Evonne Goolagong's strange U.S. Open record

Though Maria Sharapova holds the unusual record of losing five Miami finals and never winning the event, Evonne Goolagong (who, in 1975, became Evonne Goolagong Cawley) holds an even more unusual record: She never won the U.S. Open, but she lost four consecutive finals.

In 1973, Margaret Court defeated Goolagong in three sets. The next year, the Australian star was defeated by Billie Jean King, also in three sets. In 1975, she won only one game against King. And in 1976, Chris Evert defeated Goolagong Cawley 6-3, 6-0. 

Googlagong Cawley would compete in the U.S. Open one more time, in 1979, and would lose in the quarterfinals to Evert. 

Goolagong and Evert had a serious rivalry that has been overshadowed by the remarkable rivalry of Evert and Martina Navratilova. The two had significantly different games, which made for great tennis theatre. They met 27 times, with Evert ruling the rivalry 19-8.

Goolagong Cawley holds seven major titles--four Australian Open, one Roland-Garros, and two Wimbledon (the second one came at the expense of Evert). 

I have Goolagong-Cawley to thank for my lifelong enthusiasm for women's professional tennis. I was in London, visiting relatives, and Wimbledon was in session. My relatives kept the television on the tournament the entire time I was there, though I don't recall any of them watching it for very long. But I did--because I was mesmerized by graceful athleticism of the young woman with the musical name. To my delight, she won the tournament. I would later also become a major Chris Evert fan.