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Sue Barker

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Sue Barker
CBE
Barker in 2008
Country (sports)United Kingdom Great Britain
ResidenceStanton, Gloucestershire, England
Born (1956-04-19) 19 April 1956 (age 68)
Paignton, Devon, England
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Turned pro1972
Retired1984
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Prize moneyUS$ 878,701[1]
Singles
Career record407–250 (61.9%)
Career titles23 (15 WTA)
Highest rankingNo. 3 (20 March 1977)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenSF (1975, 1977Dec)
French OpenW (1976)
WimbledonSF (1977)
US Open4R (1976)
Other tournaments
Tour FinalsF (1977)
Doubles
Career record33–38
Career titles12
Last updated on: 15 November 2022.

Susan Barker CBE (born 19 April 1956) is a British former television presenter and professional tennis player. During her playing career, Barker won 15 WTA Tour singles titles, including a major singles title at the 1976 French Open. She reached a career-high singles ranking of world No. 3.[2]

Barker started working for the BBC as a tennis presenter in 1993, and the following year began to present coverage of the Wimbledon tennis championships; she stepped down from this role after the 2022 Wimbledon Championships.[3] Barker is a former presenter of A Question of Sport.

Early life

[edit]

Barker was born on 19 April 1956 and raised in Paignton, Devon, and educated at a convent school. In 1966, aged 10, she was picked out as the second of two girls who were to receive tennis coaching from Arthur Roberts, who had coached Angela Mortimer to three Grand Slam titles.[4]

Roberts continued coaching her beyond the selection prize commitment, charging only £1/session to allow her development to continue. Barker's forehand was her strongest and most admired weapon throughout her career, with Roberts describing it as "especially potent".[5]

Advised as a teenager by a visiting LTA coach to change her forehand, Roberts told her not to and he later resigned from the LTA Coaches Association in protest at the advice. Roberts later entered Barker into tournaments on the continent, providing her with a one-way ticket there and telling her to "earn your ticket home". Roberts remained Barker's mentor throughout her career.[4]

Tennis career

[edit]

Aged 16, and ranked 21st in the WTA rankings, Barker was advised by Roberts to move to the United States for her development.[4] Signed by Mark McCormack's International Management Group (IMG) on her 17th birthday, she moved to an IMG-provided townhouse in Newport Beach, California, where her neighbours included the newly retired Rod Laver, and was coached at the John Wayne Tennis Club.[4]

In 1973 and 1974 she won the Exmouth Open at Exmouth, Devon, on both occasions against Annette Coe. In 1975, Barker won her first top-level singles title and three additional titles. Barker reached her first Grand Slam semi-final in 1975 at the Australian Open. She won the German Open in 1976, beating Renáta Tomanová of Czechoslovakia in the final 6–3, 6–1.

Later in 1976, Barker had the biggest victory of her career by winning the French Open at the age of 20, again defeating Tomanová in the final.[6] After her French Open victory against Tomanová, Barker felt that it would be the first of a number of Grand Slam titles that she would win, but she would not reach another Grand Slam final in her career.[6]

In 1977 Barker won two singles titles in San Francisco and Dallas. She beat Martina Navratilova to reach the Virginia Slims Tour Championships final, where she lost in three sets to Chris Evert. Barker reached the Australian Open semi-final for the second time in 1977 and reached the Wimbledon semi-final that year. She looked set to meet Virginia Wade in the Wimbledon final in 1977, but unexpectedly lost her semi-final against Betty Stöve of the Netherlands.[7]

Years later, Barker said that losing to Stöve was the biggest disappointment of her career and admitted that she was so upset at losing in the 1977 Wimbledon semi-final that she could not bear to watch the final, which was won by Wade.[8]

After an injury-plagued 1978 during which her ranking dropped to World No. 24, she won three singles titles and reached three other finals in 1979. She was named the tour's "Comeback Player of the Year" by her fellow professionals.[9] Barker reached one final in 1980 and won the last singles title of her career at the Brighton International in 1981, finishing the year ranked World No. 16. She won her last doubles title in 1982 at Cincinnati and played her last professional match in 1984.

