Margaret Smith Court, born in 1942, Australian tennis player who won 24 major singles titles. Her championships included a grand slam in 1970, victories at Wimbledon and the Australian, French, and United States Opens in the same calendar year. Court was only the second woman, after American Maureen Connolly, to achieve the grand slam. She was also the only player to win a grand slam in doubles play as well as singles; she achieved a mixed doubles grand slam in 1963 with Australian player Ken Fletcher. Court finished her career with 62 grand slam titles in singles, doubles, and mixed doubles.

She was born Margaret Jean Smith in Albury, New South Wales, and she married Australian competitive sailor Barry Court in 1967. A hard hitter, she became known for her powerful serve and volley after winning the singles title at the 1960 Australian championships. Court went on to win that tournament ten more times (1961-1966, 1969-1971, 1973). In 1963 she became the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon, and she triumphed there again in 1965 and in 1970, when she defeated American player Billie Jean King in a hard-fought two-set final, 14-12 and 11-9. Court also won five singles titles at the French championships (1962, 1964, 1969, 1970, 1973) and five at the U.S. championships (1962, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1973).

During Court’s career the major tournaments became opens, meaning that they were open to professionals as well as amateurs. In 1968 and 1969 separate championships were held in the United States for amateurs and professionals. Court won the amateur tournament in 1968 and both tournaments in 1969, but the amateur victories do not count in her overall grand slam total. Court also played on several Australian squads in the Fed Cup, an annual international team competition for female players. With Court, the Australian team won the Fed Cup title in 1964, 1965, 1968, and 1971, and she retired undefeated in Fed Cup singles play, with a career record of 20-0. Court was elected to the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1979.