Gail Chanfreau (born Gail Sherriff 3 April 1945), also known as Gail Lovera and Gail Benedetti, is a former amateur and professional tennis player.
Chanfreau was born in Australia, but moved to France in 1968.[1] Chanfreau made her first appearance in the Federation Cup for Australia in 1966. She played for France from 1969 to 1980.
When Gail beat her sister Carol Sherriff, who reached the third round of the Australian Open on five occasions,[2] 8-10, 6-3, 6-3 in the 1966 Wimbledon Championships second round,[3] that was the second match between sisters at Wimbledon, the first being in the 1884 Wimbledon Championships when Maud Watson beat Lillian.[4] The next Wimbledon match between sisters was in 2000 between Serena and Venus Williams.[3]
Chanfreau reached the quarter-final of the Australian Open in 1967 and 1972, and the quarter-final of the French Open in 1968 and 1971. She won the French Open doubles in 1967, 1970 and 1971 with Françoise Durr and 1976 with Fiorella Bonicelli.[1]
At the Cincinnati Masters, she reached the singles final in 1969, only to fall to future International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee Lesley Turner Bowrey, 1–6, 7–5, 10-10 (retired).
She was international veterans mixed doubles champion with in 1968 and 1975 with Pierre Darmon.
Contents |
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in final | Score in final |
| 1967 | French Championships | Françoise Durr | Annette Van Zyl Pat Walkden |
6–2, 6–2 |
| 1970 | French Open | Françoise Durr | Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King |
6–1, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1971 | French Open | Françoise Durr | Helen Gourlay Kerry Harris |
6–4, 6–1 |
| 1976 | French Open | Fiorella Bonicelli | Kathy Harter Helga Niessen Masthoff |
6–4, 1–6, 6–3 |
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in final | Score in final |
| 1974 | French Open | Katja Burgemeister | Chris Evert Olga Morozova |
6-4, 2-6, 6-1 |
| 1971 | French Open | Lesley Turner | Mima Jaušovec Virginia Ruzici |
5-7, 6-4, 8-6 |
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