Barker won 15 singles titles and 12 doubles titles, with wins over Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Evonne Goolagong, Tracy Austin, Virginia Wade, Maria Bueno, Rosemary Casals, Andrea Jaeger and Pam Shriver. In 2004, recalling her French Open win of 1976, Barker said "I'm still incredibly proud of what I achieved."[6]

Major finals

[edit]

Grand Slam finals

[edit]

Singles (1 title)

[edit]
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win 1976 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová 6–2, 0–6, 6–2

Year-end championships finals

[edit]

Singles (1 runner–up)

[edit]
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1977 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) United States Chris Evert 6–2, 1–6, 1–6

Doubles (1 runner–up)

[edit]
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1979 Avon Championships Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve
6–7(1–7), 6–7(3–7)

WTA Tour finals

[edit]

Singles: 31 (15–16)

[edit]
Winner – Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (14–15)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–1)
Grass (6–6)
Clay (5–1)
Carpet (4–8)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. 27 May 1974 Surbiton Grass United Kingdom Sue Mappin 6–2, 7–5
Loss 1. 3 June 1974 Chichester Grass Israel Paulina Peisachov 2–6, 2–6
Win 2. 8 July 1974 Båstad Clay Netherlands Marijke Jansen 6–1, 7–5
Win 3. 7 July 1975 Båstad Clay West Germany Helga Masthoff 6–4, 6–0
Win 4. 14 July 1975 Kitzbühel Clay United States Pam Teeguarden 6–4, 6–4
Loss 2. 5 November 1975 Paris Carpet (i) United Kingdom Virginia Wade 1–6, 7–6, 7–9
Win 5. 1 December 1975 Adelaide Grass West Germany Helga Masthoff 6–5, ret.
Loss 3. 15 December 1975 Sydney Grass Australia Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 4–6
Win 6. 5 January 1975 Auckland Grass West Germany Helga Masthoff 6–2, 6–1
Loss 4. 10 May 1976 Bournemouth Clay West Germany Helga Masthoff 7–5, 3–6, 3–6
Win 7. 17 May 1976 Hamburg Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová 6–3, 6–1
Win 8. 31 May 1976 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová 6–2, 0–6, 6–2
Loss 5. 25 November 1976 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Chris Evert 2–6, 6–7
Loss 6. 6 December 1976 Melbourne Grass Australia Margaret Court 2–6, 2–6
Loss 7. 17 January 1977 Houston Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova 6–7(3–7), 5–7
Loss 8. 24 January 1977 Minneapolis Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova 0–6, 1–6
Loss 9. 21 February 1977 Detroit Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova 4–6, 4–6
Win 9. 28 February 1977 San Francisco Carpet (i) United Kingdom Virginia Wade 6–3, 6–4
Win 10. 7 March 1977 Dallas Carpet (i) United States Terry Holladay 6–1, 7–6(7–4)
Loss 10. 24 March 1977 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) United States Chris Evert 6–2, 1–6, 1–6
Loss 11. 12 December 1977 Sydney Grass Australia Evonne Goolagong 2–6, 3–6
Win 11. 21 November 1978 Brisbane Grass Australia Chris O'Neil 6–1, 6–3
Loss 12. 12 March 1979 Boston Carpet (i) Australia Dianne Fromholtz 2–6, 6–7(4–7)
Loss 13. 26 March 1979 Carlsbad Hard Australia Kerry Reid 6–7, 6–3, 2–6
Win 12. 3 June 1979 Manchester Grass United Kingdom Anne Hobbs 7–5, 4–6, 6–0
Loss 14. 10 June 1979 Chichester Grass Australia Evonne Goolagong Cawley 1–6, 4–6
Win 13. 10 September 1979 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) United States Renée Richards 6–3, 6–1
Win 14. 3 December 1979 Sydney Grass South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank 6–0, 7–5
Loss 15. 8 December 1980 Adelaide Grass Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková 1–6, 4–6
Loss 16. 10 August 1981 Richmond Carpet (i) United States Mary-Lou Piatek 4–6, 1–6
Win 15. 19 October 1981 Brighton Carpet (i) Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Mima Jaušovec 4–6, 6–1, 6–1

Doubles: 30 (12–18)

