Linda Tuero

Linda Tuero (born October 21, 1950) is an American tennis player and paleoanthropologist. She won six U.S Junior Titles and three U.S. Women's Titles. She reached the quarter-finals of the French Open in 1971, and won the singles titles at the Italian Open in 1972. She represented the United States in the Wightman Cup and Federation Cup teams in 1972 and 1973 and served as the Federation Cup Captain in 1973. Tuero was ranked in the U.S. Top Ten Women Singles for four years and in 1972 was ranked No. 10 in the World.

Biography

Linda Tuero was born in Metairie, Louisiana. She started playing tennis at the age of 11 and was taught by Emmett Paré throughout her career. At age 13, she won the US National Girl's 14 Singles Championship and by the time she had graduated from high school, she had won six national titles: the 1964 US National Girl's 14 Singles Championship, the 1966 US National Girl's 16 Singles Championship, the 1966 US National Girl's 16 Doubles Championship, the 1967 US National Girl's 18 Clay Court Singles Championship, the 1968 US National Girl's 18 Clay Court Singles Championship, and the 1968 National Interscholastic Championship. She also won the first International Tournament of Madrid (Madrid Open) and was a semifinalist in the US Open Clay Courts, Canadian Open, WTA German Open, and Cincinnati with losses to Chris Evert, Evonne Goolagong, and Margaret Court. In 1973, she had a win over Martina Navratilova in the Fort Lauderdale Classic.

Tuero represented the US in the Wightman Cup and Federation Cup teams in 1972 and 1973, serving as the Federation Cup captain in 1973

Her top career world rankings included No 1 in Women-Under-21 and No 10 in World (Women). She has been inducted into the Halls of Fame of Tulane University,

In 1973, while working as an extra in The Exorcist, she met the author William Peter Blatty. They were married in July 1975 and had two children, restaurant entrepreneur Billy and photojournalist J.T. Blatty. She also appeared in The Ninth Configuration, which he wrote.

After her divorce from Blatty, she married William Paul. Dec 1971 Border Championships East London Clay Ilana Kloss 3–6, 2–6

7. Jan 1972 Eastern Province Championships Port Elizabeth Winner, 1966 US National Championships - Girl's 16 Singles and Doubles Winner, 1967 and 1968 US National Clay Court Singles Championships - Girl's 18 Finalist, 1968 US Open Clay Court Women's Singles (to Nancy Richey) Finalist, 1969 US Open Clay Court Women's Doubles Winner, 1969 and 1970 US Amateur Championship Finalist, 1969 US Amateur Mixed Doubles Quarter-finalist, 1969 Western & Southern Open (to Gail Chanfreau) Semi-finalist, 1970 Canadian Open Women's Singles (to Rosemary Casals) Semi-finalist, 1970 Western & Southern Open Wonmen's Singles (to Nancy Richey) Winner, 1970 US Women's Amateur Singles Finalist, 1970 Women's Collegiate Women's Singles

As a Professional:

Finalist, 1971 US Open Clay Courts Women's Doubles Quarter-finalist, 1971 French Open (to Marijke Schaar) Quarter-finalist, 1971 Western & Southern Open (Cincinnati Masters) Women's Singles (to Evonne Goolagong) Semi-finalist, 1972 US Open Clay Court Women's Singles (to Evonne Goolagong) Semi-finalist, 1972 Canadian Open Women's Singles (to Evonne Goolagong) Semi-finalist, 1972 Western Open Women's Singles (to Margaret Court) Finalist, 1972 Nice Women's Singles Semi-finalist, 1972 Eastern Grass Court Open Women's Singles Finalist, 1972 Western Province South Africa Women's Singles Winner, 1972 Wightman Cup Semi-finalist, 1972 Federation Cup (to Johannesburg) Runner-up, 1972 Bonne Bell Cup against Australia Semi-finalist, 1973 Fort Lauderdale (to Chris Evert) Semi-finalist, 1973 Western (to Margaret Court) Semi-finalist, 1971 Baastad Open (to Benzer) Finalist, 1973 Marie O. Clark (to Chris Evert) Captain, 1973 Federation Cup Winner, 1973 Wightman Cup Finalist, 1973 Cleveland Heights Women's Singles Semi-finalist, 1973 US Open Clay Courts Women's Singles (to Chris Evert)

Awards and honors

Inducted into the USTA Southern Tennis Hall of Fame in 1995 Louisiana Tennis Hall of Fame | Patrons Foundation Ranked in Women's US Top 10 Women's four times (1968 : No. 8, 1969 : No. 10, 1971 : No. 8, 1972 : No. 7) Inducted into Tulane Athletic Hall Of Fame (1969-1971) Tulane Scholarship for Men's tennis Team ONLY At Tulane "Tradition - Tulane Tennis Legend Linda Tuero" A First At Tulane New Orleans Yesterday and Today: A Guide to the City The Right Set: A Tennis Anthology 40 Years Ago In Tennis – Bud Collins Summarizes The Epic Year 1973 US Wightman Cup Team