For Tennis Parents by a Tennis Parent

According to her bio on Wikipedia, Betsy Nagelsen was the world’s top junior in 1973. She won the 1973 US Champion Girls’ 16 and under singles. She also won the USTA Girls’ Sportsmanship Award in 1974. She won the doubles championship at the 1978 and 1980 Australian Opens (with Renáta Tomanová and Martina Navrátilová, respectively). She reached the singles final of the 1978 Australian Open, losing to Christine O’Neil. Over her 21-year career on the WTA Tour, Nagelsen won 26 doubles titles and 4 singles titles.

After her retirement in 1996, Nagelsen became a commentator for ABC and ESPN in the United States and Australia’s Nine Network. She was married to Mark McCormack, founder of the sports management group IMG. The couple donated money for the McCormack-Nagelsen Tennis Center at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. The Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Women’s Tennis Hall of Fame is located on the site.

Hope you enjoy my interview with this very accomplished lady!

Betsy McCormack