[edit]
Winner – Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, Other (12–17)
Titles by surface
Hard (0–0)
Grass (2–4)
Clay (2–4)
Carpet (8–10)
Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. 26 May 1975 Rome Clay United Kingdom Glynis Coles United States Chris Evert
Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova
1–6, 2–6
Win 1. 14 July 1975 Kitzbühel Clay United States Pam Teeguarden Uruguay Fiorella Bonicelli
Argentina Raquel Giscafré
6–1, 6–3
Win 2. 1 December 1975 Adelaide Grass United Kingdom Michelle Tyler Australia Kym Ruddell
Australia Janet Young
7–5, 6–3
Loss 2. 8 December 1975 Perth Grass United Kingdom Michelle Tyler Australia Christine Matison
Australia Lesley Bowrey
6–7, 3–6
Loss 3. 16 August 1976 Toronto Clay United States Pam Teeguarden Australia Cynthia Doerner
United States Janet Newberry
7–6, 3–6, 1–6
Win 3. 12 October 1976 Hilton Head Island Clay Australia Evonne Goolagong Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova
United Kingdom Virginia Wade
4–6, 6–4, 3–6
Win 4. 25 November 1976 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Rosie Casals
France Françoise Dürr
4–6, 6–3, 6–1
Loss 4. 17 January 1977 Houston Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova
Netherlands Betty Stöve
6–4, 2–6, 1–6
Loss 5. 28 February 1977 San Francisco Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura Australia Kerry Reid
South Africa Greer Stevens
3–6, 1–6
Loss 6. 5 February 1979 Seattle Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve
6–7(4–7), 6–4, 4–6
Loss 7. 19 February 1979 Detroit Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura Netherlands Betty Stöve
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Loss 8. 12 March 1979 Boston Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura Australia Kerry Reid
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 2–6
Loss 9. 19 March 1979 Avon Championships Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve
6–7, 6–7
Loss 10. 2 April 1979 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura France Françoise Dürr
Netherlands Betty Stöve
5–7, 6–7
Win 5. 10 September 1979 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) United States Candy Reynolds United States Bunny Bruning
United States Jane Stratton
6–3, 6–2
Loss 11. 3 December 1979 Sydney Grass United States Pam Shriver United States Billie Jean King
Australia Wendy Turnbull
5–7, 4–6
Loss 12. 10 December 1979 Adelaide Grass United States Pam Shriver Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Romania Virginia Ruzici
1–6, 6–3, 2–6
Win 6. 11 February 1980 Oakland Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura South Africa Greer Stevens
United Kingdom Virginia Wade
6–0, 6–4
Loss 13. 31 March 1980 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Billie Jean King
Czechoslovakia Martina Navratilova
5–7, 3–6
Loss 14. 8 December 1980 Adelaide Grass United States Sharon Walsh United States Pam Shriver
Netherlands Betty Stöve
4–6, 3–6
Win 7. 16 February 1981 Houston Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura Czechoslovakia Regina Maršíková
United States Mary-Lou Piatek
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 15. 23 February 1981 Seattle Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Rosie Casals
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 1–6
Win 8. 2 March 1981 Los Angeles Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Peanut Louie
United States Marita Redondo
6–1, 4–6, 6–1
Win 9. 4 May 1981 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
7–5, 6–2
Loss 16. 18 May 1981 Berlin Clay Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová United States Rosalyn Fairbank
South Africa Tanya Harford
3–6, 4–6
Win 10. 8 June 1981 Surbiton Grass United States Ann Kiyomura United States Billie Jean King
South Africa Ilana Kloss
6–1, 6–7, 6–1
Loss 17. 3 August 1981 Indianapolis Clay United States Paula Smith United States JoAnne Russell
Romania Virginia Ruzici
2–6, 2–6
Win 11. 10 August 1981 Richmond Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Kathy Jordan
United States Anne Smith
4–6, 7–6, 6–4
Win 12. 11 January 1982 Cincinnati Carpet (i) United States Ann Kiyomura United States Pam Shriver
United States Anne Smith
6–2, 7–6
Loss 18. 15 February 1982 Houston Carpet (i) United States Sharon Walsh United States Kathy Jordan
United States Pam Shriver
6–7(6–8), 2–6

Performance timelines

[edit]
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
  • " * "Barker received a bye in the first round.
  • " ^ "Barker withdrew prior to the match, which is not counted as a loss.

