Tennis player from New Zealand
Belinda Jane Cordwell (born 21 September 1965) is a sports commentator and a former professional tennis player from New Zealand, who represented her native country at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul . A former world top 20 player, her best result in the Grand Slam events was reaching the semifinals of the 1989 Australian Open . Cordwell remains the highest ever ranked New Zealand singles player, either male or female in the open era.
Biography
During her career Cordwell won one WTA singles title (at Singapore ) and two WTA doubles titles (at Singapore & Tokyo ). Cordwell reached her highest individual ranking on the WTA Tour on 4 December 1989, when she became No. 17 in the world. Her most notable result was reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open in 1989 , where she lost to Helena Suková .[ 1] She represented New Zealand at the 1988 Summer Olympics , losing in the first round to Great Britain's Sara Gomer .[ 2] [ 3] After retiring Cordwell has worked as a television tennis commentator for One Sport and Sky Sport .[ 4]
WTA career finals
Singles (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Doubles (2 titles, 3 runner-ups)
Result
W/L
Date
Tournament
Surface
Partner
Opponents
Score
Win
1–0
Oct 1985
Japan Open
Hard
Julie Richardson
Laura Gildemeister Beth Herr
6–4, 6–4
Loss
1–1
Feb 1988
Wellington Classic , New Zealand
Hard
Julie Richardson
Patty Fendick Jill Hetherington
3–6, 3–6
Loss
1–2
Apr 1988
Taipei Championships , Taiwan
Carpet (i)
Julie Richardson
Patty Fendick Ann Henricksson
2–6, 6–2, 2–6
Loss
1–3
Jun 1988
Eastbourne Championships , England
Grass
Dinky Van Rensburg
Eva Pfaff Elizabeth Smylie
4–6, 6–7
Win
2–3
Apr 1989
Singapore Open
Hard
Elizabeth Smylie
Ann Henricksson Beth Herr
6–7(6–8) , 6–2, 6–1
ITF finals
$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments
Singles: 6 (5–1)
Outcome
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Opponent
Score
Winner
1.
10 October 1983
ITF Newcastle, Australia
Grass
Deeann Hansel
6–1, 6–2
Winner
2.
25 February 1985
ITF Tasmania, Australia
Hard
Rebecca Bryant
4–6, 6–3, 7–6
Runner-up
3.
11 March 1985
ITF Adelaide, Australia
Hard
Louise Field
3–6, 1–6
Winner
4.
29 April 1985
ITF Canberra, Australia
Grass
Rebecca Bryant
6–2, 4–6, 6–4
Winner
5.
16 March 1987
ITF Canberra, Australia
Hard
Amy Jönsson Raaholt
6–3, 6–2
Winner
6.
30 March 1987
ITF Adelaide, Australia
Hard
Louise Field
6–0, 4–6, 6–4
Doubles: 17 (11–6)
Outcome
No.
Date
Tournament
Surface
Partnering
Opponents
Score
Winner
1.
28 May 1984
ITF Flemington, United States
Hard
Julie Richardson
Beverly Bowes Becky Callan
6–0, 6–1
Winner
2.
25 June 1984
ITF Chatham, United States
Hard
Julie Richardson
Rebecca Bryant Aschara Maranon
6–2, 6–0
Runner-up
3.
2 July 1984
ITF Detroit, United States
Hard
Rebecca Bryant
Patty Fendick Linda Howell
4–6, 6–7
Winner
4.
9 July 1984
ITF West Palm Beach, United States
Clay
Julie Richardson
Patty Fendick Linda Howell
7–6, 6–7, 6–3
Winner
5.
30 July 1984
ITF Delray Beach, United States
Hard
Julie Richardson
Linda Gates Cynthia MacGregor
7–5, 6–0
Runner-up
6.
8 October 1984
ITF Wyong, Australia
Grass
Colleen Carney
Stina Almgren Helena Olsson
5–7, 5–7
Winner
7.
15 October 1984
ITF Newcastle, United States
Grass
Julie Richardson
Amanda Tobin Annette Gulley
6–3, 6–2
Winner
8.
22 October 1984
ITF Sydney, Australia
Clay
Julie Richardson
Jackie Masters Michelle Parun
6–0, 6–2
Runner-up
9.
22 October 1984
ITF Sydney, Australia
Grass
Julie Richardson
Diane Farrell Annette Gulley
3–6, 3–6
Winner
10.
11 March 1985
ITF Adelaide, Australia
Hard
Julie Richardson
Louise Field Janine Thompson
6–2, 2–6, 6–2
Runner-up
11.
30 September 1985
ITF Chiba, Japan
Hard
Julie Richardson
Niege Dias Patricia Medrado
6–4, 4–6, 4–6
Winner
12.
6 October 1986
ITF Chiba, Japan
Hard
Michelle Jaggard-Lai
Kumiko Okamoto Naoko Sato
6–2, 7–6(3)
Runner-up
13.
3 November 1986
ITF Matsuyama, Japan
Hard
Wendy Wood
Yayuk Basuki Suzanna Wibowo
6–0, 4–6, 2–6
Winner
14.
23 March 1987
ITF Melbourne, Australia
Hard
Louise Field
Colleen Carney Anna-Karin Olsson
6–2, 3–6, 6–3
Winner
15.
30 March 1987
ITF Adelaide, Australia
Hard
Louise Field
Colleen Carney Alison Scott
6–1, 1–6, 6–4
Winner
16.
8 August 1988
ITF York, United States
Hard
Kristine Kunce
Allyson Ingram Jennifer Young
6–3, 6–1
Runner-up
17.
25 September 1989
ITF Chiba, Japan
Hard
Julie Richardson
Ei Iida Maya Kidowaki
6–7, 4–6
References