FRENCH CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dates: May 20 to May 31.
Venue: Stade Roland Garros, Auteuil, Paris
Surface: Clay
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Singles (Draw=48)
1st Round
Doris Hart (US) [2]-bye
Janine De La Giroday-bye
Ann Shilcock (GB) [15]-bye
Erika Vollmer-Obst (Ger)-bye
Jean Rinkel (GB) [7]-bye
Josette Billaz-bye
Alice Wavre (Swt)-bye
Julia Sampson (US) [10]-bye
Shirley Fry (US)[3] d. Suzanne Schmitt 6-3 6-3
Joan Curry (GB) d. Maud Galtier 6-0 6-0
Raymonde Gimault d. Margaret Carlisle (GB) 6-3 6-3
Sylvana Lazzarino (Ita) [14] d. Myrtil Dubois 6-3 3-6 13-11
Angela Mortimer (GB) [6] d. Nicla Migliori (Ita) 6-1 2-6 11-9
Bea Walters(GB) d. Suzanne Herr (US) 6-0 6-2
Christine Brugnon d. Francine Isaac (Bel) 9-11 6-2 6-4
Nelly Adamson [11] d. Arlette Halff 6-1 6-2
Helen Fletcher (GB) [12] d. Jacqueline Kermina 6-0 6-0
Andree Varin d. Francoise Lemal 8-6 1-6 6-4
Fanny Ten Bosch (Neth) d. Jacqueline Patorni 6-1 3-6 6-4
Dorothy Knode (US) [5] d. Annie Soisbault 6-0 6-0
Karol Fageros (US) d. Josette Amouretti 6-3 6-2
Ginette Bucaille [13] d. Nell Hopman (Aus) 6-1 6-2
Angele Salvet d. Pilar Barril (Sp) 6-4 8-6
Annie Haillet d. Baba Lewis (US) [4] default
Michelle Bourbonnais-bye
Ann Gray (US) [9]-bye
Poucette Coessons (Bel)-bye
Susan Chartrier [8]-bye
Violette Rigollet (Sui)-bye
Raymonde Jones-Veber [16]-bye
Christiane Mercelis (Bel)-bye
Maureen Connolly (US) [1]-bye
2nd Round
Hart [2] d. Giroday 6-2 6-3
Shilcock [15] d. Vollmer 6-4 7-5
Rinkel [7] d. Billaz 6-4 6-2
Sampson [10] d. Wavre 7-5 6-2
Fry [3] d. Curry 10-8 6-4
Lazzarino [14] d. Gimault 6-8 6-4 6-0
Mortimer [6] d. Walters 6-0 6-0
Adamson [11] d. Brunon default
Fletcher [12] d. Varin 6-2 6-3
Knode [4] d. Ten Bosch 6-3 6-2
Bucaille [13] d. Fageros 3-6 6-2 6-1
Salvet d. Haillet 6-1 6-1
Gray [9] d. Bourbonnais 6-4 6-2
Chatrier [8] d. Coessens 6-3 6-2
Jones-Veber [16] d. Rigollet 0-6 6-2 8-6
Connolly[1] d. Mercelis 6-1 6-3
3rd Round
Hart [2] d. Shilcock [15] 6-2 6-3
Rinkel [7] d. Sampson [10] 6-4 6-2
Fry [3] d. Lazzarino [14] 6-2 6-0
Adamson [11] d. Mortimer [6] 6-2 6-3
Knode [5] d. Fletcher [12] 6-1 6-3
Bucaille [13] d. Salvet 2-6 6-2 6-0
Chatrier [8] d. Gray [9] 8-6 7-5
Connolly[1] d. Jones-Veber [16] 6-3 6-1
Quarterfinals
Hart [2] d. Rinkel [7] 6-3 6-3
Fry [3] d. Adamson [11] 6-1 4-6 6-0
Knode [5] d. Bucaille [13] 6-3 6-0
Connolly [1] d. Chatrier [8] 3-6 6-2 6-2
Semifinals
Hart [2] d. Fry [3] 8-6 6-4
Connolly [1] d. Knode [5] 6-3 6-3
Final
Maureen Connolly [1] d. Doris Hart [2] 6-2 6-4
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Doubles (Draw=26)
1st Round
Maureen Connolly (US)/Julia Sampson (US)[2]-bye
Jaboune Coussergue/Annie Haillet-bye