Singles

[edit]
Tournament 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 W–L SR
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open A 3R SF 2R (Jan)
A
(Dec)
SF
QF A 3R 3R 1R A Q1 16–8 0 / 8
French Open A A 3R W A A 2R A 1R A A 1R 9–4 1 / 5
Wimbledon 2R 1R 3R* QF SF* 4R 1R 2R* 3R 1R 1R 2R 16–12 0 / 12
US Open A A 2R 4R* 3R A 2R* A 2R A A 1R 6–6 0 / 6
Year-end championship
WTA Championships Did not qualify F F DNQ SF Did not qualify 9–5 0 / 4
Win–loss 1–1 2–2 8–4 16–5 12–4 5–2 4–5 2–2 5–4 0–2 0–1 1–3 56–35 1 / 35
Year-end ranking N/A 19[10] 10[11] 5[12] 24[13] 10[14] 16[15] 14[16] 62[17] 57[18] 155[19]

Doubles

[edit]
Tournament 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 W–L SR
Australian Open QF QF* QF* (Jan)
A
(Dec)
1R
1R A SF SF 1R A 1R 10–9 0 / 9
French Open A QF* 2R* A A A A A A A 2R 2–3 0 / 3
Wimbledon 2R* QF* 1R 3R* SF* QF QF SF 2R* 1R A 16–10 0 / 10
US Open A QF^ QF A A 1R A A A A 1R 5–3 0 / 4
Year-end championship
WTA Championships Did not qualify F
(W:1; L:1)
DNQ SF
(W:0; L:1)
Did not qualify 1–2 0 / 2
Win–loss 2–2 6–3 4–4 1–2 3–2 4–3 6–2 7–3 0–2 0–1 1–3 33–25 0 / 26
Year-end ranking N/A 116[20]

Mixed doubles

[edit]
Tournament 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 W–L SR
Australian Open Absent 0–0 0 / 0
French Open Absent SF*^ Absent 2–0 0 / 1
Wimbledon Absent 1R Absent 3R 2R 3–3 0 / 3
US Open Absent 0–0 0 / 0
Win–loss 2–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 0–0 0–0 2–1 1–1 5–3 0 / 4

Fed Cup

[edit]
1974 Federation Cup
Date Venue Surface Round Opponents Final match score Match Opponent Rubber score
13–19 May
1974
Naples Clay SF  Australia 0–3 Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Goolagong/Young 0–6, 2–6 (L)
1975 Federation Cup
5–11 May
1975
Aix-en-Provence Clay 1R  Austria 3–0 Singles Sabine Bernegger 6–3, 6–2 (W)
Doubles (with Glynis Coles) Bernegger/Buche 6–3, 6–1 (W)
QF  France 1–2 Singles Nathalie Fuchs 1–6, 6–1, 4–6 (L)
1976 Federation Cup
22–29 Aug
1976
Philadelphia, PA Carpet (I) 1R  France 3–0 Singles Nathalie Fuchs 6–3, 6–0 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Benedetti/Darmon 6–3, 6–2 (W)
QF  South Africa 2–1 Singles Linky Boshoff 6–1, 6–1 (W)
Doubles (with Michelle Tyler) Boshoff/Kloss 1–6, 4–6 (L)
SF  Australia 0–3 Singles Dianne Fromholtz 2–6, 6–7 (L)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Cawley/Reid 1–6, 3–6 (L)
1977 Federation Cup
13–18 Jun
1977
Eastbourne Grass 1R  Denmark 3–0 Singles Dorte Ekner 6–3, 6–1 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Ekner/Sparre 6–2, 6–2 (W)
2R  South Korea 3–0 Singles Choi Kyeong-Mi 6–1, 6–3 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Choi/Lee 6–1, 6–0 (W)
QF  Sweden 3–0 Singles Mimmi Wikstedt 6–2, 6–0 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Anliot/Wikstedt 6–2, 5–7, 6–3 (W)
SF  Australia 1–2 Singles Dianne Fromholtz 3–6, 4–6 (L)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Reid/Turnbull 6–1, 6–4 (W)
1978 Federation Cup
27 Nov –
3 Dec
1978
Melbourne Grass 1R  Spain 3–0 Singles Mónica Álvarez de Mon 6–0, 10–8 (W)
2R  West Germany 2–1 Singles Sylvia Hanika 3–6, 2–6 (L)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Ebbinghaus/Hanika 6–3, 6–0 (W)
QF  Czechoslovakia 2–1 Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Mandlíková/Tomanová 8–6, 7–5 (W)
SF  United States 0–3 Doubles (with Anne Hobbs) Casals/King 6–1, 3–6, 4–6 (L)
1979 Federation Cup
30 Apr –
6 May
1979
Madrid Clay 1R  New Zealand 3–0 Singles Chris Newton 6–0, 6–0 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Newton/Perry 6–1, 6–1 (W)
2R  Belgium 3–0 Singles Monique Van Haver 6–3, 11–9 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Gurdal/Van Haver 6–3, 6–0 (W)
QF  Czechoslovakia 0–3 Singles Hana Mandlíková 6–3, 6–8, 4–6 (L)
1980 Federation Cup
19–25 May
1980
Berlin Clay 1R  Israel 3–0 Singles Paulina Peled 4–6, 7–6, 6–1 (W)
Doubles (with Glynis Coles) Bialistozky/Peled 6–2, 6–3 (W)
2R  Argentina 2–1 Singles Adriana Villagrán-Reami 5–7, 7–6, 6–2 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Madruga Osses/Villagrán-Reami 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 (W)
QF  West Germany 0–3 Singles Bettina Bunge 2–6, 0–6 (L)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Bunge/Hanika 3–6, 3–6 (L)
1981 Federation Cup
9–15 Nov
1981
Tokyo Clay 1R  Belgium 3–0 Doubles (with Jo Durie) de Witte/de Wouters 6–3, 6–3 (W)
2R  France 3–0 Singles Corinne Vanier 4–6, 6–2, 10–8 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Amiach/Tanvier 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 (W)
QF  Soviet Union 2–1 Singles Elena Eliseenko 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Cherneva/Zaitseva 6–3, 6–1 (W)
SF  Australia 2–1 Singles Wendy Turnbull 7–6, 3–6, 6–2 (W)
Doubles (with Virginia Wade) Leo/Turnbull 7–6, 6–3 (W)
F  United States 0–3 Singles Chris Evert 2–6, 1–6 (L)
1982 Federation Cup
19–25 Jul
1982
Santa Clara Hard 1R BYE
2R  Israel 3–0 Singles Orly Bialistozky 6–1, 6–3 (W)
QF  Soviet Union 1–2 Singles Hana Mandlíková 7–6, 6–7, 3–6 (L)

