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Biographies of Female Tennis Players

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#1 · (Edited)
This thread will feature biographies of women who played tennis at a world class level. Note that the women will be added as we find information, so they will not appear in alphabetical order.

To find women listed in alphabetical order please go to the Blast Encyclopedia of Female Tennis Players at http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=497938

The Blast Encyclopedia of Female Tennis Players lists women by both their maiden and married names. Under the main listing for a player a link will be provided back to this thread to a biography.
 
#2,132 · (Edited by Moderator)
WEIMERS, MARCIA (Marcia Florence Frances Weimers)
Australia
Born ????
Died 05 December 2000 in Toowoomba, Queensland
Married Colin Rae by 1958 and living in Toowoomba West Queensland.
[Active in 1947]

Described as “tall”. In 1946 she was participating in junior events only. As an adult Marcia participated in the 1947 Aussie Championships.

Source www.ancestry.co.uk


[Thanks to Rollo and Rosamund]
 
#2,133 · (Edited by Moderator)
WEISEL, DOROTHY (Dorothy A Weisel)
United States
Born 07 March, 1910 in Sacremento, California
Died 17, June 1963
Married a Stanley Camfield “Stan” Hack (1909-1979) –later divorced.

Stan Hack was a baseball player and later manager for the Chicago Cubs. Son Maj Stanley Camfield "Stan" Hack, Jr (11 Nov 1934-1992) born in Chicago.

1930 and 1931 QF at the US Nationals were the highlights of her career.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy_Weisel_Hack
 
#2,134 · (Edited by Moderator)
WEISS, MARIA (nee Maria Luisa de Teran)
Argentina
Born 29 January 1918
Died 8 December 1984
Married Heraldo Weiss c 1942-43 (between May and May-Mrs Weiss in 1943 River Plate)

A friend of Argentine First Lady Evita Peron. Her connection to the Perons led her to flee Argentina as an exile on Peron’s overthrow. Shadowed by tragedy, Heraldo died young and Maria would later commit suicide.

 
#2,135 · (Edited by Moderator)
WELCH, VIRGINIA (nee Virginia Bridge)
United States
Born circa 1934 or 1935 in Massachuesetts
Married James Overman Welch (born circa 1932) on 24 February 1957

Daughter of Harris Gardner Bridge and a graduate of Vassar College.

In 1966 US doubles draw at Longwood. Wed to James O Welch Jr., of Short Hills, N.J., whose father was a candy company mogul. Son Leighton (md in 1987) is the grandson of Harris Gardner Bridge of Brookline.

[Thanks to Rollo for this information]
 
#2,138 · (Edited by Moderator)
WELSH, "MOLLIE" (Mary Gray Welsh)
Great Britain (Scotland)
Born 1919 in Liberton, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died 1974 in George Square, Edinburgh
Married Colin Morrisce Mackay (1911 to 1985) in 1950 Haymarket, Edinburgh.
[Active from at least 1947-1958]

Mollie Welsh was the daughter of the Scottish tennis players Mary Welsh (née Gray) and Robin Welsh. Mollie had a twin brother, also called Robin, who played tennis too.

Though she was not as accomplished as her mother Mollie was good enough to be the finalist at the 1947 and 1958 Scottish Championships. Robin was also a losing finalist at the Scottish event in 1947.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scottish_Championships_(tennis)

Source:

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#2,139 · (Edited by Moderator)
WELSH, “Molly” (nee Mary Gray)
Great Britain (Scotland)
Born 04 June 1878 Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland
Died ????
Married (1) James Curtis-Whyte, 1899; deceased 1907
Married (2) Robin R. Welsh, 1909
[Active 1902-1924]

Education: Ministers' Daughters' College, Edinburgh.
Best scoring stroke: slow backhand across the court.
Other recreations: curling. Profession [1935]: lawn tennis coach.

Daughter Mollie also a player. This is the Scottish player always referred to as "Mrs Robin Welsh" in later years.

