Beryl Penrose

Beryl Penrose
Full name Beryl Penrose Collier
Country (sports) Australia
Born 22 December 1930
Sydney, Australia
Died 23 June 2021 (aged 90)
Plays Right–handed (one-handed backhand)
Singles
Highest ranking No. 5 (1955 Lance Tingay)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open W (1955)
French Open QF (1955)
Wimbledon QF (1955)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian Open W (1954, 1955)
French Open SF (1955)
Wimbledon 3R (1955)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian Open W (1956)
French Open SF (1952, 1955)
Wimbledon SF (1955)

Beryl Penrose (22 December 1930 – 23 June 2021) was an Australian international tennis player. She competed in the Australian Open eight times, from 1950 to 1957. Penrose won the singles title in 1955 defeating compatriot Thelma Coyne Long in the final in straight sets.

In January 1948 she won the Australian girls singles title. In July 1952 she won the singles title at the Welsh Championship.

Her best results came in 1955, aged 24, when in addition to her Australian success, she reached the quarterfinals at the French and Wimbledon Championships. While overseas, Penrose reached four finals including winning the German Championships against Erika Vollmer.

She was rated as high as 5th in the world in the 1955 tennis rankings.

In 1957 she married and retired from her tennis career.

In 2017, she was inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame. Her grandson, James Duckworth, is an Australian tennis professional.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 win)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win 1955 Australian Championships Grass Thelma Coyne Long 6–4, 6–3

Doubles (2 wins, 2 losses)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1953 Australian Championships Grass Mary Bevis Hawton Maureen Connolly
Julia Sampson
4–6, 2–6
Win 1954 Australian Championships Grass Mary Bevis Hawton Julia Wipplinger
Hazel Redick-Smith
6–3, 8–6
Win 1955 Australian Championships Grass Mary Bevis Hawton Nell Hall Hopman
Gwen Thiele
7–5, 6–1
Loss 1956 Australian Championships Grass Mary Carter Reitano Mary Bevis Hawton
Thelma Coyne Long
2–6, 7–5, 7–9

Mixed doubles (1 win, 1 loss)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1954 Australian Championships Grass John Bromwich Thelma Coyne Long
Rex Hartwig
6–4, 1–6, 2–6
Win 1955 Australian Championships Grass Neale Fraser Mary Bevis Hawton
Roy Emerson
6–2, 6–4