# Elizabeth Smylie

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles on the tour. Liz also taught junior tennis players at Smith's Tennis Center, North Curl Curl. Sydney in the early 1990s.

## Career

Smylie turned professional in 1982. She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1985 with Kathy Jordan. In mixed doubles, she teamed with John Fitzgerald to win the 1983 US Open and 1991 Wimbledon titles and with Todd Woodbridge to win the 1990 US Open. She won the Virginia Slims Championships with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.
She played Federation Cup from 1984 to 1994, and won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.
Over her career, Smylie won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.

## Personal life

She is married to player-manager Peter Smylie and they have three children. She was the long-time tournament director of the Australian Women's Hardcourts and also works as a sports television commentator. Her brother Mervyn Sayers played one first-class cricket game for Western Australia in 1979.

## Grand Slam tournaments
### Doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)

| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1985 | Wimbledon | Grass | Kathy Jordan | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1987 | Wimbledon | Grass | Betsy Nagelsen | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Helena Suková | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Loss | 1987 | US Open | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1990 | Wimbledon | Grass | Kathy Jordan | Jana Novotná Helena Suková | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1993 | Australian Open | Hard | Pam Shriver | Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva | 6–4, 6–3 |

### Mixed doubles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1983 | US Open | Hard | John Fitzgerald | Barbara Potter Ferdi Taygan | 3–6, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1984 | US Open | Hard | John Fitzgerald | Manuela Maleeva Tom Gullikson | 2–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1985 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Fitzgerald | Martina Navratilova Paul McNamee | 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1985 | US Open | Hard | John Fitzgerald | Martina Navratilova Heinz Günthardt | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1988 | US Open | Hard | Patrick McEnroe | Jana Novotná Jim Pugh | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1990 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Fitzgerald | Zina Garrison Rick Leach | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 1990 | US Open | Hard | Todd Woodbridge | Natasha Zvereva Jim Pugh | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1991 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Fitzgerald | Natasha Zvereva Jim Pugh | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–2 |

## Olympic Games
### Doubles: 1 (bronze medal)

| Result | Year | Location | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Bronze | 1988 | Seoul | Hard | Wendy Turnbull | Tied | DNP |
Smylie and Turnbull lost their semifinal match to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 6–7$^{(5)}$, 4–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal pairs received bronze medals.

## Other significant finals
### Year-end championships
#### Doubles: 1 (title)

| Result | Year | Location | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1990 | New York | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Mercedes Paz Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–4 |

## WTA Tour finals
### Singles: 6 (3–3)

* Legend
* Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
* Tier I (0–0)
* Tier II (0–0)
* Tier III (0–0)
* Tier IV (0–1)
* Tier V (0–1)
* Virginia Slims, Avon, other (3–1)
* Finals by surface
* Hard (2–2)
* Grass (0–1)
* Clay (1–0)
* Carpet (0–0)
| Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1–0 | Apr 1982 | Sardinia, Italy | Clay | Dana Gilbert | 6–3, 6–0 |
| Win | 2–0 | Sep 1983 | Kansas City, US | Hard | Anne Minter | 6–3, 6–1 |
| Loss | 2–1 | Nov 1984 | Brisbane, Australia | Grass | Helena Suková | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 3–1 | Feb 1987 | Oklahoma City, US | Hard | Lori McNeil | 4–6, 6–3, 7–5 |
| Loss | 3–2 | Apr 1989 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Kumiko Okamoto | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 3–3 | Apr 1990 | Tokyo, Japan | Hard | Catarina Lindqvist | 3–6, 2–6 |