She had her greatest success at the Scottish Chmps, winning 6 times in total-in 1905 (as Mrs Curits-Whyte) and as Mrs Welsh 1913-14 and 1921-23.

This player took part in some lawn tennis tournaments in Continenetal in the summer of 1908, e.g. in Vienna.

From "Lowe's Lawn Tennis Annual" (1936): "The Humorous Side of Tennis". Mrs Robin Welsh: "I was playing in Vienna in 1908 against one of the best woment there, who was quite a good volleyer for those days. Half-way through she had got me well on the run, sending the ball into the far left corner of the court. I just managed to reach it, putting it softly up for her to place anywhere, instead she missed! The next thing I saw was the lady throwing her racket down and dancing on the strings like a naughty child in a tantrum. I'm afraid I laughed out loud, which she said was the best I could have done as it made her pull herself together."
 
#2,141 · (Edited by Moderator)
WEMYSS, “KATH” (Katherine Ruth Wemyss)
Australia (South Australia)
Born 24 January 1901
Died 29 March 1972 in Yorkshire, England
Married Ivor Bull (died 1971) in Colombo, Ceylon on 25 September 1935
[Active in the 1930s]

From Adelaide. Articles from 1949 and 1951 state she was in Australia briefly before returning to her husband in Bombay. Mr Bull was a coffee planter at Coorg in south India.

Later in life they retired to Suffolk in England. At least 1 daughter named Sonja.

Sources:

Marriage notice at: http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/74143442

Blog entry on Ivor Bull http://www.coorgblog.orangecounty.in/a-pioneer-coffee-planter/
 
#2,143 · (Edited by Moderator)
WERDEL, MARIANNE
United States
Born 17 October 1967 in Los Angeles, California
Married Ron Witmeyer, 21 November 1992
Active 1982-1997

Played as Werdel-Witmeyer after marriage. The highlight of her time on tour came in 1995. At that year's Australian Open she upset #5 seed Gabriela Sabatini 6-4 6-4 in the opening round. Marianne continued her run all the way to the semis, where top seed Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario dispatched her 6-4 6-1. Weeks later She upset Sanchez, then ranked #1 in the world, at the prestigous lipton event in Miami.

Werdel's trademark was playing in sunglasses.

Career Stats:

Singles: 237-227 (highest rank was at #21 on 09 October 1995. Year end rank of 26 was the highest of her career.)
Doubles: 102-161




Sources:

http://kcsportshalloffame.org/inductees/marianne-werdel-witmeyer/


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Werdel
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marianne_Werdel
 
#2,146 · (Edited by Moderator)
WESTACOTT, EMILY (nee Emily Jane Lucy Harding Hood)
Australia (Queensland)
Born 6 May 1910 Hemmant, Queensland
Died 9 October 1980 in Brisbane
Married Victor Clyde Westacott, 20 August 1930 in Brisbane
Nickname: The "Doboy Demon"
[Active 1929-1946]

Queensland and Australian Champion of 1930s

Troubled by illness, including a nervous breakdown, through her career, she was unlucky not to ever play overseas, though she competed against British and American stars in Australia. In 1939, the Queensland Assocation agreed to send Westacott and May Hardcastle to Wimbledon, but a serious illness to Westacott's mother forced her to decline.

In 1946, after a serious operation, she was forbidden from playing tennis for a year and was advised to give up singles for all time.

Titles (won at least 12 titles from 1929 to 1940)

Australian Champion 1939, Final 1937

Australian HC Champion 1938
Nambour 1929
Qld Champion 1932, 1934, 1938
Qld HC Champion 1934, 1937, 1939
Exhibition Champion 1934

"Known as the "Doboy Demon" she was "a typical Queenslander, rangy, sun-tanned and loose-limbed. She loved to thrash a high-bouncing ball with her Western forehand and her daring play was heartily appreciated"."