Michelle Bourbonnais/Ida Bourdet-bye
Jacqueline Kermina/Violette Rigollet (Sui) d. Gloria Bulter (US)/Annie Soisbault 6-4 5-7 6-4
Nicla Migliori (Ita)/Sylvana Lazzarino (Ita) [4] d. Susan Chatrier/Baba Lewis (US) default
Josette Amouretti/Fanny Ten Bosch (Neth) d. Joan Curry (GB)/Rita Drobny (GB) 6-3 6-3
Nell Hopman (Aus)/Erika Vollmer-Obst (Ger) d. Ginette Jeantet/Francoise Lemal 6-2 6-4
Maud Galtier/Suzanne Schmitt d. Pilar Barril (Sp)/Ann Gray (US) 6-3 6-4
Francine Isaac (Bel)/Christiane Mercelis (Bel) d. Suzanne Pannetier/Andree Varin default
Nelly Adamson/Dottie Knode (US) d. Josette Billaz/Raymonde Gimault 6-1 6-1
Arlette Halff/Jacqueline Patorni d. Poucette Coessens (Bel)/Suzanne Herr (US) default
Helen Fletcher (GB)/Jean Rinkel (GB) [3] d. Ginette Bucaille/Bea Walter (GB) 6-3 6-1
Angela Mortimer (GB)/Ann Shilcock (GB) d. Suzanne Herr (US)/Karol Fageros (US) 6-3 6-1
Myrtil Dubois/Raymonde Jones-Veber-bye
Margaret Carlisle (GB)/Alice Wavre (Sui)-bye
Shirley Fry (US)/Doris Hart (US) [1]-bye
2nd Round
Connolly/Sampson [2] d. Coussergue/Haillet 6-1 7-5
Kermina/Rigollet d. Bourbonnais/Bourdet 6-3 3-6 6-2
Lazzarino/Migliori [4] d. Amouretti/Ten Bosch 6-3 5-7 6-3
Galtier/Schmitt d. Hopman/Vollmer-Obst 6-4 4-6 6-1
Adamson/Knode d. Isaac/Mercelis 6-2 6-2
Fletcher/Rinkel [3] d. Halff/Patorni 6-3 6-8 6-3
Mortimer/Shilcock d. Dubois/Jones-Veber 6-2 6-2
Fry/Hart [1] d. Carlisle/Wavre 6-0 6-1
Quarterfinals
Connolly/Sampson [2] d. Kermina/Rigollet 6-1 6-3
Lazzarino/Migliori [4] d. Galtier/Schmitt 6-4 5-7 7-5
Fletcher/Rinkel [3] d. Adamson/Knode 2-6 7-5 7-5
Fry/Hart [1] d. Mortimer/Shilcock 6-0 6-3
Semifinals
Connolly/Sampson [2] d. Lazzarino/Migliori [4] 6-1 6-2
Fry/Hart [1] d. Fletcher/Rinkel [3] 6-0 6-3
Final
Shirley Fry/Doris Hart [1] d. Maureen Connolly/Julia Sampson [2] 6-4 6-3
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Mixed Doubles (Draw=47)
1st Round
Maureen Connolly (US)/Mervyn Rose (Aus) [2]-bye
Margaret Carlisle (GB)/Georges Pasquier-bye
Annie Haillet/Robert Haillet-bye
Maud Galtier/Marcel Schaff-bye
Ann Shilcock (GB)/Bernard Destremau-bye
Pilar Barril (Sp)/Umberto Bergamo (Ita)-bye
Christine Brunon/Gerard Pilet-bye
Angela Mortimer (GB)/Ian Vermaak (SA)-bye
Shirley Fry (US)/Enrique Morea (Arg) [3] d Francoise Lemal/R. Delarue default
Erika Vollmer-Obst (Ger)/Horst Hermann (Ger) d Suzanne Schmitt/Paul Jalabert 6-1 6-2
Rita Drobny (GB)/Orlando Sirola (Ita) d Gloria Butler (US)/Pierre Geelhand (Bel) 2-6 6-4 6-2
Jacqueline Kermina/Wladyslaw Skonecki (Pol) d Arlette Halff/Georges Glasser 6-2 6-4
Dottie Knode (US)/Rex Hartwig (Aus) d Francine Isaac (Bel)/Gino Mezzi (Bel) default
Annie Sosibault/Jacques Peten (Bel) d Suzanne Pannetier/Coco Gentien 6-1 4-6 7-5
