Karen Hantze Susman (1942- )

A native of San Diego, Susman began playing tennis when she was eight, under the tutelage of the famed coach Eleanor "Teach" Tennant. She was blessed with outstanding coordination and a natural athleticism. Mix the above with high level instruction, it wasn’t long before she hit the "big time." After she graduated from Mission Bay High in 1960, she won the Wimbledon Junior title. The following year, she and Billie Jean Moffit (King) won the Wimbledon doubles. She rates that as her favorite moment in tennis, rating it above her singles triumph at The Championships in ‘62. She and Moffit defended their title that year. They also won two U.S. Doubles Championships (now the U.S. Open) during their partnership. She played the inaugural year of World Team Tennis in 1974 for the L.A. Strings which she found very rewarding. Although she does not compete today, it does not keep her from training and keeping abreast of the changing nuances in the sport.