Maria Esther Andion Bueno
Born: October 11, 1939
Hometown: San Paulo, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1978
Grand Slam Record
Wimbledon Singles 1959-60, 1964
Singles finalist 1965, 66
Doubles 1958, 1960, 1963, 1965, 1966
Doubles finalist 1967
Mixed finalist 1959, 60, 67
U.S. Singles 1959, 1963-64, 1966
Singles finalist 1960, 68
Doubles 1960, 62, 66, 68 (amateur) & 68 (pro)
Doubles finalist 1958, 59, 63
Mixed finalist 1958, 60
Australian Singles finalist 1965
Doubles 1960
French Singles finalist 1964
Doubles 1960
Doubles finalist 1961
Mixed 1960
Mixed finalist 1965
Tournament Record
Italian Singles 1958, 61, 65
Singles finalist 1962, 67
Doubles 1962
Doubles finalist 1959
Mixed finalist 1964
Fed Cup 1965
Maria Esther Andion Bueno came swirling out of Brazil as a teenager to quickly establish herself as one of the world’s most graceful and proficient athletes. A delight to watch and dangerous to deal with, she had a wide repertoire of shots and the skill and grace to deliver them constantly.
As the São Paulo Swallow, she was slim, tall (5-foot-7) and quick, swooping to the net to conquer with piercing volleys. She was a blend of power and touch, a woman of superb movement and rhythms. Stylishly gowned by the tennis couturier, Ted Tinling, she was the frilly treasure of Wimbledon’s Centre Court, where she was at her best and won eight titles: three in singles (1959, 1960, 1964), and five in doubles.
Grass was her favorite surface, suiting her attacking nature. Born October 11, 1939, in São Paulo, she was clearly the best female player to come from Latin America, and was rated No. 1 in the world in 1959, 1960, 1964 and 1966, and a member of the Top Ten 10 times between 1958 and 1968. In her regal choreography, the versatile right-hander was one of a triumvirate of women–including Frenchwoman Suzanne Lenglen and Australian Evonne Goolagong–whose fluidity and artistry set them apart.
She was agreeable, but reserved, a private person who underwent a number of physical career-harming agonies, without complaint. Her best days were as an amateur. By the time open tennis and prize money dawned in 1968 she was hobbled by a variety of arm and leg injuries. After a long retirement, she felt sufficiently well to try the pro tour in 1975, and returned to Wimbledon for a spiritual triumph in 1976 after a hiatus of seven years. There were glimpses of the wondrous Maria as she won three rounds, and most spectators were gratified to see her again. “In her day she was so marvelous to watch,” said Billie Jean King, an old rival and doubles accomplice, after defeating Maria at Wimbledon in 1977. “But it was painful to play her today. I wanted to remember her as she was.”
Bueno seemed undismayed to be a loser. “I have always loved tennis, and still enjoy playing. I’ve had my glory,” she said. She crashed through to a first major singles triumph by defeating another aggressor, Darlene Hard, 6-4, 6-3, in the 1959 Wimbledon final. Two months later, in a rare teenage final at Forest Hills, Maria, 18 beat the British 6-footer Christine Truman, 19, for the title, 6-1, 6-4. That was her first of four U.S. prizes. She winged to the heights in the finals of 1963 and 1964, taking a shot-making feast from Margaret Smith (Court), 7-5, 6-4, to wow the gallery, and the following year stunning the spectators by destroying Carole Caldwell Graebner 6-1, 6-0. At Wimbledon in 1964 she and Margaret staged another rouser of volleying violence for the title that went to Maria, 6-4, 7-9, 6-3. She won her last major singles final, the U.S. 1966, over Nancy Richey, 6-3, 6-1, but was beaten in her last important final, the U.S. Amateur of 1968, by Margaret, 6-2, 6-2.
At 18, in the company of Althea Gibson, Maria won her first Wimbledon prize, the doub1es of 1958. In all, she won 19 Big Four titles in doubles and mixed, including the U.S. at Forest Hills in 1959, 1963, 1964 and 1966. She and American Darlene Hard were one of the best teams, taking the Wimbledon title twice and the U.S. twice. Maria’s skill at doubles was such that she won her 12 majors with six partners and in 1960 scored one of three doubles with two partners: Christine Truman in the Australian, Hard in the French, Wimbledon and U.S. She won the Japan Open in 1974, her lone pro title in singles, to complement 62 as an amateur, making her an unusual champ who won titles in three decades.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.