Nicla Migliori (Ita)/Rolando Del Bello (Ita) d Ann Gray (US)/Wayne Van Vorhys (US) 6-2 6-4
Raymonde Jones-Veber/Jean Borotra d Suzanne Herr (US)/Yves Thieullent 6-3 10-8
Jacqueline Patorni/Jean Ducos De La Haille d. Violette Rigollet (Sui)/Russell Seymour (SA) 6-1 6-3
Helen Fletcher (GB)/Anthony Starte (GB) d. Ginette Jeantet/Roger Trezel 6-0 6-1
Christiane Mercellis (Bel)/Jean Lesueur d. Josette Billaz/Ivan Devroe (Bel) 6-0 6-3
Nelly Adamson/Ian Ayre (Aus) d. Raymonde Gimault/Henry Zalzal (Egypt) 6-0 6-1
Josette Amouretti/Henri Pellizza d. Nell Hopman (Aus)/Clive Wilderspin (Aus) 6-0 6-4
Sylvana Lazzarino (Ita)/Marcello Del Bello (Ita) d. Alice Wavre (Sui)/Jim Cody (US) 6-2 6-4
Susan Chatrier/Philippe Chatrier d Jaboune Coussergue/Marcel Lemasson 7-5 4-6 6-2
Julia Sampson (US)/Ken Rosewall (Aus) [4]-bye
Andree Varin/Gil De Kermadec-bye
Bea Walter (GB)/Christian Grandet-bye
Jean Rinkel (GB)/Geoff Paish (GB)-bye
Baba Lewis (US)/Robert Abdesselam-bye
Ginette Bucaille/Bryan Woodroff (SA)-bye
Myrtil Dubois/Guiliano Scriibani (Ita)-bye
Fanny Ten Bosch (Neth)/Hans Val Dalsum (Neth)-bye
Doris Hart (US)/Vic Seixas (US) [1]-bye
2nd Round
Connolly/Rose [2] d Carlisle/Pasquier default
Galtier/Schaff d Haillet/Haillet 6-8 6-4 7-5
Shilcock/Destremau d Barril/Bergamo default
Brunon/Pilet d Mortimer/Vermaak 6-2 6-2
Fry/Morea [3] d Vollmer-Obst/Hermann 6-1 6-4
Drobny/Sirola d Kermina/Skonecki 6-4 7-5
Knode/Hartwig d Soibault/Peten 6-0 6-4
Migliori/R Del Bello d Jones-Veber/Borotra 10-8 6-4
Fletcher/Starte d Patorny/De La Haille 6-2 6-8 6-3
Adamson/Ayre d Mercelis/Lesueur 5-7 6-1 6-0
Amouretti/Pellizza d Lazzarino/M Del Bello 6-3 6-4
Sampson/Rosewall [4] d Chatrier/Chatrier 6-2 6-3
Walter/Grandet d Varin/Kermadec 2-6 6-2 6-2
Rinkel-Paish d Lewis/Abdesselem default
Bucaille/Woodroff vs Dubois/Scgibani double default
Hart/Seixas [1] d Ten Bosch/Val Dalsum 6-1 6-0
3rd Round
Connolly/Rose [2] d Galtier/Schaff 6-0 6-3
Shilcock/Destremau d Brunon-Pilet 6-2 6-1
Fry/Morea [3] d Drobny/Sirola 6-4 6-4
Knode/Hartwig d Migliori/Del Bello 4-6 6-4 6-0
Adamson/Ayre d Fletcher/Starte 6-4 3-6 6-3
Sampson/Rosewall [4] d Amouretti/Pellizza 6-4 6-4
Rinkel/Paish d Walters/Grandet 6-3 6-1
Hart/Seixas [1] d ???? default
Quarterfinals
Connolly/Rose [2] d Shilcock/Destremau 6-2 6-2
Fry/Morea [3] d Knode/Hartwig 6-1 4-6 8-6
Sampson/Rosewall [4] d Adamson/Ayre 4-6 6-3 6-3
Hart/Seixas [1] d Rinkel/Paish 6-2 7-5
Semifinals
Connolly/Rose [2] d Fry/Morea [3] 6-4 6-8 6-4
Hart/Seixas [1] d Sampson/Rosewall [4] 4-6 6-3 6-2
Final
Doris Hart/Vic Seixas [1] d Mauren Connolly/Mervyn Rose 4-6 6-4 6-0
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Draw Notes:
All draws directly from the Dunlop annual and in exact draw order.
