[1] Alvarez grew up in the Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City and is of mixed Cuban and Italian descent.

Her Cuban American father was a bus driver and her Sicilian born mother worked in a cigar factory.

[2] A Florida state junior champion, Alvarez won the Orange Bowl in 1961 and the following year graduated from Jefferson High School.

[3] Alvarez's best performance at Wimbledon, when she made the round of 16 in 1964, included a win over future champion Virginia Wade.

[4] By the age of 21 she was ranked sixth nationally, but then suddenly quit the tour after being overlooked for the Wightman Cup team, despite having recently beaten rivals including Darlene Hard and Billie Jean Moffitt.