Cliff Drysdale Wife: Jean Forbes & DiAnna Belmonte – Age, Career, Family & More

Cliff Drysdale is one of tennis’s most celebrated legends — a South African-born former professional tennis player who was ranked World No. 4 in 1965, helped found the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), and went on to become the longest-serving commentator in ESPN history. But beyond the tennis court and the broadcast booth, Cliff Drysdale’s personal life tells a story of love, loss, and new beginnings.

When people search for Cliff Drysdale wife, they are often looking for information about two remarkable women who have been part of his life — his first wife, Jean Forbes Drysdale, a world-class South African tennis player who tragically passed away in 1984, and his current wife, DiAnna Belmonte, whom he married in 2011. In this article, we cover everything you need to know about both women and the life Cliff Drysdale has built with them.

Who Was Jean Forbes Drysdale?

Jean Rosamund Forbes, known after her marriage as Jean Drysdale, was a gifted South African professional tennis player born on 23 September 1939 in Burgersdorp, South Africa. She grew up on a sheep farm where her family had a tennis court on the property — a detail that speaks volumes about the sporting culture she was raised in. From a very early age, Jean practiced tennis alongside her elder brothers Gordon Forbes and Jack Forbes, both of whom became professional tennis players themselves.

Jean was widely regarded as one of South Africa’s most talented female tennis players of her generation. She possessed natural athletic ability, a competitive spirit, and the technical skills that would allow her to compete at the highest levels of the sport. Her story is one of extraordinary talent that was cut far too short — she passed away at the age of just 44 in 1984.

For more detailed information about Jean Drysdale’s career and life, you can visit her official Wikipedia page.

Jean Forbes’s Tennis Career

Jean Forbes had a tennis career that was defined by moments of remarkable brilliance. At just 15 years old in 1955, she made a stunning run to the singles final of the Queen’s Club Championships — a prestigious precursor tournament to Wimbledon. During that run, she famously defeated two players who went on to receive high seedings at Wimbledon that same year: Darlene Hard and Dorothy Knode. It was an extraordinary achievement for someone so young.

However, despite her outstanding performance at Queen’s Club, Jean was unable to compete at Wimbledon itself due to an age restriction that was in place at the time. It was a bittersweet moment — her talent was undeniably evident, but the rules of the era prevented her from fully capitalizing on it.

Jean’s best performance at Wimbledon came in 1962, when she reached the fourth round of the singles draw. During the same championships, she partnered her brother Gordon Forbes in the mixed doubles, reaching the quarter-finals together. It was a proud family moment that highlighted the Forbes family’s deep connection to the sport.

After moving to the United States following her marriage to Cliff Drysdale, Jean continued to stay involved in tennis by working as a teaching professional at Lakeway World of Resorts in Texas. Even after her separation from Cliff around 1982, Jean remained dedicated to the sport that had defined her life.

How Did Cliff Drysdale Meet Jean Forbes?

The story of how Cliff Drysdale and Jean Forbes came together is one deeply rooted in their shared world of South African tennis. Jean was the younger sister of Gordon Forbes — one of Cliff Drysdale’s closest friends and his fellow Davis Cup teammate representing South Africa. Their connection through Gordon made it almost inevitable that Cliff and Jean would eventually cross paths in the world of tennis.

The couple grew close through the tennis circuit, bonding over their shared passion for the sport and their South African roots. Their relationship blossomed, and the two decided to formalize their union in London. They were married on 6 July 1967 at the Paddington Registry Office in London — a wedding that was reported by the Associated Press, which described Cliff as South Africa’s No. 1 tennis player at the time, aged 26, and Jean as an equally outstanding South African tennis player.

The wedding brought together two of South Africa’s most celebrated tennis families. Gordon Forbes, Jean’s brother, was not only present as a family member but was already immortalized as one of Cliff’s closest companions in the tennis world. The Forbes family’s role in Cliff’s life extended well beyond his marriage to Jean.

Jean Drysdale’s Passing (1984)

Tragically, Jean Forbes Drysdale’s life was cut short at a young age. After separating from Cliff Drysdale around 1982, Jean continued to live in Texas. Then, on 31 March 1984, Jean Drysdale passed away at the age of just 44. According to reports, she died of an undisclosed illness — described in various sources as a rare disease. Her death was reported by the Austin American-Statesman the following day.

Jean’s passing was a profound loss — not only for her children and family, but also for the South African tennis community that had watched her grow from a teenage prodigy into one of the sport’s most respected figures. She left behind two children from her marriage to Cliff Drysdale.

As tennis journalist Peter Bodo wrote, Cliff Drysdale “lost his first wife, Jean, a world-class tennis player who was immortalized by Gordon Forbes” — a tribute that captures the deep affection and respect that the tennis world continues to hold for Jean Forbes Drysdale even decades after her passing.

Who Is DiAnna Belmonte? Cliff’s Current Wife

Following the loss of his first wife Jean and many years as a single man, Cliff Drysdale eventually found love again. His current wife is DiAnna Belmonte, an American woman who became part of Cliff’s life in the years before their marriage. DiAnna and Cliff tied the knot in 2011, beginning a new chapter in both of their lives.