Seedings for singles come directly from RG. The #4 seeding of Baba Lewis is bizarre to say the least. As it was she defaulted.
Doubles seeds #3 and #4 could be inverted.
Some names and scores are missing, probably because the French didn't bother to record them. Even one woman's name is missing in the doubles draw (Carlisle's partner. Luckily the NYT identifies her as Alice Wavre) and Herr defaulted with one partner (Coessons) and ended up playing with Fageros!
The NYT makes clear that Henri (and not Pierre) was Amouretti's partner in the mixed.
Recent Name Changes
Bourdet=married name of Adamoff-star of the 1930s.
Chatrier=married name of Partridge, wed to French player Philippe Chartrier.
Drobny=former Rita Anderson, now wed to Jaroslav Drobny.
Haillet=married name of Annie Posset, wed to fellow player Robert Haillet.
Knode=married name of Head.
Francoise Lemal=Mlle F Lemal.
Rigolette=the Mrs Alvensleben of the French draw. She was not yet wed at this time.
Rinkel=married name of Quertier, wed to Dutch player Ivo Rinkel, but keeping British citizenship.
Wavre=married name of Charbonnier. Despite the French site listing she was married at this time (per Dunlop)
Missing male name:
R. Delarue
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Sources:
Dunlops 1954 Annual gives a report and full draws for all 5 events on pages 198-207.
Roland Garros singles draw at:
http://ww2.fft.fr/rolandgarros/pdfpa...mes1953_en.pdf
The Racquet, June 1953 issue, pages 7-9 and 36
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Summary:
At age 18, Maureen "Mo" Connolly becomes the youngest ever to win all 4 majors. She's also the yongest lady champ at Roland Garros. Having won the Australain, this is the second leg of her attempt at the "Grand Slam", and only Doris Hart stood in her way. Doris upset Mo at Rome right before Paris in what turned out to be Connolly's only defeat of 1953. Mo's sizzling shots barely cleared the net, running Doris ragged in set one. The second was close until 4-4, when Mo got the vital break.
Earlier in the event favorites had quarterfinal struggles. Nelly Landry, the 1948 French winner, took the middle set off #3 seed Shirley Fry, "but half killed herself doing so and was nowhere in the third." (Racquet, p 36). Maureen was pushed by Mme Sue Chatrier. "As the British Miss Partridge she gave Miss Connolly a rough passage at last Wimbledon. She did so again by the same tactics, slow balling down the middle of the court. It was effective up to a point. The champion was uncertain and hesitant. Yet Mrs Chatrier so exhausted herself by the tactics that when American pressure was subsequently plied she had no answer whatsoever." (Racquet. p 36).