Patricia Molly "Pat" Walkden-Pretorius (born 12 February 1946) is a former female tennis player from Rhodesia and South Africa.[1]

Pat Walkden
Pat Walkden (1965)
Full namePatricia Molly Walkden-Pretorius
Country (sports) Rhodesia
 South Africa
Born (1946-02-12) 12 February 1946 (age 78)
Bulawayo, Matabeleland, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe
PlaysRight–handed
Singles
Career recordno value
Grand Slam singles results
French Open4R (1967, 1968)
Wimbledon4R (1969)
US Open3R (1970)
Doubles
Career recordno value
Grand Slam doubles results
French OpenF (1967)
WimbledonSF (1970)
US OpenSF (1967)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenQF (1969)
WimbledonSF (1972)
US Open3R (1970)
Team competitions
Fed CupW (1972)

Walkden was a runner-up in the 1967 French Championships doubles, partnering compatriot Annette du Plooy. They lost the final in straight sets to Françoise Dürr and Gail Sherriff.[2]

Her best singles result at a Grand Slam tournament was reaching the fourth round at the 1967 French Championships, the 1968 French Open and the 1969 Wimbledon Championships.

She played for the Rhodesian and South African Fed Cup teams in 15 ties between 1966 and 1974 comprising a record of 17 wins and 11 losses. She was part of the South African team, together with Brenda Kirk and Greta Delport, that won the Federation Cup in 1972 after a victory in the final over Great Britain at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Career finals

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Singles: 3 (3 runner-ups)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. Jul 1972 Dublin, Ireland Grass   Evonne Goolagong 6–2, 1–6, 2–6
Loss 2. May 1973 Lee-on-Solent, UK Clay   Evonne Goolagong 3–6, 2–6
Loss 3. Jun 1973 Hamburg, West Germany Clay   Helga Masthoff 4–6, 1–6

Doubles: 13 (3 titles, 10 runner-ups)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Jun 1967 French Open, France Clay   Annette du Plooy   Françoise Dürr
  Gail Sherriff
2–6, 2–6
Loss 2. May 1968 Rome, Italy Clay   Annette du Plooy   Margaret Court
  Virginia Wade
2–6, 5–7
Loss 3. Jul 1970 Cincinnati, US Clay   Helen Gourlay   Rosie Casals
  Gail Chanfreau
10–12, 1–6
Loss 4. Aug 1970 Toronto, Canada Clay   Helen Gourlay   Rosie Casals
  Margaret Court
0–6, 1–6
Loss 5. Jun 1972 London (Queens), UK Grass   Brenda Kirk   Rosie Casals
  Billie Jean King
7–5, 0–6, 2–6
Win 1. Jul 1972 Dublin, Ireland Grass   Brenda Kirk   Evonne Goolagong
  Karen Krantzcke
6–3, 8–10, 6–2
Loss 6. Jul 1972 Hoylake, UK Grass   Brenda Kirk   Evonne Goolagong
  Helen Gourlay
divided the prize
because of rain
Loss 7. Aug 1972 Cincinnati, US Clay   Brenda Kirk   Margaret Court
  Evonne Goolagong
4–6, 1–6
Loss 8. Aug 1972 Toronto, Canada Clay   Brenda Kirk   Margaret Court
  Evonne Goolagong
6–3, 3–6, 5–7
Loss 9. Aug 1972 Haverford (Merion), US Grass   Brenda Kirk   Virginia Wade
  Sharon Walsh
6–3, 3–6, 5–7
Win 2. Jul 1973 Cleveland, US Hard   Ilana Kloss   Janice Metcalf
  Laurie Tenney
1–6, 7–6, 6–1
Loss 10. Aug 1973 Atlantic City, US   Ilana Kloss   Chris Evert
  Marita Redondo
4–6, 4–6
Win 3. Aug 1973 Cincinnati, US Clay   Ilana Kloss   Evonne Goolagong
  Janet Young
7–6, 3–6, 6–2

References

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  1. ^ "WTA – Player profile". WTA.
  2. ^ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. p. 402. ISBN 978-0942257700.
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