Background
Heide grew up in Essen in the industrial Ruhr valley and began playing tennis with her father at the age of 13.
Heide grew up in Essen in the industrial Ruhr valley and began playing tennis with her father at the age of 13.
Her first major success was winning the West German Junior Championship in 1960. Heide reached the quarter-finals in doubles at both Wimbledon and the French Open. In singles, she had outstanding wins on the women"s tour against the then-reigning Wimbledon Champions Virginia Wade (twice) and Evonne Goolagong.
At that time, she took over ten years to break from tennis before entering the International Tennis Federation (International Tennis Federation) Senior Circuit.
According to the International Tennis Federation, Heide Orth is the most successful female player worldwide in the history of Senior Tennis. She was also successful in winning more than 80 European Championships in Singles and Doubles (indoor and outdoor), as well as numerous Championships of Germany and other countries.
This special award was handed over to her at the International Tennis Federation World Champions Dinner in Paris on June 3, 2014.
Heide later competed in the International Women"s Circuit for many years and played for the Germany National Federation Cup team 15 times. She won International Tennis Federation World Championships in Singles (10), in Doubles (10) and in Team (Cup) Competitions (11). During tournaments in the United States of America, she earned 43 Gold Balls for winning titles as a United States of America-Champion on clay and grass. Heide was a fourteen-time European Player of the Year, and she is one of only four tennis players who received the European Senior Lifetime Champion Award. Heide Orth is the first female tennis player worldwide to be honoured by the International Tennis Federation for Outstanding Achievements in Senior Tennis.
