Nancy Corse Reed

 

Capturing her first U.S. senior title at age 40, Nancy Corse Reed (b. 1933) has amassed more than 90 national and international titles to date. A talented high school athlete in suburban Washington, D.C., Reed took up tennis at age 15 and went on to earn the No. 1 spot on her Rollins College team. Teaching full-time for a decade and earning a master's degree, she played on the international circuit from 1964 to 1970 and attained a USTA Top 25 ranking.

As a senior player, Reed has been ranked No. 1 nationally in singles and doubles by the USTA in all but one age group. Competing internationally on every USTA senior cup team from the 40 to 65 age groups, Reed also claimed singles and doubles victories at the ITF World Championships throughout the 1990s. A dedicated teacher and tireless volunteer for three decades, including two stints organizing ITF world team and individual tournaments in Florida, Reed won the prestigious USTA Service Bowl Award in 1999.

In action at Les Grandes Dames senior women's tennis championships, which Reed co-founded. "We now have national tournaments for women who are 85, plus," says Reed. "By the time I hit that, they'll have one for the 90s."

 

Reed (far left) as a Rollins College freshman in 1951, at an intercollegiate doubles tournament with Mildred Thornton, Susie Herr and Karol Fageros. Reed also competed in basketball, volleyball and softball while at Rollins.

 

From 1964 to 1970, Reed competed on the women's tour against some of the game's greats, including Billie Jean King, who helped Reed develop her game. Reed is pictured here (far right) in 1966 with Carolyn Bentley; former U.S. champion Pauline Betz Addie; and former Grand Slam champion Maureen Connolly.

 

ITF World Championships, Barcelona, 1999: Reed celebrating her women's 65 singles and doubles wins with Gardnar Mulloy, winner of the men's 80 singles.

 

Holding the victor's trophy at the Kitty Godfree Cup competition in Perth, Australia, 2001.

 

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS


B.S., Rollins College 1955; M.A., George Washington University 1965


Played No. 1, 2 singles and doubles, Rollins College


Florida State College Doubles Champion 1954


High school biology and physical education teacher 1956­64


Ranked in USTA Top 25 1964­70


Ranked No. 1 in USTA Women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 Singles; Women's 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 Doubles


Ranked No. 1 in ITF World Women's 40, 50, 55 Singles


U.S. Women's 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 Grass Court, Clay Court, Indoor Singles and Doubles Champion 1973­present


World ITF Women's 55 Singles and Doubles Champion 1992; Women's 60 Singles Champion 1994, 2000; Women's 65 Singles and Doubles Champion 1999


Member, USTA Young Cup Team, women's 40and over international competition 1978­82; Bueno Cup Team (50 and over) 1983­88; Connolly Cup Team (55 and over) 1992; Marble Cup Team (60 and over) 1994­98; Godfree Cup Team (65 and over) 1998­2001


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


Co-founder, Les Grandes Dames Senior Women's Prize Money Tennis Circuit 1978


Women's assistant and head tennis coach, Rollins College 1984­85


World Tennis Magazine Senior Women's Player of the Year 1986


Winner of the USTA/Florida Section Merit Award 1997


Winner of the USTA Seniors' Service Award 1998


Winner of the USTA Service Bowl 1999


Captain, USTA Suzanne Lenglen Cup Team (35 and over) 2001


Organizer, ITF senior international cups and world championships in Florida, 1997­98, 2001­02


Coordinator, USTA women's international team captains 2001­2003


Inducted into the Washington, DC, Tennis Hall of Fame 1975; Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame 1978; Florida Tennis Association Hall of Fame 1985; Central Florida Sports Hall of Fame 1995

 

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