Broadcasting career

[edit]
Sue Barker interviewing Andy Murray at Wimbledon in 2016

After retiring as a tennis player, Barker became a commentator and sports reporter for Australia's Channel 7 in 1985 before anchoring tennis coverage for British Sky Broadcasting from 1990 to 1993. In 1993, Barker joined the BBC and hosted its Wimbledon coverage as a regular guest on Today at Wimbledon with Harry Carpenter. She took over as host of Today at Wimbledon in 1994, and from 2000 until 2022, she anchored the two-week-long broadcast for the network.[21]

Barker has branched out since joining the BBC, becoming one of their chief sports presenters. She was one of the presenters of Grandstand and the presenter of the long-running sports quiz show A Question of Sport[5] (QoS) since 1997, having succeeded David Coleman. She retired as QoS presenter following the BBC's decision to revamp the show, having recorded her last episode in September 2020.[22] She was a host of the annual BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards ceremony from 1994 to 2012 before stepping down in 2013.[23]

Barker has hosted BBC Sport's coverage of the Australian Open, the French Open, Queens Club Championships, Eastbourne, the Davis Cup, the ATP World Tour Finals and Wimbledon.

Other sporting events she has hosted have included the Grand National (2000–2007), the Derby (2001–2007), Racing at Ascot and Longchamp (1995–1999), Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury, the Great North Run, World Athletics Championships and European Athletics Championships (1999–2009), BBC Sports Personality of the Year (1994–2012), Commonwealth Games (1994–2010), Summer Olympics (1996–2012) and Winter Olympics (1994–2010).

Barker provided commentary for the 1998 video game Actua Tennis, along with fellow BBC broadcaster Barry Davies.[24]

In June 1999, she co-presented coverage of Prince Edward's wedding to Sophie Rhys-Jones at Windsor alongside Michael Buerk. Barker had introduced Rhys-Jones to Queen Elizabeth II's youngest son at a charity function a few years earlier.

