It was a sign of the times that, at the age of 22 and No. 1 ranked tennis player in SA, Helen Angwin retired from tennis – because she was getting married and moving to the country.
It was a sign of the times that, at the age of 22 and No. 1 ranked tennis player in SA, Helen Angwin retired from tennis – because she was getting married.
The married couple were shifting to the country.
In an Advertiser article, Helen Angwin explained as she would not have time for tennis practice, she would have to forego district and interstate matches as well as tournaments.
She had been the leading player in SA since 1950 and was one of the best in Australia.
She reached the top in the Australian championships in Adelaide in 1952 with a convincing win over Australian titleholder, Nancye Bolton, in a semi-final of the women’s singles.
Performances that season gained her an Australian ranking of No. 3. She represented Australia in 1953 in the fourth and fifth tests against South Africa.
She was both partner and foe with SA’s Gwen Thiele, partnering with her to reach the Australian Championships doubles semi, then beating her in the final of the SA Championships in 1952.
Helen Angwin is an inductee in the Tennis SA Legends Club.
