Mortimer Barett, Florence

Florence Angela Margaret Mortimer Barett
Born: April 21, 1932
Hometown: Plymouth, United Kingdom
Citizenship: United Kingdom
Handed: Right
Inducted: 1993

Grand Slam Record
Australian     Singles     1958
Doubles finalist     1958
Mixed finalist     1958

French     Singles     1955
Singles finalist     1956

Wimbledon     Singles     1961
Singles finalist     1958
Doubles     1955

Tournament Record
Wightman Cup           1953, 1955-56, 1959, 1960, 1961

Fed Cup     Team Captain     1967-70

Turning a physical impairment to het advantage, Florence Angela Margaret Mortimer Barrett capped an excellent career with a rebounding, unexpected Wimbledon triumph in 1961. She was 29 and partially deaf.

“I could hear the applause of the crowd, but not much else,” she recalled. “I think it helped me concentrate, shutting out distractions. When I hear players say they have to hear the ball, I smile. I couldn’t.”

Much applause stirred Centre Court that afternoon the 5-foot-6 Mortimer, seventh seed, overcame the crowd favorite, 6-foot and sixth-seeded 20-year-old Christine Truman, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5. It was the first all-English finale in 47 years.

Born April 21, 1932, at Plymouth, Mortimer didn’t start playing tennis until she was 15. But her resolve, speed and intelligence combined to produce a strong all-around game, with emphasis on groundstrokes, particularly a battering forehand.

Mortimer lost the Wimbledon final to Althea Gibson in 1958 and was a quarterfinalist in 1953, 1954, 1956, 1959 and 1960. She won the French in 1955 and Australian in 1958. And the Wimbledon doubles in 1955.

She played Wightman Cup six years, helping Britain win, 4-3, in 1960 with a critical victory over Janet Hopps, 6-8, 6-4, 6-1, and captained the team seven years (1964-70), piloting the 1968 victory. She was in the World Top Ten, Nos. 1, 4 and 4 in 1961, 1955 and 1956, respectively. Following the 1961 season, in which she was a U.S. semifinalist, losing to Ann Haydon (Jones), 6-4, 6-2, she underwent a stapedectomy, improving her hearing significantly. But she was never again the player of her Wimbledon glory. Angela was a Wimbledon centurion, playing more than 100 matches, 35-18 in doubles, 5-6 in mixed.

She is married to John Edward Barrett, former Davis Cup player and captain. They live in London.

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