### Doubles: 69 (36–33)

* Legend
* Grand Slam tournaments (1–4)
* WTA Championships (1–0)
* Tier I (2–1)
* Tier II (7–1)
* Tier III (2–3)
* Tier IV (3–3)
* Tier V (3–2)
* Virginia Slims, Avon, other (17–19)
* Finals by surface
* Hard (17–10)
* Grass (5–12)
* Clay (4–1)
* Carpet (10–10)
| Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1. | Oct 1981 | Kyoto | Hard | Kim Steinmetz | Nanette Schutte Marianne van der Torre | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 1. | Feb 1983 | Ridgewood | Carpet (i) | Beverly Mould | Rosalyn Fairbank Susan Leo | 7–6, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Loss | 2. | Jun 1983 | Birmingham | Grass | Beverly Mould | Billie Jean King Sharon Walsh | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 3. | Jul 1983 | Newport | Grass | Barbara Jordan | Barbara Potter Pam Shriver | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 2. | Sep 1983 | Kansas City | Hard | Sandy Collins | Chris O'Neil Brenda Remilton | 7–5, 7–6 |
| Loss | 4. | Jan 1984 | Indianapolis | Carpet (i) | Beverly Mould | Cláudia Monteiro Yvonne Vermaak | 7–6$^{(9–7)}$, 4–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 5. | Mar 1984 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Barbara Jordan | Ann Kiyomura Pam Shriver | 3–6, 7–6$^{(9–7)}$, 3–6 |
| Loss | 6. | Mar 1984 | Dallas | Carpet (i) | Sandy Collins | Leslie Allen Anne White | 4–6, 7–5, 2–6 |
| Loss | 7. | Jun 1984 | Birmingham | Grass | Barbara Jordan | Leslie Allen Anne White | 6–7$^{(1–7)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 3. | Aug 1984 | Montreal | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Hana Mandlíková | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 4. | Sep 1984 | Deerfield Beach | Hard | Martina Navratilova | Barbara Potter Sharon Walsh | 2–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Win | 5. | Oct 1984 | Tampa | Hard | Carling Bassett | Mary-Lou Piatek Wendy White | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 8. | Dec 1984 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Catherine Tanvier | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Helena Suková | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 6. | Jan 1985 | Key Biscayne | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Svetlana Parkhomenko Larisa Savchenko | 6–4, 7–6$^{(7–2)}$ |
| Win | 7. | Jan 1985 | Marco Island | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Camille Benjamin Bonnie Gadusek | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Loss | 9. | Mar 1985 | Princeton | Carpet (i) | Marcella Mesker | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Win | 8. | Apr 1985 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Betsy Nagelsen Anne White | 4–6, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 9. | May 1985 | Sydney | Carpet (i) | Pam Shriver | Barbara Potter Sharon Walsh | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Win | 10. | May 1985 | Melbourne | Carpet (i) | Pam Shriver | Anne Hobbs Kathy Jordan | 6–2, 5–7, 6–1 |
| Loss | 10. | Jun 1985 | Eastbourne | Grass | Kathy Jordan | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 4–6 |
| Win | 11. | Jun 1985 | Wimbledon | Grass | Kathy Jordan | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Loss | 11. | Jul 1985 | Newport | Grass | Pam Shriver | Chris Evert Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 6–7$^{(2–7)}$ |
| Win | 12. | Aug 1985 | Mahwah | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Helena Suková | 7–6$^{(8–6)}$, 6–3 |
| Win | 13. | Sep 1985 | Chicago | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Elise Burgin JoAnne Russell | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 12. | Dec 1985 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Marcella Mesker | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Helena Suková | 0–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 14. | Jan 1986 | Key Biscayne | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Betsy Nagelsen Barbara Potter | 7–6$^{(8–6)}$, 2–6, 6–2 |
| Win | 15. | Mar 1986 | Princeton | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Hana Mandlíková Helena Suková | 6–3, 7–5 |
| Loss | 13. | Mar 1986 | Nashville | Carpet /u( | Kathy Jordan | Barbara Potter Pam Shriver | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 14. | Jun 1986 | Birmingham | Grass | Wendy Turnbull | Elise Burgin Rosalyn Fairbank | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 16. | Aug 1986 | Mahwah | Hard | Betsy Nagelsen | Steffi Graf Helena Suková | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–3 |
| Loss | 15. | Dec 1986 | Brisbane | Grass | Betsy Nagelsen | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 17. | Jan 1987 | Sydney | Grass | Betsy Nagelsen | Jenny Byrne Janine Thompson | 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 7–5, 6–1 |
| Loss | 16. | Mar 1987 | Piscataway | Carpet (i) | Betsy Nagelsen | Gigi Fernández Lori McNeil | 1–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 18. | May 1987 | Geneva | Clay | Betsy Nagelsen | Laura Gildemeister Catherine Tanvier | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 17. | Jun 1987 | Eastbourne | Grass | Rosalyn Fairbank | Svetlana Parkhomenko Larisa Savchenko | 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 6–4, 5–7 |
| Loss | 18. | Jun 1987 | Wimbledon | Grass | Betsy Nagelsen | Claudia Kohde-Kilsch Helena Suková | 5–7, 5–7 |
| Loss | 19. | Aug 1987 | Mahwah | Hard | Anne Hobbs | Gigi Fernández Lori McNeil | 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 20. | Aug 1987 | US Open | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 7–5, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 19. | Jun 1988 | Eastbourne | Grass | Eva Pfaff | Belinda Cordwell Dinky Van Rensburg | 6–3, 7–6$^{(8–6)}$ |
| Loss | 21. | Jan 1989 | Sydney | Hard | Wendy Turnbull | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 22. | Jan 1989 | Auckland | Hard | Janine Thompson | Patty Fendick Jill Hetherington | 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 20. | Feb 1989 | Wellington | Hard | Janine Thompson | Tracey Morton Heidi Sprung | 7–6$^{(7–3)}$, 6–1 |
| Loss | 23. | Feb 1989 | Oklahoma City | Hard (i) | Elise Burgin | Lori McNeil Betsy Nagelsen | w/o |
| Win | 21. | Apr 1989 | Singapore | Hard | Belinda Cordwell | Ann Henricksson Beth Herr | 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 6–2, 6–1 |
| Win | 22. | Apr 1989 | Tokyo | Hard | Jill Hetherington | Ann Henricksson Beth Herr | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Win | 23. | May 1989 | Rome | Clay | Janine Thompson | Manon Bollegraf Mercedes Paz | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 24. | May 1989 | Berlin | Clay | Janine Thompson | Lise Gregory Gretchen Magers | 5–7, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 24. | Jul 1989 | Newport | Grass | Wendy Turnbull | Gigi Fernández Lori McNeil | 3–6, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 5–7 |
| Loss | 25. | Sep 1989 | Tokyo | Carpet | Wendy Turnbull | Gigi Fernández Robin White | 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 25. | Jan 1990 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Gigi Fernández | Jo-Anne Faull Rachel McQuillan | 6–2, 6–2 |
| Win | 26. | Mar 1990 | San Antonio | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Gigi Fernández Robin White | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Win | 27. | Apr 1990 | Tokyo | Hard | Kathy Jordan | Michelle Jaggard Hu Na | 6–0, 3–6, 6–1 |
| Loss | 26. | May 1990 | Strasbourg | Clay | Kathy Jordan | Nicole Provis Elna Reinach | 1–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 27. | Jun 1990 | Wimbledon | Grass | Kathy Jordan | Jana Novotná Helena Suková | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 28. | Nov 1990 | VS Championships | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Mercedes Paz Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–4 |
| Win | 29. | Jan 1991 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Kathy Jordan | Mary Joe Fernández Robin White | 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 |
| Win | 30. | May 1991 | Geneva | Clay | Nicole Provis | Cathy Caverzasio Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 31. | Jun 1991 | Birmingham | Grass | Nicole Provis | Sandy Collins Elna Reinach | 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 32. | Jan 1993 | Sydney | Hard | Pam Shriver | Lori McNeil Rennae Stubbs | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 6–2 |
| Loss | 28. | Jan 1993 | Australian Open | Hard | Pam Shriver | Gigi Fernández Natasha Zvereva | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 29. | Jun 1993 | Birmingham | Grass | Pam Shriver | Lori McNeil Martina Navratilova | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 33. | Jul 1993 | Stratton Mountain | Hard | Helena Suková | Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière Mercedes Paz | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Loss | 30. | Aug 1993 | San Diego | Hard | Pam Shriver | Gigi Fernández Helena Suková | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 34. | Jan 1994 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Pam Shriver | Manon Bollegraf Martina Navratilova | 6–3, 3–6, 7–6$^{(7–3)}$ |
| Loss | 31. | Feb 1994 | Osaka | Carpet (i) | Pam Shriver | Larisa Neiland Rennae Stubbs | 4–6, 7–6$^{(7–2)}$, 5–7 |
| Win | 35. | Jul 1994 | Stratton Mountain | Hard | Pam Shriver | Conchita Martínez Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 2–6, 7–5 |
| Loss | 32. | Aug 1994 | Montreal | Hard | Pam Shriver | Meredith McGrath Arantxa Sánchez Vicario | 6–2, 2–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 33. | Aug 1994 | Schenectady | Hard | Pam Shriver | Meredith McGrath Larisa Neiland | 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 36. | Jun 1996 | Birmingham | Grass | Linda Wild | Lori McNeil Nathalie Tauziat | 6–3, 3–6, 6–1 |