Link to a larger original version of the photo at : http://acms.sl.nsw.gov.au//item/itemLarge.aspx?itemID=51718

[Thanks to GeeTee for this information]
 
#2,149 · (Edited by Moderator)
WESTON, "VERA" (nee Ellinor Vera Satterthwaite)
United Kingdom
Born 15 August 1893 in Bromley, Kent
Died 14 December 1952
Married Hugh Bertram Weston on 1 March 1915 in Bromley
[Active circa 1912 to 1925]

Sister of player Clement Richard Satterthwaite, who married another player, Phyllis Carr. Mrs Weston had a daughter named Gillian in 1918.

She made the QF in doubles at Wimbledon in 1921 with Anne de Borman as partner.

Vera later played golf for Gloucester.

Wimbledon record (competed 1921-1925)

Singles: 3-5
Doubles: 5-5 (quarterfinals in 1921)
Mixed: 1-5

Sources:
http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/score...1ed/index.html
http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scor...de49dd-960c-4665-860d-fcc4712831ed/index.html

Golfer's still in the swing of it at 95 (From Swindon Advertiser)

[Thanks to Newmark for this biography]
 
#2,152 · (Edited by Moderator)
WHEELER, GRACYN (Gracyn Welmouth Wheeler)
United States
Born 02 July 1914
Died October 1980
Married Robert J Kelleher, 16 August 1940 in Stamford, Connecticut
[Active 1933 to 1955]

In US top ten from 1935-1940. in 1936 she was a QF at the US Nationals. 1939 was probably her best year. She played on the French Riviera and was selcted for the Wightman Cup. 2 times winner of Canadian Championships.

Winner: Oregon State-1923; Canadian Nationals-1933; Tri-State-1934

In 1939 at the Carlton Winter championships in Cannes, France, Wheeler was seeded No. 1, ahead of a French player, future International Tennis Hall of Fame enshrinee Simone Mathieu. According to the February 9, 1939, edition of the Oakland Tribune, Mathieu protested, telling officials "Am I not the greatest player in all of France? If I am not seeded No. 1, I will quit the tournament." Wheeler quickly gave up the No. 1 seed in deference to Mathieu, and took her place as the No. 2 seed.

After marriage there was a gap for childrearing before she returned-mainly confining herself to California.

She has been inducted into the Southern California Tennis Association Hall of Fame. She married Robert J. Kelleher, an American district court judge in Los Angeles, former U.S. Davis Cup captain, president of the United States Tennis Association, and member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

The elegant Californian made the trip to Wimbledon in 1938 and 1939, returning in 1955 for doubles only, including the mixed with her husband.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gracyn_Wheeler_Kelleher

https://moviespictures.org/biography/Kelleher,_Gracyn_Wheeler
 
#2,153 · (Edited by Moderator)
WHEELER, “PAT” (Patricia J.A. Wheeler)
Great Britain
Born 30 November 1936 in London, England
Married Douglas H. Roberts circa November 1961 in Willesden, London, England
[Active from at least 1961 to 1966]

Not to be confused with Pauline/Vera Roberts.

Source:

1939 England and Wales Register within ancestry.co.uk

[Thanks to Mark and Rosamund for information on this player]
 
#2,154 · (Edited by Moderator)
WHITE, DAPHNE (Daphne Mary Steeds White)
United Kingdom
Born 04 July 1909 in Zeals, Wiltshire
Died 9 August 1999 in Beaminster, Dorset
Married (1) Lieutenant Commander Lawrence Birch on 1 April 1934 in Saint Martin's Church, Mere, Wiltshire (he died 09 October 1934)
Married (2) Bernard C. Dupont in 1936 in Horsham, Sussex
[Active circa 1932-1951]

She played in the 1951 Championships as Daphne White-was she widowed or divorced by this time?

Wimbledon Record (entered in 1932 (doubles only), 1933 and 1951 (singles only)

Singles: 0-2
Doubles: 0-2

Source: www.ancestry.co.uk

[Thanks to Newmark for this biography]
 
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