Hall of Famer Hard dies at 85
Darlene Hard, an aggressive serve-and-volley player who won three major singles titles and 18 major doubles titles in a Hall of Fame tennis career, died at Northridge Hospital after a brief illness. She was 85.
Hard played at Pomona College, competing in the first intercollegiate championship in 1958 and winning the national title. Hard was ranked in the U.S. top 10 every year between 1954 and 1963, four times as No. 1. Hard appeared in seven major championship singles finals, winning titles at the 1960 French Championships and the 1960 and ’61 U.S. Championships. She had even greater success in doubles. She won three French titles, four Wimbledon titles and six U.S. championships.
She became a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1973.
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