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116. Tracy Austin: A Star is Born
At just 13 years old, Tracy Austin was already doing things most players twice her age could only dream about—right down to landing on the March 22, 1976 cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline “A Star is Born.” And they weren’t kidding. With a calm, unshakable presence, she was already beating older, more experienced players with a sharp baseline game, all while still juggling school and family life—playing a semifinal in Rome one week and taking a social studies test the next.
The wins came quickly. In 1979, she became the youngest player ever at 16 to win the US Open, defeating Chris Evert, and two years later she did it again, beating Martina Navratilova for her second title at Flushing Meadows. She also captured a mixed doubles championship at Wimbledon Championships with her brother John, and by 1980, Austin had risen to No. 1 in the world at just 17—the youngest ever to do it.
But her story became just as much about resilience as dominance. Injuries, particularly a persistent back issue, began to slow her down, and a serious car accident in 1989 ultimately cut her career short. Still, her legacy was already secure—two-time major champion, world No. 1, and the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992. More than anything, Tracy Austin’s grace through adversity became just as memorable as her brilliance on the court.
She tells us what it was like to be on the cover of SI when she was barely a teenager. She recalls what it was like on the tour and reveals that not everyone was welcoming the 14-year old from Southern California. Tracy talks about going up against the all-time greats and how she went from opponents on the court to lifelong friends with Chrissy, Martina and Billie Jean. And she makes it clear that she wasn’t pushed into a life of tennis by her parents, but rather, how they had to race to keep up with her as she chased and then knocked down her dreams of being a champion… and the best player in the world.
Tracy Austin on the Past Our Prime podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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By Scott JohnstonAt just 13 years old, Tracy Austin was already doing things most players twice her age could only dream about—right down to landing on the March 22, 1976 cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline “A Star is Born.” And they weren’t kidding. With a calm, unshakable presence, she was already beating older, more experienced players with a sharp baseline game, all while still juggling school and family life—playing a semifinal in Rome one week and taking a social studies test the next.
The wins came quickly. In 1979, she became the youngest player ever at 16 to win the US Open, defeating Chris Evert, and two years later she did it again, beating Martina Navratilova for her second title at Flushing Meadows. She also captured a mixed doubles championship at Wimbledon Championships with her brother John, and by 1980, Austin had risen to No. 1 in the world at just 17—the youngest ever to do it.
But her story became just as much about resilience as dominance. Injuries, particularly a persistent back issue, began to slow her down, and a serious car accident in 1989 ultimately cut her career short. Still, her legacy was already secure—two-time major champion, world No. 1, and the youngest inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992. More than anything, Tracy Austin’s grace through adversity became just as memorable as her brilliance on the court.
She tells us what it was like to be on the cover of SI when she was barely a teenager. She recalls what it was like on the tour and reveals that not everyone was welcoming the 14-year old from Southern California. Tracy talks about going up against the all-time greats and how she went from opponents on the court to lifelong friends with Chrissy, Martina and Billie Jean. And she makes it clear that she wasn’t pushed into a life of tennis by her parents, but rather, how they had to race to keep up with her as she chased and then knocked down her dreams of being a champion… and the best player in the world.
Tracy Austin on the Past Our Prime podcast.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices