Gail Chanfreau

Gail Chanfreau (née Sherriff; born 3 April 1945), also known as Gail Lovera and Gail Benedetti, is a French former amateur and professional tennis player.

Gail Chanfreau

ITF name	Gail Benedetti
Country (sports)	Australia  France
Born	3 April 1945 Bondi, NSW, Australia
Plays	Right-handed
Singles
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian Open	QF (1967, 1972)
French Open	QF (1968, 1971)
Wimbledon	3R (1966, 1970)
US Open	3R (1971)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open	SF (1968, 1972)
French Open	W (1967, 1970, 1971, 1976)
Wimbledon	SF (1971, 1975)
US Open	F (1971)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam Mixed Doubles results
Australian Open	QF (1965, 1966)
French Open	SF (1971)
Wimbledon	3R (1969, 1974, 1975)
US Open	QF (1970)

Tennis career

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, 8–10, 6–3, 6–3 in the 1966 Wimbledon Championships second round,[2] that was the second match between sisters at Wimbledon, the first being in the 1884 Wimbledon Championships when Maud Watson beat Lillian.[3] The next Wimbledon match between sisters was in 2000 between Serena and Venus Williams.[2]

Chanfreau reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 1967 and 1972, and the quarterfinals of the French Open in 1968 and 1971. She won the French Open doubles in 1967, 1970 and 1971 with Françoise Dürr 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 in 1968 and 1975 with Pierre Darmon.

Personal life

She married French tennis player Jean-Baptiste Chanfreau in 1968 and moved to France. Her second marriage was to another French tennis player Jean Lovera.[4][5]

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 7 finals (4 wins – 3 losses)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1967	French Championships	Clay	Françoise Dürr	Annette Van Zyl Pat Walkden	6–2, 6–2
Win	1970	French Open	Clay	Françoise Dürr	Rosemary Casals Billie Jean King	6–1, 3–6, 6–3
Win	1971	French Open	Clay	Françoise Dürr	Helen Gourlay Kerry Harris	6–4, 6–1
Loss	1971	US Open	Grass	Françoise Dürr	Rosemary Casals Judy Tegart	3–6, 3–6
Loss	1974	French Open	Clay	Katja Burgemeister	Chris Evert Olga Morozova	4–6, 6–2, 1–6
Win	1976	French Open	Clay	Fiorella Bonicelli	Kathleen Harter Helga Niessen Masthoff	6–4, 1–6, 6–3
Loss	1978	French Open	Clay	Lesley Turner	Mima Jaušovec Virginia Ruzici	7–5, 4–6, 6–8

References

1. "Françoise DURR et Gail LOVERA (1) LA PASSION ENCORE ET TOUJOURS". L'Express. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
2. Roberts, John (5 July 2000). "Venus eclipses Hingis to set up historic meeting". The Independent. Independent News and Media. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
3. Finn, Robin (29 June 1998). "Tennis; Serena Williams Plays Catch-Up, With Sister in Path". New York Times. Retrieved 13 January 2009.
4. "Sherriffs call shots in 20th century SW19 history". International Tennis Federation (ITF). 29 September 2015.
5. "Tribute to Ross Sheriff". Tennis Australia. 2007.

External links

• Gail Chanfreau at the Women's Tennis Association
• Gail Chanfreau at the International Tennis Federation
• Gail Chanfreau at the Billie Jean King Cup