Pam Shriver
A towering tennis presence who, alongside Martina Navratilova, formed one of the most dominant doubles partnerships in the sport's history.
Born 1962 (age 64)·American tennis player·Birthday: July 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Pam Shriver arrived with force, a 16-year-old amateur storming to the 1978 US Open final. While that explosive start promised singles stardom, her legacy was cemented in the duet. Teaming with Martina Navratilova, Shriver became one half of a doubles machine that collected 20 major titles together, a partnership defined by Shriver's powerful serve-and-volley game perfectly complementing Navratilova's artistry. Their 109-match winning streak remains a staggering record. Beyond the trophies, including an Olympic gold in 1988, Shriver's candid voice and sharp analysis seamlessly transitioned from the court to the broadcast booth. For decades, she has served as a primary commentator, offering insight shaped by her own elite experience, and has become a vocal advocate for players' interests and tennis history.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Pam was born in 1962, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pam Was Born
The biggest hits of 1962
#1 Movie
Lawrence of Arabia
Best Picture
Lawrence of Arabia
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Pam's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1962Born
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1967Started school
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1975Became a teenager
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1978Could drive
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1980Could vote
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Turned 21
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1992Turned 30
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2002Turned 40
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 50
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 60
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 64 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won 21 women's doubles Grand Slam titles, 20 of them with partner Martina Navratilova.
- Captured the Olympic gold medal in women's doubles with Zina Garrison at the 1988 Seoul Games.
- Reached the 1978 US Open singles final as a 16-year-old amateur, defeating Martina Navratilova in the semifinals.
- Served as President of the WTA Players' Association and has been a lead tennis broadcaster for ESPN and other networks.
Did You Know?
She and Martina Navratilova won 109 consecutive doubles matches between 1983 and 1985.
Shriver is the godmother to the children of her longtime friend and former rival, Chris Evert.
She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2002, primarily for her doubles success.
Shriver has coached top players, including 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
“In doubles, you have to be unselfish. You have to think about two.”
