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Tory Ann Fretz

Occidental College

1999

Tory Ann Fretz (b.1942), whose playing history bridges the amateur and professional eras, inaugurated her outstanding career by capturing the singles and doubles titles at the fourth intercollegiate championships for women in 1961. Fretz learned tennis at the William Penn Public Courts in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – becoming the top-ranked junior in the USTA’s Middle States section. Moving to Southern California to attend Occidental College, Tretz developed her strong volleying game under the guidance of tennis great Alice Marble.

In 1963, the year she earned her first USTA Top 10 ranking, Fretz began touring on the Caribbean and European circuits, reaching the third round at Wimbledon. An excellent doubles player, she was ranked No. 2 with Julie Heldman in 1965 and won the Ojai Invitational with Billie Jean King the following year. As a pioneering professional, Fretz joined King as a teammate on the Philadelphia Freedoms in 1974. Fretz went on to a successful career as a tennis instructor in her adopted state of California.

Career Highlights
    Ranked in the USTA Top 10 1963-1966; No. 2 in Doubles 1965-1966
    Pennsylvaia State Clay Court Singles Champion 1959
    National Junior Indoor Singles Finalist 1959
    Ranked No.1 Junior in USTA/Middle States Section 1959
    U.S. Collegiate Singles and Doubles Champion 1961
    Western Singles and Doubles Champion 1962
    U.S. Junior Wightman Cup Team Member 1963
    U.S. Hard Court Singles Finalist 1963
    USTA/Middle States Singles Champion 1963 (winner of Germaine Monteil Cup); ranked No.1 in section
    USTA/Southern California Finalist 1963
    U.S. Doubles Semifinalist 1965
    Ojai Valley Open Doubles Champion (with Billie Jean King) 1966
    Pacific Southwest Tournament Singles Finalist 1965
    Dixie International Singles Champion 1965
    USTA/New England Indoor Singles Champion 1966
    USTA/Southern California Champion 1967
    U.S. OPEN Mixed Doubles Finalist 1968
    Team Member, Philadelphia Freedoms, World Team Tennis 1974 (39-5 team record)
    Virginia Slims Circuit 1976
    Tennis Professional, The Tennis Place, Los Angeles, CA 1975-1998; named Honorary Head Pro 1994
    Tennis Coordinatork, Shadow Mountain Resort Club, Palm Desert, CA 1998 – present
Other 1999 Inductees
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