Carole Caldwell Graebner
California State University at Los Angeles
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1997
Carole Caldwell Graebner (1943 – 2008) was an inaugural member of the U.S. Federation Cup team and was a leading force in women’s tennis for more than three decades. Ranked among the top players just prior to the Open Era, Graebner developed her talents on California’s public courts. She attended California State University at Los Angeles with her friend and frequent competitor, Billie Jean King.
A finalist for the 1964 U.S. singles title, Graebner captured the U.S. and Australian doubles titles over the next two years. She is the only woman to participate as a player, captain and chairman for three premier international events: the Wightman, Federation and Bonne Bell Cups. A longtime Vice-President at Tennis Week, Graebner was a recipient of both the USTA Service Bowl and the Sarah Palfrey Danzig Award.
She died of cancer on November 11, 2008 in New York.
Career Highlights
- World Rankings, No.4 in Singles, No.1 in Doubles in 1964, 1965
Ranked in USTA Top 10 from 1961-1965, 1967; No.1 in Doubles in 1963
U.S. Hard Court Champion Doubles, Mixed Doubles 1960
Pacific Southwest Singles Champion 1962, 1965
Irish Doubles Chamption 1962, 1963, Mixed Doubles 1962
U.S. Singles Finalist 1964
U.S. Clay Courty Doubles Champion 1964, 1965
U.S. Singles Doubles Champion 1965
Australian Doubles Champion 1966
Gold Medalist in Doubles, 1963 Pan American Games
U.S. Wightman Cup Team Member 1964, 1965, 1967, 1971; Team Captain 1971
U.S. Federation Cup Team Member 1963 (inagural year), 1965, 1966; Team Captian 1970
U.S. Bonne Bell Team Member, Captain 1968-1971
Radio and Television Commentator 1967-1976
Vice President and National Advertising Director, Tennis Week magazine; Corporate Sales and Administration, Sports Investors, Inc. 1976 – present
Chair, USTA Federation Cup Committee 1987-1993, 1995 – present; 1985-1987 Vice Chair, USTA Wightman Cup Committee
Winner of the USTA Service Bowl Award 1989
Eastern Tennis Association Woman of the Year Award 1989
Winner of the Sarch Palfrey Danzigg Award 1991
