BALTIMORE SPORTS NEST

Pam Shriver, born on Independence Day, first picked up a tennis racquet at the age of 3. The middle daughter of Sam and Margot Shriver showed early promise in a sport she grew up watching her parents and grandparents enjoy. As her tennis game blossomed, she showed her prowess as center on the girl's varsity basketball team at McDonogh School where she graduated in 1979.

Bursting onto the national tennis stage in 1978, Shriver was billed the "Legend of Lutherville" when she reached the finals of the U.S. Open as an amateur at the age of 16 (losing to Chris Evert). During this run, Shriver made famous the revolutionary Prince racquet invented by the late Howard Head. Throughout the 1980s, she was ranked among the top 10 women's singles players in the world, peaking at number three and winning 21 tournament titles. Meanwhile, her doubles career also flourished, winning 112 titles, including 22 Grand Slam titles, 21 in women's doubles (20 paired with Martina Navratilova and 1 with Natasha Zvereva), seven Australian Open titles, four French Open titles, five Wimbledon titles, and five U.S. Open titles, plus one in mixed doubles with Emilio Sanchez at the 1987 French Open. While teaming with Navratilova, the two set the record of 109 consecutive match wins from April 1983 thru July 1985. This winning stretch included all four Grand Slam titles in 1984. While partnering with Zina Garrison, she captured the 1988 Olympic Gold Medal in doubles in Seoul. Shriver was well known for her variety, including sharp volleys and all-round solid technique at the net. She also possessed a strong slice forehand and underspin approach,[1] which set her apart from the rest of the women's field, but a comparatively weak chip backhand. She was known for being a serve-and-volleyer.

A top player on the women's tennis tour for more than 15 years and a 2002 inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Shriver also has become a valued and respected member of the sports media community. She has been a member of ESPN's tennis broadcast team where she worked even as she continued to play on the professional tour until 1996. She has covered all four Grand Slam events since 2009.

Well known for her interviews with fans and celebrities, Shriver's approach is both straightforward and entertaining. Whether talking strategy with a coach in the player's box - discussing the lure of tennis with the likes of Tony Bennett, Alec Baldwin, Michael Phelps, Henry "Hank" Aaron and Anna Wintour - or mixing it up with the British fans on Wimbledon's Henman Hill (aka Murray Mound), Shriver's charm and professionalism enhance the action on the court for millions of viewers.

The busy mother of three, Shriver is very active in a wide range of charities, including many in her native Baltimore, MD as well as her current hometown of Los Angeles, CA. From 1986 to 2010, Shriver hosted an annual charity tennis event in her hometown raising $4 Million for local causes including Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Baltimore Community Foundation. A past president of the Women's Tennis Association (1991-1994), Shriver currently serves on the boards of USTA Foundation and the Southern California Tennis Association as well as the board of her children's elementary school, Players' Philanthropy Fund and is a Visiting Committee member on the McDonogh School Board of Visitors. (courtesy pamelashriver.com)