# Chapter 10: Women's Tennis

Tennis · Chapter 10: Women's Tennis · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/tennis/interesting-facts/chapter-10-womens-tennis/)

A chapter on the women's game: the early champions, Lenglen, Wills, Gibson, King, Evert and Navratilova, Graf and Seles, the Williams sisters, new nations and the mothers and comebacks.

## 10.101 Before the 1920s

The first great women champions: Lambert Chambers, Hillyard, Mallory and the founder of the Wightman Cup.

### Test 1: Early champions

- She won them between 1903 and 1914. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- Lenglen saved them and won 10-8, 4-6, 9-7. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- It was contested every year until 1989. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman)
- She was born in Norway and won her first in 1915. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Molla Mallory)
- The event was played in Philadelphia. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Ellen Hansell; US Open official site (usopen.org))
- She played at the Championships over more than 20 years. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions)
- The United States had won it far more often than Britain. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman)
- 1887, 1903, 1923 and 1989. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, champions)
- 1864, 1878, 1884 and 1886. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- The cup was given by Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman)

## 10.102 Suzanne Lenglen

The first superstar of women's tennis: six Wimbledons, the match at Cannes, a royal snub and her only defeat.

### Test 1: La Divine

- She won every year from 1919 to 1923, and again in 1925. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- Lenglen won 6-3, 8-6 in their only meeting. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- He trained her strictly from the age of eleven. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- The upset ended her amateur career; she turned professional weeks later. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She stopped, ill and coughing, early in their match in New York. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- Crowds flocked to watch her leaping, balletic style. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- Her family later moved to the Riviera, where she learned the game. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- 1919, 1921, February 1926 and August 1926. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)
- She never played at Wimbledon again. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- The match at the Carlton Club drew crowds onto rooftops nearby. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Suzanne Lenglen)

## 10.103 Helen Wills and the 1930s

Little Miss Poker Face, her rival Helen Jacobs, and Alice Marble, who spoke up for Althea Gibson.

### Test 1: Between the wars

- It was the record until Martina Navratilova won her ninth in 1990. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She rarely showed emotion on court. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Helen Wills Moody)
- Wills said she was injured; it was a rare defeat in her career. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Helen Jacobs)
- Eight Wimbledons, seven US titles and four French. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Helen Wills Moody)
- She had lost four Wimbledon finals before that. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- It pushed the US association to let Gibson play at Forest Hills. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Alice Marble)
- She won the singles, the doubles and the mixed. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- 1927, 1933, 1936, 1939 and 1950. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, champions)
- Five, eight and nineteen. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She studied art and illustrated her own book on tennis. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Helen Wills Moody)

## 10.104 Althea Gibson and the 1950s

Gibson breaks the colour barrier, with Doris Hart's treble and Maureen Connolly's cut-short career alongside.

### Test 1: Breaking barriers

- She won Wimbledon and the US title in both 1957 and 1958. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Althea Gibson)
- She nearly beat the Wimbledon champion, Louise Brough. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Althea Gibson)
- Both had faced prejudice: Gibson as a Black woman, Buxton as a Jewish one. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Angela Buxton)
- She was the first Black champion at Wimbledon. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- No Black woman had won the award before. (Source: Associated Press; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- A truck hit the horse she was riding and crushed her leg. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Maureen Connolly)
- She overcame a serious knee infection as a child. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Doris Hart)
- 1950, 1951, 1954, 1956 and 1957. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com); Wimbledon.com, champions)
- 1925, 1927 and 1934. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- Only Jesse Owens had been given one as a Black athlete before her. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Althea Gibson)

## 10.105 Billie Jean King

Beyond the Battle of the Sexes: 39 major titles, a family in baseball, a magazine and a historic honour.

### Test 1: A champion off the court too

- She shared the honour with the basketball coach John Wooden. (Source: Sports Illustrated; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- Twelve singles, sixteen doubles and eleven mixed. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Billie Jean King)
- She married Larry King in 1965. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Billie Jean King)
- Randy Moffitt pitched in the majors for twelve seasons. (Source: Major League Baseball (mlb.com))
- It was called womenSports. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Billie Jean King)
- She won six Wimbledon singles titles in all. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She learned on the public courts of Long Beach. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Billie Jean King)
- 1966, 1972, 1974 and 2018. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com); Sports Illustrated)
- Eleven, twelve and sixteen. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Billie Jean King)
- She grew up in Long Beach, not far from Los Angeles. (Source: Los Angeles Dodgers (mlb.com/dodgers))

## 10.106 Evert and Navratilova

Beyond their rivalry: Evert's run of majors and million, Navratilova's training revolution and her last title at 49.