DiAnna Belmonte was born in the United States and is known for being a warm, supportive, and family-oriented person. While she has largely chosen to stay out of the public eye — befitting her role as the private spouse of a very public sports personality — those who know the couple describe DiAnna as an enthusiastic and devoted partner to Cliff.

DiAnna is known to enjoy cycling and spending quality time with her family and friends. Since her marriage to Cliff, the couple has built a happy and contented life together in Miami, Florida, where Cliff has long been based. By all accounts, their marriage has been a source of joy and stability for both of them.

As DiAnna married Cliff after the passing of Jean Forbes and after Cliff’s children had already grown up, she stepped into the role of stepmother to Cliff’s two adult children from his first marriage. She has embraced this role with warmth, and the family appears to be close-knit and loving.

For more celebrity biographies and updates, visit Xonnof.com — a great resource covering celebrity families and life stories.

About Cliff Drysdale – Jean and DiAnna’s Husband

Eric Clifford “Cliff” Drysdale was born on 26 May 1941 in Nelspruit (now known as Mbombela), in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest tennis players South Africa has ever produced and one of the most influential figures in the history of professional tennis.

Cliff attended Grey High School in Port Elizabeth before embarking on what would become a legendary tennis career. He won the singles title at the Dutch Open in both 1963 and 1964, and in 1965 was ranked World No. 4 by Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph. He remained in the world’s top ten until 1973, during which time he accumulated five singles titles and six doubles titles, including the prestigious 1972 US Open doubles crown alongside Roger Taylor.

Cliff was one of the original “Handsome Eight” — a group of players signed by entrepreneur Lamar Hunt in 1968 for the newly formed professional World Championship Tennis (WCT) circuit. That decision was pivotal in the transformation of tennis from an amateur sport into the professional global game we know today.

Beyond his playing achievements, Cliff Drysdale was one of the co-founders of the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) in 1972, alongside Jack Kramer and Donald Dell. He served as the ATP’s first president — a role that cemented his legacy as not just a great player, but a true statesman of the sport.

After retiring from professional play, Cliff became a naturalized American citizen and joined ESPN as a tennis commentator at the network’s very inception in 1979. He went on to become the longest-serving commentator in ESPN’s history, following the retirement of Bob Ley in 2019. Cliff commentated on his final match for ESPN at the US Open on September 4, 2025 — the semi-final between Aryna Sabalenka and Jessica Pegula — after which ESPN aired an extensive tribute to his extraordinary career. In 2013, he was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Cliff Drysdale’s Children

Cliff Drysdale has two children from his first marriage to Jean Forbes Drysdale. The couple were married from 1967 until their separation around 1982, and Jean passed away in 1984. While Cliff has maintained a high public profile throughout his career, he has chosen to keep his children’s personal lives largely private — their names and details have not been publicly disclosed.

What is known is that both children were raised primarily in the United States, where Cliff and Jean had settled after his playing career. Following Jean’s passing and Cliff’s eventual second marriage to DiAnna Belmonte in 2011, DiAnna became a stepmother to Cliff’s children. The family has remained close over the years, and Cliff has spoken warmly of his family life in various interviews.

Some Lesser Known Facts About Cliff Drysdale’s Wives

• Jean Forbes was the younger sister of Gordon Forbes, Cliff’s Davis Cup teammate and one of his closest lifelong friends. It was this fraternal connection that first brought Jean and Cliff together in the tennis world.
• Jean and Cliff were married on 6 July 1967 at the Paddington Registry Office in London — a ceremony reported worldwide by the Associated Press, which described it as the union of two of South Africa’s finest tennis players.
• As a 15-year-old in 1955, Jean Forbes made a remarkable run to the final of the Queen’s Club Championships, defeating two Wimbledon-seeded players along the way — one of the most impressive early performances in South African women’s tennis history.
• Jean Drysdale’s best Wimbledon result was reaching the fourth round of singles in 1962, the same year she and her brother Gordon reached the mixed doubles quarter-finals together.
• After her marriage to Cliff, Jean moved to Texas and became a teaching professional at Lakeway World of Resorts — staying connected to tennis even after her competitive days were over.
• Jean Forbes Drysdale passed away on 31 March 1984, at just 44 years of age, due to an undisclosed illness described in contemporary reports as a rare disease. Her death was reported by the Austin American-Statesman.
• Gordon Forbes immortalized his sister Jean in his celebrated tennis memoir A Handful of Summers, which remains one of the most beloved books ever written about the sport of tennis.
• Cliff Drysdale’s second wife, DiAnna Belmonte, is an American woman known for her love of cycling and her warm, family-centred personality.
• Cliff and DiAnna Belmonte married in 2011 and have since built a happy life together in Miami, Florida. DiAnna serves as a stepmother to Cliff’s two children from his first marriage.
• Cliff Drysdale was ESPN’s longest-serving commentator, joining the network at its launch in 1979 and calling his final match at the 2025 US Open — a 46-year broadcasting career that is almost certainly unmatched in tennis media history.
• Cliff was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, in July 2013, alongside Charlie Pasarell and Ion Tiriac.
• You can read more celebrity biographies and stories similar to this one at Xonnof.com, and read Jean Drysdale’s full Wikipedia entry at Wikipedia.

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