Bobbie Heine

Who is Bobbie Heine?

Ester Laurie "Bobbie" Heine Miller is a retired South African female tennis player. She was born in Greytown. In 1929 she was ranked no. 5 in the World.

Heine learnt herself to play tennis by hitting the ball against the wall of her father's butcher shop in Winterton. In 1925 she won the Natal championship at the age of 15.

Heine Miller won the doubles title at the 1927 French Championships with compatriot Irene Bowder Peacock defeating Peggy Saunders and Phoebe Holcroft Watson from Great Britain in two straight sets. They also reached the final of the 1927 Wimbledon Championships but lost to the American couple Helen Wills and Elizabeth Ryan in straight sets. Her best singles performance at a Grand Slam event was reaching the semifinals of the 1927 French Championships in which she lost to eventual winner Kea Bouman in three sets.

In 1929 she won the singles titles at the Irish Open, defeating Billie Tapscott in three sets, and the British Hard Court Championships, winning the final against Joan Ridley in three sets. Heine Miller won the South African Championships singles title on five occasions. In July 1938 she won the singles title at the Dutch Championships defeating Nancye Wynne in the final in two sets.