ITA Women's Hall of Fame
McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center

 

Betty Rosenquest Pratt

 

With a playing career spanning six decades, Betty Rosenquest Pratt (b. 1925) holds more than 75 USTA national senior titles. Pratt, who came up through the Junior Wightman Cup system, won the USTA Girls' Sportsmanship Award in 1943 and became a standout player at Rollins College. Competing on the international circuit from 1949 to 1968, she achieved a Top 10 national and world ranking, was a Wimbledon and U.S. national semifinalist, and reached the U.S. doubles finals with Rollins teammate Shirley Fry in 1956.

Also an outstanding coach and organizer, Pratt directed the Caribbean Tennis Circuit for more than a decade, assisted Rollins coach Ginny Mack, and captained both the U.S. Wightman and Fed Cup teams in the late 1960s. As co-founder of the National Senior Women's Tennis Association in 1976, she successfully campaigned for national tournaments on all four surfaces and helped expand competition to 11 age divisions. Continuing to compete through-out the 1980s and '90s, Pratt is a seven-time winner of the ITF World Championships in the 60, 65 and 70 age groups.

 

Playing at Forest Hills in 1956 - just nine months after giving birth - Pratt reached the semifinals, losing a tough match 12-10, 6-2 against Althea Gibson.

 

The 1967 U.S. Wightman Cup team celebrating victory with Hazel Wightman (l-r): Rosie Casals, Billie Jean King, Captain Betty Pratt, Mrs. Wightman, Mary Ann Eisel, Carole Graebner, Nancy Richey

 

Pratt featured in World Tennis magazine, 1957


Pratt (right) with the great Maureen Connolly before their 1954 semifinal match at Wimbledon. "Wimbledon brings out the best in your tennis," Pratt says. "I loved my every minute there."


Pratt, a six-time Alice Marble Cup competitor, with teammates Marjorie Kohler, Captain Peggy Mann, and Nancy Neeld in 1991. "There's no such thing as old age," Pratt says. "If you compete in anything, you can stay young."

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Ranked in USTA Top Ten 1951, 1954, 1956

Ranked in World Tennis Top Ten 1954, 1956

Winner of USTA Girls' Sportsmanship Award 1943

Captain, U.S. Junior Wightman Cup Team 1943

B.A., Rollins College 1947; played No. 1 on tennis team; winner of Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award for outstanding citizenship

Beckenham Grass Court Singles Champion 1951

Wimbledon Singles, Doubles Semifinalist 1954

U.S. Doubles Finalist; Singles Semifinalist 1956

Director, Caribbean Tennis Circuit 1952­64

Winner of Marlboro Award for contributions to tennis 1961

Captain, U.S. Wightman Cup Team 1967­69

Captain, U.S. Fed Cup Team 1968 Winner of the USTA Service Bowl 1968

Co-founder, National Senior Women's Tennis Association 1976

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 40 Singles 1966, 1968­69, 1971­72, 1974; Doubles 1966­69; 1970­75; Clay Court Singles 1971

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 50 Singles 1975­79, 1981, 1983; Doubles 1975­76; Clay Court Singles 1975, 1978­81; Doubles 1975, 1978­79

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 55 Singles: 1980, 1982­87; Clay Court Singles 1980­84; Hard Court Singles 1982

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 60 Singles 1986­87, 1989, 1992; Clay Court Singles 1985­86, 1988­89, Doubles 1988; Hard Court Singles 1985, Doubles 1985, 1987

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 65 Singles 1990­93, Doubles 1990; Clay Court Singles 1990­95

U.S. Grass Court Champion Women's 70 Singles 1995; Doubles 1995­96

Member, USTA Bueno Cup Team, women's 50 and over international competition; Marble Cup Team (60 and over); Godfree Cup Team (65 and over)

World ITF Women's 60 Singles Champion 1989, 1991; Women's 65, 1993­1994; Women's 70, 1995

Awarded Rollins Chair for service to the College 1975

Inducted into the Florida Tennis Association Hall of Fame 1979

Charter Member, Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame 1997

Inducted into the Eastern Tennis Association Hall of Fame 1998


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