Losing a Grand Slam final is one of the most heart-wrenching experiences a tennis player can go through during their career.
Many players have lost multiple Grand Slam finals before tasting success, including Andy Murray, Kim Clijsters and Ivan Lendl.
The latest to suffer a similar heartbreak was Amanda Anisimova, who has lost two Grand Slam finals this year, at Wimbledon and the US Open.
Over 48 years ago, one star of Women’s tennis lost three Grand Slams in a row while competing during the 1977 season.
Remarkably, these final losses all occurred in the same tournament.
Betty Stove lost three finals during the 1977 Wimbledon Championships
Dutch tennis star Betty Stove endured a rather unfortunate run at the 1977 Wimbledon Championships.
The former world number five in singles produced the best singles performance of her career by reaching the Wimbledon final, defeating Martina Navratilova and Sue Barker on her way to the final.
This final was Stove’s first, and only Grand Slam singles final.
Unfortunately for Stove, she was defeated by British star Virginia Wade in the final, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1.
At the same tournament, Stove – who was partnered with Navratilova – lost the Women’s Doubles final to Helen Cawley and JoAnne Russell.
Stove also lost a third final at the 1977 Wimbledon Championships. Stove and Frew McMillan were defeated by Bob Hewitt and Greer Stevens 3–6, 7–5, 6–4.
Stove remains the last player in any Grand Slam tournament to lose the final of three events.
However, the Dutch star demonstrated her resilience at the next Grand Slam tournament, where she won two titles.
Betty Stove’s Grand Slam successes
Later in 1997, Betty Stove won the Women’s Doubles and Mixed Doubles tournaments at the US Open. Stove won the Women’s Doubles while paired with Martina Navratilova.
Stove, a former number one in doubles, had won previous Grand Slam titles in 1972, at the French Open, Wimbledon and US Open.
Stove’s final Grand Slam title came at the 1979 US Open, where she partnered with Australian player Wendy Turnbull to defeat Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova in the final.
Stove also won mixed doubles Grand Slam titles at the 1978 Wimbledon Championships, 1978 US Open and 1981 Wimbledon.
| Year | Tournament |
| 1972 | French Open Women’s Doubles |
| 1972 | Wimbledon Women’s Doubles |
| 1972 | US Open Women’s Doubles |
| 1977 | US Open Women’s Doubles |
| 1977 | US Open Mixed Doubles |
| 1978 | Wimbledon Mixed Doubles |
| 1978 | US Open Mixed Doubles |
| 1979 | French Open Women’s Doubles |
| 1979 | US Open Women’s Doubles |
| 1981 | Wimbledon Mixed Doubles |
The only Grand Slam title missing from Stove’s résumé is the Australian Open. Her best result at the tournament occurred in 1967, when she reached the semi-final stage in the Women’s Doubles event.
Stove won 78 doubles titles during her career – including three Tour Finals – while also beating the likes of Billie Jean King and Evonne Goolagong in singles.
