Darlene Hard, 3-time major tennis champion, dies at 85

By BETH HARRIS
AP Sports Writer

Hall of Fame tennis player Darlene Hard has died at age 85. She was an aggressive serve-and-volley player who won three major singles titles as well as 18 major doubles titles in a Hall of Fame career. Hard’s longtime friend and former boss at the University of Southern California, Mona Cravens, says Hard died at a Los Angeles-area hospital after a brief illness. Hard appeared in seven major championship singles finals, winning titles at the 1960 French Championships and the 1960 and ’61 U.S. Championships. She was even better in doubles, winning a combined 18 doubles and mixed doubles titles with partners including Althea Gibson and Rod Laver.