Erica Kathleen "Kathy" Horvath (born August 25, 1965) is an American former professional tennis player. She is best known for upsetting world No. 1 Martina Navratilova in the fourth round of the 1983 French Open, delivering her only defeat for the season.
Career Horvath was the youngest player to play in the US Open in 1979 at 14 years and five days — this record still stands. She was the youngest player to win the U.S. National 16 and under in 1979. She also is the only player to ever win all four age groups in the U.S. Girls Clay Courts in all consecutive years.
She played on the WTA Tour from 1981 to 1989, winning six singles titles and reaching a career-high ranking of world No. 10 in 1984. She reached the quarterfinals at the French Open in 1983 and 1984. She retired with a 176–154 singles record.
Horvath was the only player to defeat Martina Navratilova in the 1983 season (at the French Open), winning in the fourth round in three sets. Navratilova's coaches (Renee Richards and Nancy Lieberman) argued in the stands over strategy, something Navratilova noticed during the match.
Horvath had career victories over Navratilova, Andrea Jaeger, Manuela Maleeva, Gabriela Sabatini, Dianne Fromholtz, Claudia Kohde-Kilsch, Mary Joe Fernández, Betty Stöve, and Sylvia Hanika. She was a member of the 1984 United States Fed Cup team. Horvath played in the 1984 Olympics when tennis was reintroduced as a demonstration sport and was the first seed. She was coached by Harry Hopman and Nick Bollettieri.
After her tennis career, she got her BS and MBA at the Wharton School of Business and then worked on Wall Street until 2003.
WTA career finals Singles 9: (6–3) Winner — LegendGrand Slam tournaments (0–0)WTA Tour Championships (0–0) Virginia Slims, Avon, other (6–3) Finals by surfaceHard (0–0)Grass (0–0)Clay (2–3)Carpet (4–0) ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1–0 Jan 1981 Montreal, Canada Carpet (i) Candy Reynolds 6–4, 7–6Win 2–0 Mar 1983 Nashville, US Carpet (i) Marcela Skuherská 6–4, 6–3Loss 2–1 May 1983 Berlin, West Germany Clay Chris Evert-Lloyd 4–6, 6–7(1–7)Win 3–1 Nov 1983 Honolulu, US Carpet Carling Bassett 4–6, 6–2, 7–6(7–1)Loss 3–2 Jan 1984 Marco Island, US Clay Bonnie Gadusek 6–3, 0–6, 4–6Loss 3–3 May 1984 Berlin, West Germany Clay Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 6–7(8–10), 1–6Win 4–3 Mar 1985 Indianapolis, US Carpet (i) Elise Burgin 6–2, 6–4Win 5–3 Mar 1985 Palm Beach Gardens, US Clay Petra Jauch-Delhees 3–6, 6–3, 6–3Win 6–3 Jul 1987 Knokke, Belgium Clay Bettina Bunge 6–1, 7–6(7–5)
Doubles 9: (3–6) Winner — LegendGrand Slam tournaments (0–0)WTA Tour Championships (0–0) Virginia Slims (3–6) Finals by surfaceHard (0–0)Grass (0–0)Clay (2–6)Carpet (1–0) ResultW/L DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1–0 May 1982 Perugia, Italy Clay Yvonne Vermaak Billie Jean King Ilana Kloss 2–6, 6–4, 7–6Win 2–0 Aug 1983 Indianapolis, US Clay Virginia Ruzici Gigi Fernández Beth Herr 4–6, 7–6, 6–2Loss 2–1 May 1984 Berlin, West Germany Clay Virginia Ruzici Anne Hobbs Candy Reynolds 3–6, 6–4, 6–7(11–13)Loss 2–2 May 1984 Perugia, Italy Clay Virginia Ruzici Iva Budařová Helena Suková 6–7(5–7), 6–1, 4–6Win 3–2 Mar 1985 Indianapolis, US Carpet (i) Elise Burgin Jennifer Mundel Molly Van Nostrand 6–4, 6–1Loss 3–3 Apr 1985 Orlando, US Clay Elise Burgin Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver 3–6, 1–6Loss 3–4 May 1987 Strasbourg, France Clay Marcella Mesker Jana Novotná Catherine Suire 0–6, 2–6Loss 3–5 Jul 1987 Knokke, Belgium Clay Marcella Mesker Bettina Bunge Manuela Maleeva 6–4, 4–6, 4–6Loss 3–6 Oct 1987 Athens, Greece Clay Dinky Van Rensburg Andrea Betzner Judith Wiesner 4–6, 6–7(0–7)
Grand Slam singles performance timeline
Tournament 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 Career SRAustralian OpenAAAAAAANHAA1R0 / 1French OpenA2R3R3RQFQF3R1R1R1RA0 / 9 WimbledonAAA1RA2RA3R1R1RA0 / 5US Open2R2R3RA2R1R1R3R1RAA0 / 8 SR0 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 20 / 30 / 20 / 30 / 30 / 20 / 10 / 23Year-end rankingNRNR2849152950473785218
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