Sue Barker (born 19 April 1956) is a retired British professional tennis player and television presenter. From tennis prodigy to celebrated broadcaster: That kind of trajectory is both inspiring and noteworthy.
Tennis Career Highlights
Barker’s tennis career was quickly rising; by 16, she was ranked 21st in the Women’s Tennis Association, or WTA, rankings. She won her first top-level singles title at 17, and she won three more titles in 1975. Her biggest triumph was in 1976, when she captured the French Open, beating Renáta Tomanová in the final. The win made her one of her era’s great players. Barker reached No. 3 in the world and won 11 singles and 12 doubles titles during her career.
Move to Broadcasting
Barker moved into broadcasting soon after retiring from professional tennis in 1984. She started as a commentator and sports reporter for Australia’s Channel 7 in 1985 and then joined British Sky Broadcasting in 1990. She took a leading role in the BBC’s coverage of Wimbledon in 1993, presenting the two-week-long coverage. In addition, Barker hosted the sports quiz show “A Question of Sport” from 1997 until she left in 2020.
Living with Lance Tankard and Family Life
Barker married Lance Tankard, a landscape gardener and former police officer, in 1988. The pair originally met in Portugal when Barker was working as a tennis coach and Tankard was on vacation. On their return to England, their relationship flourished and they married. The couple lives in Stanton, a village in the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire. They have no children despite their lengthy marriage.
Personal Wealth and Financial Status
Sue Barker has a net worth of approximately $3.5 million as of 2023. She accrued this wealth through her successful tennis career, during which she collected around £455,000 in prize money, plus her long-running stint as a BBC pundit, earning an estimated salary of $450,000 (£317,000) a year.
Honors and Recognitions
Barker received several honors for his contributions to sport and broadcasting. She was made Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2000 and later promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016.
Recent Endeavors
Over the last few years, Barker has pulled back from some of her broadcasting her responsibilities. She said that she was leaving “A Question of Sport” in 2020 after 24 years behind the microphone. She also left her role as presenter of the BBC’s Wimbledon coverage in 2022, signalling the end of an era in sports broadcasting.
