Simone Schilder
A Dutch trailblazer whose powerful serve-and-volley game briefly cracked the world's top 20 before injuries curtailed her climb.
Born 1967 (age 59)·Dutch tennis player·Birthday: April 7·Generation X
Biography
In the late 1980s, as baseline play began to dominate women's tennis, Simone Schilder offered a thrilling throwback. The tall, right-handed Dutchwoman wielded a classic serve-and-volley style, charging the net with a purpose that made her a distinct and dangerous opponent on the fast grass and indoor courts. Her breakthrough season came in 1988, a year where she seemed to be everywhere, reaching the fourth round of Wimbledon as a qualifier—a remarkable run that included a victory over former champion Chris Evert. That surge propelled her to a career-high ranking of World No. 19, making her one of the Netherlands' top players of her generation. While chronic shoulder problems prevented her from maintaining that peak, her aggressive tennis left an impression. Schilder's success, alongside compatriots like Brenda Schultz, helped pave the way for the later, sustained Dutch successes in the sport.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Simone was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Simone Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Simone's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
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
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
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
1983Could drive
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
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Reached a career-high singles ranking of World No. 19 in October 1988.
- Advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1988 as a qualifier, defeating Chris Evert along the way.
- Won the WTA Tour event in Brisbane, Australia, in 1988.
- Represented the Netherlands in Fed Cup competition for several years.
Did You Know?
Her run at Wimbledon 1988 was only the second time a female qualifier had reached the fourth round at the Championships.
She defeated three top-20 players during her standout 1988 season.
Schilder was known for her strong kicking serve, which set up her net attacks.
After retiring, she remained involved in tennis as a coach in the Netherlands.
“My game was built on a simple principle: attack the net and force the error.”
