Ilana Kloss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Nickname | Lani | |
| Country | South Africa/America | |
| Residence | New York City and Chicago | |
| Date of birth | March 22, 1956 | |
| Place of birth | Johannesburg, South Africa | |
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| Highest ranking: | 1 | |
Ilana Kloss (born March 22, 1956, in Johannesburg, South Africa) is a former world-class tennis player and the leader of World Team Tennis.
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[edit] Tennis career
Before turning professional, in 1973 she won both the Wimbledon and U.S. Open juniors singles titles, and was the youngest player ever to be ranked # 1 in South Africa.
Kloss was ranked # 1 in the world in doubles in 1976. That year, she won doubles titles at the U.S. Open, the Italian Open, the U.S. Clay Courts, the German Open, the British Hard Courts Championship, and Hilton Head, as well as the mixed doubles title at the French Open.
She was ranked as high as # 19 in the world in singles play in 1976.
In 1977 she won both the German and Canadian championships, and the British clay court championship.
Most of her women's doubles titles were achieved with partner Linky Boshoff.
After retiring, Kloss took part in the 35-and-over tour, winning the U.S. Open doubles and mixed doubles championship in 1999.
[edit] Federation Cup
In the 1970s she was 12-5 in Federation Cup matches.[1]
[edit] Hall of Fame
Kloss was inducted into the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 2006.
[edit] World Team Tennis
Since 2001 she has been the Chief Executive Officer & Commissioner of World Team Tennis, a coed professional tennis league.
[edit] Personal life
Ilana was born to Ruth Kloss. She has a sister, Yvette Merle Kloss, now married as Merle Blackman to Richard Blackman. Merle has two children, Lara and Joshua, ages 13 and 10, respectively. Ilana's mother and father had a messy divorce, and though both live in Johannesburg, they never speak.
Kloss is the life partner of Billie Jean King, the US tennis player.[2] She currently resides near the Museum of Natural History in New York City, New York.
