Introduction
Linda Gates (born 1963) is an American former professional tennis player.
Biography
A native of Burlingame, California, Gates played college tennis for Stanford University in the early 1980s. She made history at the 1985 NCAA Division I Women's Tennis Championships when she became the first woman to win consecutive doubles championships, as well as the first woman to win the singles and doubles championship in the same year. She won the Broderick Award (now the Honda Sports Award) as the nation's top collegiate tennis player in 1985.
Gates had her best performance in a grand slam tournament at the 1985 Australian Open, where she was a quarter-finalist in the women's doubles, partnering Alycia Moulton. Their run included a win over the eighth seeded Maleeva sisters (Katerina and Manuela).
Following her graduation from Stanford in 1985 she competed briefly on the professional tour. At the 1985 US Open, she won through to the third round, playing as a wildcard. She was runner-up to Gabriela Sabatini at the 1985 Japan Open, which was the Argentine's first WTA Tour title.
WTA Tour finals
Singles (0-1)
| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | October 14, 1985 | Tokyo | Hard | Gabriela Sabatini | 3–6, 4–6 |
Doubles (0–1)
| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | March 24, 1986 | Phoenix | Hard | Alycia Moulton | Susan Mascarin Betsy Nagelsen |
3–6, 7–5, 4–6 |
ITF finals
| Legend |
|---|
| $25,000 tournaments |
| $10,000 tournaments |
Singles: 1 (1–0)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1. | July 7, 1985 | Schenectady, United States | Hard | Jenni Goodling | 6–1, 6–1 |
Doubles: 8 (5–3)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Runner-up | 1. | July 23, 1983 | Birmingham, United States | Hard | Caryn Copeland | Cynthia MacGregor Gretchen Magers |
5–7, 6–7 |
| Winner | 1. | June 17, 1984 | Freehold, United States | Hard | Linda Howell | Louise Field Michelle Turk |
4–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| Winner | 2. | July 22, 1984 | Fayetteville, United States | Hard | Cynthia MacGregor | Rebecca Bryant Natalia Leipus |
6–1, 7–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | July 30, 1984 | Delray Beach, United States | Hard | Cynthia MacGregor | Julie Richardson Belinda Cordwell |
5–7, 0–6 |
| Winner | 3. | August 18, 1984 | Miramar, United States | Hard | Cynthia MacGregor | Patty Fendick Linda Howell |
6–2, 2–6, 6–4 |
| Winner | 4. | June 23, 1985 | Fayetteville, United States | Hard | Sonia Hahn | Caroline Kuhlman Wendy Wood |
6–4, 6–3 |
| Winner | 5. | July 1, 1985 | Schenectady, United States | Hard | Lynn Lewis | Helena Manset Cecilia Fernandez-Parker |
7–6, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 3. | August 18, 1985 | Roanoke, United States | Hard | Leigh-Anne Eldredge | Louise Allen Ronni Reis |
4–6, 4–6 |