Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Elise Burgin
South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
2–6, 4–6
Win 16. Aug 1986 Mahwah Hard United States Betsy Nagelsen West Germany Steffi Graf
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss 15. Dec 1986
Brisbane
Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 3–6
Win 17. Jan 1987 Sydney Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen Australia Jenny Byrne
Australia Janine Thompson
6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–1
Loss 16. Mar 1987
Piscataway
Carpet (i) United States Betsy Nagelsen United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
1–6, 4–6
Win 18. May 1987 Geneva Clay United States Betsy Nagelsen
Laura Gildemeister
France
Catherine Tanvier
4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 17. Jun 1987 Eastbourne Grass South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
Larisa Savchenko
6–7(6–8), 6–4, 5–7
Loss 18. Jun 1987 Wimbledon Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
5–7, 5–7
Loss 19. Aug 1987 Mahwah Hard United Kingdom Anne Hobbs United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
3–6, 2–6
Loss 20. Aug 1987 US Open Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–5, 4–6, 2–6
Win 19. Jun 1988 Eastbourne Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff
Dinky Van Rensburg
6–3, 7–6(8–6)
Loss 21. Jan 1989 Sydney Hard Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 3–6
Loss 22. Jan 1989 Auckland Hard Australia Janine Thompson United States Patty Fendick
Canada Jill Hetherington
4–6, 4–6
Win 20. Feb 1989 Wellington Hard Australia Janine Thompson Australia Tracey Morton
Austria Heidi Sprung
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Loss 23. Feb 1989
Oklahoma City
Hard (i) United States Elise Burgin United States Lori McNeil
United States Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Win 21. Apr 1989 Singapore Hard New Zealand Belinda Cordwell United States Ann Henricksson
United States Beth Herr
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–1
Win 22. Apr 1989
Tokyo
Hard Canada Jill Hetherington United States Ann Henricksson
United States Beth Herr
6–1, 6–3
Win 23. May 1989 Rome Clay Australia Janine Thompson Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Argentina Mercedes Paz
6–4, 6–3
Win 24. May 1989
Berlin
Clay Australia Janine Thompson
Gretchen Magers
5–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 24. Jul 1989 Newport Grass Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
3–6, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Loss 25. Sep 1989 Tokyo Carpet Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
2–6, 2–6
Win 25. Jan 1990
Tokyo
Carpet (i) United States Gigi Fernández Australia Jo-Anne Faull
Australia Rachel McQuillan
6–2, 6–2
Win 26. Mar 1990
San Antonio
Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
7–5, 7–5
Win 27. Apr 1990
Tokyo
Hard United States Kathy Jordan
Michelle Jaggard
United States Hu Na
6–0, 3–6, 6–1
Loss 26. May 1990 Strasbourg Clay United States Kathy Jordan
Nicole Provis
South Africa Elna Reinach
1–6, 4–6
Loss 27. Jun 1990 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
3–6, 4–6
Win 28. Nov 1990
VS Championships
Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan Argentina Mercedes Paz
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4
Win 29. Jan 1991
Tokyo
Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Mary Joe Fernández
United States Robin White
4–6, 6–0, 6–3
Win 30. May 1991 Geneva Clay Australia Nicole Provis
Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
6–1, 6–2
Win 31. Jun 1991
Birmingham
Grass Australia Nicole Provis United States Sandy Collins
South Africa Elna Reinach
6–3, 6–4
Win 32. Jan 1993 Sydney Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Lori McNeil
Australia Rennae Stubbs
7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss 28. Jan 1993 Australian Open Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 3–6
Loss 29. Jun 1993
Birmingham
Grass United States Pam Shriver United States Lori McNeil
United States Martina Navratilova
3–6, 4–6
Win 33. Jul 1993
Stratton Mountain
Hard Czech Republic Helena Suková Switzerland Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
Argentina Mercedes Paz
6–1, 6–2
Loss 30. Aug 1993
San Diego
Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Gigi Fernández
Czech Republic Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win 34. Jan 1994
Tokyo
Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
United States Martina Navratilova
6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–3)
Loss 31. Feb 1994 Osaka Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver Latvia Larisa Neiland
Australia Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 5–7
Win 35. Jul 1994
Stratton Mountain
Hard United States Pam Shriver Spain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–5
Loss 32. Aug 1994 Montreal Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Meredith McGrath
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 33. Aug 1994 Schenectady Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Meredith McGrath
Latvia Larisa Neiland
2–6, 2–6
Win 36. Jun 1996
Birmingham
Grass United States Linda Wild United States Lori McNeil
France Nathalie Tauziat
6–3, 3–6, 6–1

Grand Slam performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 Career SR
Australian Open 1R A 1R 2R 1R 2R NH QF 1R 1R 3R 3R A 1R 1R 0 / 12
French Open A A A 2R 1R A 1R 1R A 1R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 8
Wimbledon A 2R 1R 1R 4R 4R 3R 3R 1R 3R 1R 3R A 2R 1R 0 / 13
US Open A 1R A 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R A 2R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 10
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 43
Year-end ranking 96 225 115 73 36 43 114 27 154 66 53 115 336 119 194

Doubles

Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career SR
Australian Open QF 2R 1R 2R 1R 2R NH 1R SF QF 3R QF A F SF A 1R 1R 0 / 15
French Open A A 3R 2R SF A A QF A 1R 2R 2R A 2R 2R A 3R A 0 / 10
Wimbledon A A 1R 1R 2R W QF F QF 3R F 3R 1R SF QF A SF 1R 1 / 15
US Open A 1R 2R 3R 3R 2R QF F 1R 2R SF 2R 2R 3R 3R A 1R A 0 / 15
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 1 / 55
Year-end ranking 13 7 8 8 20 12 10 14 54 9 13 NR 27 NR
  • NR = not ranked

Mixed doubles

Tournament 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Career SR
Australian Open NH NH NH NH 2R QF QF SF SF A QF 2R A 1R 1R 0 / 9
French Open 2R QF A A 1R A A 3R A A SF 2R A A A 0 / 6
Wimbledon A SF F QF QF SF 2R F W 2R 3R QF A 3R A 1 / 12
US Open W F F SF 2R F 2R W 2R 1R 2R 1R A 1R A 2 / 13
SR 1 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 1 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 1 3 / 40

References

  1. ^ .
  2. ^ "Elizabeth (Sayers) Smylie". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Smylie doubles triumph". The Age. 8 July 1985. p. 27. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  4. ^ Pearce, Linda (15 January 2006). "The two of us". The Age. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Shriver, Garrison gain doubles final". South Florida Sun Sentinel. 28 September 1988. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  6. ^ Craig, Gabriel (1 October 1988). "Gold gives Mecir his biggest thrill". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 January 2022.

External links