US tennis legend DuPont dies at 94

Washington: US tennis legend Margaret Osborne DuPont, the former world No. 1 who won six Grand Slam women`s singles crowns among 37 major titles, has died at 94.

Dupont passed away in Texas, Wednesday, US tennis officials announced Thursday, reports Xinhua. She won 31 doubles and mixed doubles titles at three Grand Slams between 1941 and 1962. DuPont never played the Grand Slam tournament in Australia. DuPont was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, in 1967, five years after winning her last Grand Slam title. She was the year-end women`s world No.1 from 1947 through 1950 and spent 20 years in the US top five in a career that spanned from the 1930s to the 1960s. "Margaret DuPont was a giant in tennis and had a huge impact on my career," US tennis icon Billie Jean King said. "She was one of my heroes and was a great influence on my life both on and off the court. "I hope today`s players and any boy or girl who dreams of a career in tennis will go to the history books and read about Margaret because her career wasn`t just about winning matches, it was also about mentoring others," he said. IANS