Betty Stove

Betty Stove

Betty Stove remains the only Dutch woman to reach a Wimbledon singles final. In 1977, the tournament's centenary and the Queen's Silver Jubilee, she lost that final to Virginia Wade 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, then lost the women's doubles final with Martina Navratilova and the mixed doubles final with Frew McMillan too. No player has since left a Grand Slam having contested all three finals and won none. The fortnight still made her Dutch Sportswoman of the Year.

The serve and volley game that took her there carried a big frame and a bigger reach, good for a career-high No. 5 in singles and No. 1 in doubles. Ten major doubles titles followed: six in women's doubles, four in mixed, all four of those with McMillan. Off the tour she coached Hana Mandlikova through the 1980s, guiding her to No. 3 and four Grand Slam singles titles, on top of 8 career titles of her own.