DATES: October 18-23, 2026
LOCATION: Crete, Greece
USA Women Bring Home Gold, Silver and Bronze from World Team Championships in Crete
The USA women's teams swept the medal podium at the ITF Masters World Team Championships in Crete, Greece, October 18–23, bringing home gold in the 85s, silver in the 80s and bronze in the 75s. It was an impressive showing made all the more remarkable by the injuries and illnesses that challenged all three teams.
Players arrived on Thursday evening, with Friday devoted to practice and preparation. The rain held off, and the teams enjoyed a week of beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures, ideal conditions for international competition.
Women's 85s: Angela Mortimer Cup Champions 🥇
TEAM: Donna Fales, Roz King, Dorothy Wasser (captain) and Sheila Palmer
The top-seeded USA 85s overcame extraordinary obstacles to capture the Angela Mortimer Cup. Captain Dorothy Wasser arrived with an injury that prevented her from competing, leaving the team with just three available players. Then Roz King, playing at #2 singles, was forced to retire mid-match because of a medical problem and was unable to continue in the competition.
That left Donna Fales and Sheila Palmer to carry the team through the medal rounds. In the semifinal against France, Fales won at #1 singles, and she and Palmer teamed up to capture the deciding doubles point.
The championship match against Germany followed a similar script. After Palmer fell at #2 singles, Fales delivered a commanding 6-0, 6-0 victory at #1. She and Palmer then clinched the Cup with a decisive 6-2, 6-0 doubles victory.
With only two healthy players available, the USA women brought home the gold!
Women's 80s: Doris Hart Cup Silver Medalists 🥈
TEAM: Susan Kimball, Betty Wachob, Mary Alice Pisani and Brenda Carter (captain)
The second-seeded USA 80s opened strongly, sweeping their round-robin matches without dropping a set and advancing to the medal competition.
Their toughest challenge came against top-seeded France. Betty Wachob and Susan Kimball both battled hard in singles, with Kimball pushing her formidable opponent, Gail Benedetti, to two close sets. Although France captured both singles matches, Kimball and Wachob claimed the doubles point with a 6-4, 7-5 victory.
The Americans rebounded with a win over Germany to secure the silver medal.
As was the case at the previous World Team Championships in Bol, Croatia, illness spread among competitors during the week. Two members of the USA 80s team became ill, making their silver-medal finish especially impressive.
Women's 75s: Queen's Cup Bronze Medalists 🥉
TEAM: Gwenda Ward, Judy Dixon (captain), Liane Bryson and Ann Stanley
The top-seeded USA 75s faced adversity before the competition even began. Captain and #2 player Judy Dixon sprained her wrist during practice the day before leaving for Greece and was unable to compete. #3 player Liane Bryson was also struggling physically, still recovering from double pneumonia diagnosed just two weeks earlier.
Nevertheless, the team advanced through its opening round-robin group to compete for the Queen's Cup against Australia and Great Britain.
Both medal-round ties were heartbreakingly close.
Against Australia, Bryson pushed Sheryl Kerwick to three sets before falling 6-7, 6-0, 6-2. Gwenda Ward then defeated Helen Worland 6-4, 7-5 to level the tie. Ward and Bryson took the deciding doubles to a match tiebreak before Australia prevailed.
Against Great Britain, Ward delivered another outstanding singles performance, defeating former world #1 and world champion Marjorie Love in three sets. With the tie again resting on doubles, Bryson and Ann Stanley battled through another close match before falling 10-5 in the deciding match tiebreak.
Two narrow defeats, both decided in doubles match tiebreaks, left the USA with the bronze medal. Given the team's circumstances, it was a hard-earned and well-deserved finish.
Three Teams, Three Medals
The final medal count tells only part of the story. Across all three age divisions, the American women demonstrated determination, adaptability and the ability to compete at the highest international level despite unexpected setbacks.
Gold, silver and bronze for Team USA! Congratulations to all twelve women who represented the United States in Crete and brought home another memorable collection of World Team Championship medals.