LONDON — Angela Mortimer Barrett, a trailblazer who triumphed over partial deafness and a serious intestinal infection to clinch three Grand Slam singles titles, including the prestigious Wimbledon in 1961, passed away on Monday at the remarkable age of 93.
The All England Club confirmed the news.
“It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of Angela Mortimer Barrett, the oldest living champion of the ladies’ singles at Wimbledon,” stated club chair Deborah Jevans.
Starting her tennis journey at the late age of 14, Mortimer Barrett was ready to compete in Grand Slam tournaments by 19. She achieved her first major victory at the 1955 French Championships, where she triumphed over Dorothy Knode from the U.S. with a score of 2-6, 7-5, 10-8 in a thrilling final. At a crucial 8-8 in the final set, she realized victory was imminent when she heard Knode request a brandy.
By then, her hearing difficulties had escalated. While many players rely on sound cues, Mortimer Barrett faced a unique challenge.
“I could hear the crowd’s cheers, but not much else,” she recounted on the International Tennis Hall of Fame website. “It allowed me to focus and block out distractions. When I hear players say they need to hear the ball, I just smile. I couldn’t do that.”
Mortimer Barrett returned to the French final in 1956 but was defeated by Althea Gibson.
She faced recurring health issues that were eventually identified as entamoebic dysentery. Overcoming this with a strict three-week starvation diet, she lost a significant amount of weight, which took a toll on her strength.
Her comeback led her to Australia in 1958, where she claimed her second Grand Slam singles title by defeating fellow Brit Lorraine Coghlan 6-3, 6-4 in the final. That year, she also excelled in both doubles and mixed doubles finals.
Later that same year, Mortimer Barrett made it to her first Wimbledon final as an unseeded player, a feat accomplished by only five women before her, but unfortunately lost to Gibson.
Against all odds, she made her way to the 1961 final. She made headlines by defeating the top-seeded Sandra Reynolds from South Africa with a score of 11-9, 6-3 in the semifinals. In the first all-British final since 1914, although Christine Truman led 6-4, 4-3, she stumbled and lost momentum, allowing Mortimer Barrett to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory.
Just two months later, she reached the semifinals of the U.S. Championships, marking her best performance at that event. It was also the only year she ascended to the No. 1 ranking.
In addition, she triumphed in the 1955 Wimbledon doubles competition alongside Anne Shilcock.
In 1993, Mortimer Barrett was honored with induction into the International Hall of Fame, followed by her husband John Barrett in 2014. They represent one of the few married couples, alongside Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi, to achieve this prestigious accolade.