## Grand Slam performance timelines

Key :
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |

### Singles

| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | Career SR |
| Australian Open | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | NH | QF | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 12 |
| French Open | A | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 8 |
| Wimbledon | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | 4R | 4R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 3R | 1R | 3R | A | 2R | 1R | 0 / 13 |
| US Open | A | 1R | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 1R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 10 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 43 |
| Year-end ranking | 96 | 225 | 115 | 73 | 36 | 43 | 114 | 27 | 154 | 66 | 53 | 115 | 336 | 119 | 194 |

### Doubles

| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Career SR |
| Australian Open | QF | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 2R | NH | 1R | SF | QF | 3R | QF | A | F | SF | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 15 |
| French Open | A | A | 3R | 2R | SF | A | A | QF | A | 1R | 2R | 2R | A | 2R | 2R | A | 3R | A | 0 / 10 |
| Wimbledon | A | A | 1R | 1R | 2R | W | QF | F | QF | 3R | F | 3R | 1R | SF | QF | A | SF | 1R | 1 / 15 |
| US Open | A | 1R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 2R | QF | F | 1R | 2R | SF | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | A | 1R | A | 0 / 15 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 1 / 55 |
| Year-end ranking | | | | | 13 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 54 | 9 | 13 | NR | 27 | NR |
* NR = not ranked

### Mixed doubles

| Tournament | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | Career SR |
| Australian Open | NH | NH | NH | NH | 2R | QF | QF | SF | SF | A | QF | 2R | A | 1R | 1R | 0 / 9 |
| French Open | 2R | QF | A | A | 1R | A | A | 3R | A | A | SF | 2R | A | A | A | 0 / 6 |
| Wimbledon | A | SF | F | QF | QF | SF | 2R | F | W | 2R | 3R | QF | A | 3R | A | 1 / 12 |
| US Open | W | F | F | SF | 2R | F | 2R | W | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | A | 2 / 13 |
| SR | 1 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 4 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 3 / 40 |