Tracy Austin and her brother John were Mixed Doubles champions at Wimbledon in 1980; they were the first brother and sister to win a Grand Slam title together.
Tracy Austin was ranked world No. 1 for 21 weeks in 1980, in two separate spells. In 1979, aged 16, she had become the youngest ever US Open champion – a record that she still holds. She won again in 1981; these, along with the 1980 mixed doubles at Wimbledon, were her only Grand Slam titles.
Her best Singles performances at Wimbledon were in 1979 and 1980, when she reached the semi–finals. She lost to Martina Navratilova in 1979 and Evonne Cawley in 1980; both went on to win the title.
Tracy Austin's career was effectively ended in 1989, at the age of 26, by a near–fatal motor vehicle accident.
John Austin's highest world singles ranking was No. 40; he also played in the Davis Cup. John and Tracy had three other siblings who were professional tennis players: Pam, Jeff, and Doug. Jeff Austin married the fitness expert Denise Katnich (Austin).
© Haydn Thompson 2017