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Well-removed from the Lisa Raymond Tanning Hour, former Gator makes history
Tuesday, September 13, 2011 | Women's Tennis, Scott Carter
Back in the day, they had a nickname for every time former Gators women's tennis star Lisa Raymond played at Linder Stadium.
They called it the Lisa Raymond Tanning Hour.
You see, Raymond was so good in college that she dispatched nearly every opponent in an hour or less when she won back-to-back NCAA singles titles in 1992 and '93.
Raymond was back in the spotlight on Sunday at the U.S. Open. Raymond and doubles partner Liezel Huber defeated defending U.S. Open champions Vania King and Yaroslava Shedova 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3) to win the title.
In one of those time-really-does-fly moments, I read a story on Raymond that referenced her age. Can she really be 38?
Photo: Raymond (left) and her doubles partner Huber celebrate U.S. Open title (AP)
Seems like yesterday Raymond was working on her tan – and winning a lot of matches – at UF.
By teaming with Huber to win her 10th Grand Slam title, Raymond surpassed Billie Jean King as the oldest Grand Slam women's doubles champion. The U.S. Open title was Raymond's third – first since 2005.
King was 36 when she won her 16th women's Grand Slam doubles title in 1980 at the U.S. Open.
Raymond attributed Sunday's title to – well, age.
“We really relied on our experience today and sticking together,'' Raymond told reporters. “They were the defending champs and they have two Grand Slams and they've done well, but we have years and years and years of being in finals of Slams, winning the championships, being down breaks in the third set to win or lose a slam.”