### Test 1: Chris and Martina

- Her run lasted until 1986. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Chris Evert)
- She went on to win 157 singles titles. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Chris Evert)
- She was known for never showing nerves. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Chris Evert)
- Their programme of strength work and diet was new to tennis. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Martina Navratilova)
- She partnered Bob Bryan. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- Wills Moody had won eight. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She won the French Open and Wimbledon that summer. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Chris Evert)
- 1976, 1978, 1990 and 2006. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); Wimbledon.com, champions)
- 1975, 1981, 1990 and 2006. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- The press called it the 'love double'; the engagement was later called off. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))

## 10.107 Graf and Seles

Seles's rise and return, Graf's last major and her early farewell.

### Test 1: Steffi and Monica

- She had won seven of the previous eight majors she entered. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Monica Seles)
- She returned in August 1995 and reached the US Open final. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Monica Seles)
- It was her ninth and last major title. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Monica Seles)
- She became a US citizen in 1994. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Monica Seles)
- She came back from a set and a break down. (Source: Roland-Garros official site (rolandgarros.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- They had both won the French Open in 1999. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Steffi Graf)
- She was still ranked No. 3 in the world. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Steffi Graf)
- 1990, 1996, 1999 and 2001. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- Five, nine and twenty-two. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She beat Steffi Graf in the final. (Source: Roland-Garros official site (rolandgarros.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))

## 10.108 The Williams Sisters

Venus's five Wimbledons and equal pay, Serena's Slams, a title won while pregnant and a farewell in New York.

### Test 1: Venus and Serena

- She won in 2000, 2001, 2005, 2007 and 2008. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She had argued for equal pay in a newspaper essay the year before. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; WTA (wtatennis.com))
- It was her 23rd major singles title. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com), Serena Williams)
- She did it twice, in 2002-03 and 2014-15, but never in one calendar year. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com), Serena Williams)
- She was the first Black woman to win a major since Althea Gibson. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- Serena took over the top spot later that year. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com), rankings history)
- The match was played to a full house in Arthur Ashe Stadium. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- 1999, 2002, 2007, 2017 and 2022. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); Wimbledon.com, champions; US Open official site (usopen.org))
- Five, fourteen and twenty-three. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com))
- They never lost a major doubles final together. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com))

## 10.109 New Champions, New Nations

First major titles for Japan, Canada, Poland and Latvia, a qualifier champion and an unseeded Wimbledon winner.

### Test 1: New faces

- She beat Serena Williams in the US Open final. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She won the US Open at 19. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She won the French Open without dropping a set. (Source: Roland-Garros official site (rolandgarros.com); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- Chris O'Neil had won it in 1978. (Source: Australian Open (ausopen.com); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She had turned 20 two days before the final; it was her country's first major. (Source: Roland-Garros official site (rolandgarros.com); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She beat Ons Jabeur in the final. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; WTA (wtatennis.com))
- It was her first major singles title. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com))
- Andreescu, Raducanu, Swiatek, Ostapenko and Osaka. (Source: Atlas)
- She did not drop a set in ten matches. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))

## 10.110 Mothers, Comebacks and Farewells

Champions who came back as mothers or after long breaks, and those who left at the top.

### Test 1: Coming back and saying goodbye

- Goolagong Cawley's daughter was three at the time. (Source: Wimbledon.com, champions; International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She grew up in Barellan, in New South Wales. (Source: International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com), Evonne Goolagong Cawley)
- She added the French Open that year and another Australian Open in 2002. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); International Tennis Hall of Fame (tennisfame.com))
- She played her last matches at the end of that season. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She said her body could no longer cope. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); Wimbledon.com, champions)
- She was 25 and had just won the Australian Open. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com), Ashleigh Barty)
- She played her last match in 2017. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com), Kimiko Date)
- 1980, 2001, 2009, 2015 and 2022. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com); Wimbledon.com, champions; US Open official site (usopen.org))
- 25, 33 and 46. (Source: WTA (wtatennis.com))
- She had come out of retirement only weeks before. (Source: US Open official site (usopen.org); WTA (wtatennis.com))

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia citations: the International Tennis Hall of Fame, the WTA, the majors' sites, the Associated Press. The Original 9, the WTA's founding, equal pay at the majors and the all-time records are asked in Knowledge Testing and left out on purpose.

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