Věra Suková (née Pužejová) (13 June 1931 – 13 May 1982) was a tennis player from Czechoslovakia. She was the women's singles runner-up at Wimbledon in 1962, losing to Karen Hantze Susman 6–4, 6–4.

Věra Suková
Full nameVěra Pužejová Suková
Country (sports) Czechoslovakia
Born(1931-06-13)13 June 1931
Uherské Hradiště, Czechoslovakia
Died13 May 1982(1982-05-13) (aged 50)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 5 (1962, Lance Tingay)
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenSF (1957, 1963)
WimbledonF (1962)
US OpenQF (1962)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonQF (1957, 1960, 1964)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1957)
WimbledonSF (1960, 1961)
Grave of Věra Suková at Olšany Cemetery in Prague

Suková was a women's singles semifinalist at the French Championships in 1957 and 1963. She teamed with Jiří Javorský to win the mixed doubles title at that tournament in 1957. They were the runners-up in 1961. According to Lance Tingay, Suková was ranked in the world top ten in 1957, 1962, and 1963, reaching a career high of World No. 5 in those rankings in 1962.[1]

Suková was the Czechoslovak national women's singles champion 11 times between 1952 and 1964. After retirement from tennis, Suková served as the coach of Czechoslovakia's national women's team. Under her guidance, the team won the Fed Cup in 1975.[citation needed]

Personal life

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Her husband Cyril Suk II, whom she married in 1961, was president of the Czechoslovak Tennis Federation. Their two children, Helena Suková (born 1965) and Cyril Suk III (born 1967), both became successful professional tennis players. Věra Suková died from brain cancer in 1982.

Grand Slam finals

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Singles: 1 (1 runner–up)

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Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1962 Wimbledon Championships Grass   Karen Susman 4–6, 4–6

Mixed doubles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)

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Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1957 French Championships Clay   Jiří Javorský   Edda Buding
  Luis Ayala
6–3, 6–4
Loss 1961 French Championships Clay   Jiří Javorský   Darlene Hard
  Rod Laver
0–6, 6–2, 3–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

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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.
Tournament 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 Career SR
Australian Championships A A A A A A A A A 0 / 0
French Championships 2R SF 4R QF QF 4R 3R SF QF 0 / 9
Wimbledon 4R 3R A 3R 4R QF F 3R 2R 0 / 8
U.S. Championships A A A A A A QF 4R A 0 / 2
SR 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 19

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 703. ISBN 0-942257-41-3.
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