Margaret DuPont, U.S. tennis great, dies at 94 in El Paso

Margaret Osbourne duPont, who won more than 30 Grand Slam singles and doubles titles spanning three decades, has died in El Paso, Texas. She was 94.

DuPont died late Wednesday while in hospice care in El Paso. Her death was confirmed Thursday by Mary Skinner of VNA Hospice in El Paso.

“Margaret duPont was a giant in tennis and had a huge impact on my career,” Billie Jean King said in a statement. “She was one of my heroes and was a great influence on my life both on and off the court. I hope today’s players and any boy or girl who dreams of a career in tennis will go to the history books and read about Margaret because her career wasn’t just about winning matches, it was also about mentoring others.”

DuPont won the singles title at Wimbledon in 1947, the U.S. National Championship (now the U.S. Open) singles title from 1948-1950 and the French singles title in 1946 and 1948, according to the website of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum.

DuPont was the year-end world No.1 in 1947, 1948, 1949, and 1950. She was first ranked in the United States top-10 in 1938, and she remained in the top-5 for 20 years. She was ranked in the U.S. top-10 14 times over those 20 years, and in the world top-10 nine times.

duPont’s Grand Slam tournament success included six singles titles, 21 doubles titles, and 10 mixed doubles titles. Her total of 37 Grand Slam tournament wins is surpassed only by fellow Hall of Famers and tennis greats Margaret Smith
Court, Martina Navratilova and King.

(Oct. 2012 story)