It is with great sorrow that the ITF has learned of the sad passing of Marie Pinterova at the age of 77 following a long illness.  

Marie was an iconic presence on the ITF Masters Tour and when she called time on her competitive career in 2021 after 62 years on court, the volume of tributes reflected the high esteem in which she was held.

Indeed, she once contested a quarter-final tie at Roland Garros and Marie was renowned for displaying the same intensity well into her seventies as she did on that memorable day in Paris almost half a century ago.

It was an incredibly difficult decision to hang up her racket when she did but, due to health concerns heightened by the Covid-19 pandemic, she felt she had to.

Nevertheless, that failed to lessen the disappointment of having to consign something which partly defines her to the pages of history.

In short, tennis provided the backdrop to Marie’s life, spanning the time she was a young pretender defeating the world’s best through to being the experienced hand lifting silverware at Masters events.

“Tennis is like a drug,” Marie once said.  

“It is a gift of life. When I play, even only for fun, I forget my problems and my age and simply enjoy the game. I know my shots have changed and I move slower, but every minute of play takes me back to my younger years and makes me relaxed.”

Born in former Czechoslovakia, Marie’s journey started at the comparatively late age of 13. From there, a captivating story evolved with victories over legends such as Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova preserved in history.

She would peak at No. 13 in the unofficial world rankings and claim Tour-level titles, although such talent was nearly lost before it had even started.

“I was born left-handed but was forced to do everything with my right hand in school, consequently I had a lot of trouble at the beginning. It came to the point that my coach at the time told me to try another sport,” said Marie.

“But the small white balls had charmed me so much that I did not give up, I practiced whenever I had free time and, at the age of 25, I became the No. 1 player in Czechoslovakia.

“But the problems I had in the beginning have stayed with me all my life; I serve with my left hand and play with my right.”

Marie’s professional career began in 1969, with her finest Grand Slam performance arriving five years later when she navigated her way to the last eight in the French capital before losing to eventual finalist Olga Morozova.

But when asked to recall her finest career moments, the Roland Garros adventure did not feature, with top spot reserved for her victory at Virginia Slims in Jacksonville, Florida in 1972.

In fairness, it was hardly surprising given Pinterova’s opponent in the final was King, who that year won three of the four Grand Slams following victories at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. There was, however, a wider tale to tell.

“There was a strict regime concerning foreign travel at the time but, being the No. 1 player, they let me go on my own,” added Marie. “I borrowed money from my teammates to travel and I arrived in Florida as one of the rare Czech players to play in the United States.

“I had only five dollars pocket money for the trip, not even enough for some Coca Cola. In order to make some money, I worked as a line judge during my free time. It happened that I was sitting on the chair at the baseline during the match of Billie Jean King.

Marie was an iconic figure on the ITF Masters Tour 

“I called a ball out and Billie Jean started to argue with me, telling me that it was a bad call. Life is strange sometimes and I got to the final where I faced Billie Jean, the No. 1 player in the world.

“I beat her in straight sets. It was the biggest win of my life and I collected $3,500, enough to pay back the money I borrowed and buy a small Fiat car. As a bonus, I became No. 13 in the unofficial world rankings.”

The 1974 Cairo International Championship was the next event to feature on Marie’s personal highlights reel, a tournament which combined silverware with a chance meeting, which blossomed into something far greater.

“I won a championship and I won a husband,” said Marie. “During the tournament I met Andras Pinter, an Hungarian textile engineer working in Egypt and it was love at first sight.

“One day he asked me to play a match. He was a solid player but he lost and we played again the next day with the same result. Within a few weeks we married in Prague and we have played tennis again and again for 47 years.”

Marie’s career was put on hold following the birth of the couple’s son, Karim, in Alexandria in 1976, while when she returned to the court she was unranked and forced to “start from the bottom”.

Form and results steadily improved and in 1981 she claimed her second Tour-level title at the Japan Open in Tokyo, a victory she remembered with huge fondness and a sense of vindication also.

“This was the crown of my efforts. The draw was full of rising young stars and me – a 35-year-old mother from Budapest – but by the end of it I had the trophy,” she added.

Marie’s playing days continued until she neared 40, from where the door to a brave new world opened. By this stage her husband, Andras, was not only Hungary’s Davis Cup captain but also President of the Hungarian Senior Tennis Association.

It was he who persuaded Marie to continue her tennis odyssey on the ITF Masters Tour, which not only provided a new lease of life but also fresh trophy-winning potential.

Her first World Championships were in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany in 1987 where Marie was crowned singles and doubles champion, and it was a similar story thereafter. 

Over the years and through the differing age groups, Marie, who was due to hit with American President George Bush during his visit to Czechoslovakia in 1989 only for bad weather to intervene, won 11 World singles titles, five in doubles and one team gong.

In addition, she scooped 24 European titles across singles, doubles and mixed doubles, including some alongside Andras.

“Masters tennis is wonderful from the moment you start, and it gives former professionals like myself the chance to enjoy the special feelings of tournaments again and again,” said Marie.

“The age categories change every five years, so you will meet players from the same age group. But if you think it will be easier when you start playing in your new age group, you are mistaken. We get older together.

“But the balls still have magic and can give everybody satisfaction; one well-executed shot can change you for a moment into Roger Federer. It is right that tennis is a part of life; it helps everybody to live healthier and longer.”

It is fair to say that Marie walked a hugely rewarding path and one which provided memories to cherish and life-fulfilling opportunities.

Rest in peace, Marie.