Virginia Wade

About

Virginia is the Last British Winner of the Women’s Wimbledon Tennis Championships which she won in 1977. Since retiring she has become an extremely popular and respected commentator.

Virginia Wade (Sarah Virginia Wade, OBE) was born in Bournemouth in England. Wade learned to play tennis in South Africa, where her parents moved when she was one year old.

In 1968, she became a professional and captured the women’s singles championship at the first U.S. Open, defeating Billie Jean King in the final.

Virginia Wade was the Number 1 British player for over a decade, but the crowning moment of her career was undoubtedly when she won the Wimbledon Singles Title in 1977. Queen Elizabeth II presented the Trophy, in what was her Silver Jubilee year.

Wade also won the 1968 U.S Open Singles Championship and the 1972 Australian Open Singles Titles, as well as four Doubles Titles at the Australian, French and U.S open.

In 1981, Wade started her successful broadcasting and punditry career covering tennis events for the British Broadcasting Corporation.

In 1986, Wade was honored with the distinction of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), and four years later she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

Virginia Wade is renowned for her passionate and enthralling motivational speeches. His natural style and exuberant spirit allows him to set an audience at ease whilst keeping entertained and on the edge of their seats throughout the course of the presentation.