Shirley Fry

Shirley June Fry Irvin (née Fry; June 30, 1927 – July 13, 2021) was an American tennis player. During her career, which lasted from the early 1940s until the mid-1950s, she won the singles title at all four Grand Slam events, as well as 13 doubles titles, and was ranked No. 1 in the world in 1956.

Early life Fry was born in Akron, Ohio, on June 30, 1927. She started playing tennis competitively at age nine. The United States Lawn Tennis Association ranked her in the U.S. top 10 from 1944 through 1955 and No. 1 in 1956. She briefly retired in early 1956 and worked as a copygirl for the St. Petersburg Times. However, she returned later that spring after receiving an invitation to play in the Wightman Cup. She retired for the final time in 1957, They remained married until his death from a heart attack in 1976. Together, they had four children: Mark, Scott, Lori and Karen. Prior to her death, she was the longest surviving female Grand Slam tournament and Wimbledon singles champion.

Career statistics

Grand Slam tournament timelines Sources:

Singles: 8 (4 titles, 4 runners-up)

Doubles: 19 (12 titles, 7 runners-up)

Mixed doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runners-up)