In 2008, Barker and the BBC extended her contract to cover the London 2012 Summer Olympics. It was estimated to be worth £375,000 a year.[25]

In July 2012, the Advertising Standards Authority in the UK received over 40 complaints for a Go Compare advert featuring Barker who was shown firing a large rocket launcher at opera singer Gio Compario (Wynne Evans) in an attempt to kill off the face of the brand. A spokesperson for the ASA said: "Some people think it offensive especially at a time when children are watching. Others think it inappropriate when our security forces are coming under fire on a daily basis. As with all complaints, we are looking into the matter before deciding if we launch a full investigation."[26]

Barker was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2000 New Year Honours for services to sport and broadcasting,[27] Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours for services to broadcasting and charity[28] and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to broadcasting and charity.[29]

In September 2020, it was announced that Barker would step down from her role as host of BBC game show A Question of Sport after 24 years; she stated that she was "sad to say goodbye".[30] On 9 June 2022, Barker announced she would be stepping down from BBC coverage of the Wimbledon tennis championship after the 2022 finals, which she had covered since 1993.[31]

Barker has since stated that she was dismissed from the show rather than leaving by choice. She alleges that she was asked to put her name to an untrue pre-prepared statement claiming she left of her own accord when this was not the case. Barker accepted the BBC's decision to replace her, which she claimed was because they wished to "refresh" the show. However, she criticised the BBC's handling of the matter, describing this as "insulting" and saying that she felt "slightly damaged" by the experience. [32]

Personal life

[edit]

At 17 years of age, Barker moved to California.[33] In 1978, she broke off an engagement with Australian tennis player Syd Ball. In an interview the following year, she said: "I realised that Syd wasn't the answer. Underneath, I wasn't happy and I certainly wasn't ready for marriage. I wasn't fair to him or myself."[34] After her engagement was broken off, she had a brief relationship with golfer Greg Norman.[34]

In 1980, Barker was temporarily blinded in her right eye after a large dog in Spain jumped up and bit her. She lost the sight in her eye for five hours and feared that the dog attack would force her to stop playing tennis, which she said "broke her heart".[35]

In 1982, Barker met singer Cliff Richard. Their four-month-long[33] romance attracted considerable media attention after Richard flew to Denmark to watch her play in a tennis match and they were photographed cuddling and holding hands at Wimbledon.[36][37] In 1988, Richard said of his former romance with Barker: "We were closer than just friends. She's the only person with whom I've had that sort of relationship." He said that one of the things which made up his mind not to marry her was when she got upset because he hadn't told her who he was seeing that day. Richard said: "I suddenly realised that in a marriage you don't live for yourself."[38] Richard said in 2008 that he had come close to asking her to marry him. He said: "I seriously contemplated asking her to marry me, but in the end I realised that I didn't love her quite enough to commit the rest of my life to her."[39]

In 1986 some time after Barker's romance with Richard had ended and she began a brief relationship with tennis player Stephen Shaw, Richard said that he was still a friend of Barker. He said: "We have a mutual respect for each other and that means a lot to me."[40]

In 1988, Barker married landscape gardener and former policeman Lance Tankard.[25][38] They live in the Cotswolds village of Stanton, Gloucestershire, after moving from a mansion on a 26-acre estate in Godalming, Surrey.[41]

In an interview in 1999, Barker said that during her tennis career she was approached by a lesbian tennis player in the locker room and touched "in a way that didn't feel right". Barker refused to name the female tennis player involved.[4]

In September 2022, Barker featured on Desert Island Discs;[42] Her favourite chosen track was "Harry Hippie" by Bobby Womack, with her choice of book and luxury item given as All In by Billie Jean King and some New Zealand sauvignon blanc wine respectively.

Barker's autobiography Calling the Shots was published in September 2022.[43]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Career Prize Money". WTA. 25 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Sue Barker – Speakers Biography". Speakers.co.uk. Retrieved 16 December 2010.
  3. ^ "Sue Barker to step down as Wimbledon presenter after 2022 tournament". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
  4. ^ a b c d e Viner, Brian (24 March 1999). "Barker's happy return to the fore". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Meet the Question of Sport regulars". BBC Sport. 12 September 2003. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  6. ^ a b c "Barker recalls her golden moment". BBC Sport. 21 May 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  7. ^ "Devon – Discover Devon". BBC. 30 January 2008. Archived from the original on 15 July 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  8. ^ Henderson, Jon (8 July 2007). "Tennis: Say it's not so Sue". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  9. ^ "Sue Barker (GBR)". Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 18 May 2007.
  10. ^ "1975 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  11. ^ "1976 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  12. ^ "1977 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  13. ^ "1978 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  14. ^ "1979 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  15. ^ "1980 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  16. ^ "1981 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
  17. ^ "1982 year-end singles rankings" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 November 2011. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
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[edit]
Media offices
Preceded by Regular host of Question of Sport
1997–2021
Succeeded by
Awards and achievements
Preceded by RTS Television Sport Awards
Best Sports Presenter

2001
Succeeded by