ENCINITAS — “It’s really amazing where life leads you,” Leucadia resident Terry Holladay said.

She should know, given that her life’s journey has led her everywhere from England, where she played Centre Court at Wimbledon, to impoverished villages in Fiji. Holladay reached each destination by demonstrating persistence, competitiveness and mental strength. As for Wimbledon, she also got there “by hitting a lot of tennis balls.”

“I turned pro at 18, right after high school,” said the La Jolla High graduate. “I joined the Virginia Slims women’s professional tennis circuit and starting playing people like Billie Jean King.”

Wins over tennis greats such as King and Martina Navratilova earned her a top-10 ranking, and in 1975, Holladay made the first of her many appearances at Wimbledon. The following year, she and Carrie Meyer played the women’s doubles match in Centre Court against Navratilova and Chris Evert.

In 1982, Holladay embarked on another journey that could have potentially ended her tennis career: motherhood. “At that time, if you stopped playing for one year, you’d lose your ranking, and you’d have to start all over,” she said. “Back then, no one had babies. I think Evonne Goolagong was the only one.” So Holladay established the Women’s Tennis Association’s maternity leave rule. Named after her, the rule provided guidelines that allowed players to return to the sport at the ranking at which they left.

Holladay retired after 13 years, but she remains active in the sport. She was the director of tennis at The Bishop’s School in La Jolla for five years and currently coaches the team at Santa Fe Christian Middle School, where the youngest of her three children is a student. Holladay was the doubles runner-up in the 1984 inaugural Ginny of San Diego, which was eventually renamed the Acura Classic and held annually at La Costa Resort & Spa. Holladay made several appearances at the tournament throughout the years, including the final one last summer.

In addition to tennis, Holladay devotes her time to the Loloma Foundation, which provides medical services and supplies, school materials, clothing, bedding and other necessities to villagers in the island nation of Fiji. Loloma, which means “from the heart,” was founded by a group of doctors that includes Holladay’s husband.

“I usually go there twice a year. The doctors set up clinics and I visit schools and distribute supplies. The last time we shipped down 10 tons of living necessities — blankets, clothing, pots and pans,” Holladay said. “Then we sold them at a village rummage sale. The villagers vote on where to spend the money. One year we fixed a well pump that was broken for five years. Last year we built a kindergarten.”

Her philanthropic efforts continue at home in San

Diego. A breast cancer survivor, Holladay serves on various

committees that help fund

early detection cancer programs. Somehow, she also finds time

to work as a Realtor for Willis Allen Real Estate in Rancho Santa Fe.

“It’s been a blast,” Holladay said of her busy life, one that she’s happy to travel one amazing journey at a time.