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Biographies of Female Tennis Players

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#4,381 · (Edited by Moderator)
LANGANAY, CHANTAL
France
Born 11 April 1944
[Active 1961-1968]

A French journey-woman who never entered a slam outside of Roland Garros.

From Rouen, she often played the local Le Touquet event. Her father Jacques Langanay was a tennis professional (teacher) based at Le Touquet since 1946. In 1958 Chantal beat future French champion Francoise Durr in a junior event at Le Touquet.

Image



Sources:

joueuses francaises des 20's aux 70's - Le blog des archives du tennis feminin

Cooper's Annual 1961 (provides year of birth)

https://translate.google.com/transl...anay-et-les-l&233;gendes-du-tennis-au-touquet_36692-772137_actu.Htm&prev=search

[Thanks to Binoxial, Jimbo, Rollo, and Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,382 · (Edited by Moderator)
WHITELY, DOROTHY (Dorothy Ann Whitely)
Australia
Born 28 July 1942 in Nedlands,Western Australia.
[Active 1960-1968]

Active at the Australian Nationals (1960-1962, 1964-1965, and 1969) and Wimbledon in 1965 and 1966.

Still single on the 1968 Australian Electoral rolls and living as a stenographer in Nedlands.

Sources:

Results Archive - Dorothy Whitely - Australian Open Tennis Championships 2016 - Official Site by IBM

From British Lawn tennis Magazine October 1966. (the source for her date of birth).

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,383 · (Edited by Moderator)
WRIGHT, MARION (Marion Wright)
United States
[Active 1888-1889]

1888 singles US All-Comer's finalist.
1889 doubles US finalist

Marion was a participant in the early US Women's Championships in Philadelphia.

In 1888 she won two matches and got a bye in the semifinals (this was an era before standard byes) to reach the All-Comer's final.

"Bertie" Townsend got the best of her in the All-Comer's final 6-2 6-2 and won the event by defeating defending champ Ellen Hansell in the challenge round.

Marion defaulted in the 1889 singles event at Philadelphia. She did play doubles though, and with partner Laura Knight has the distinction of being the first doubles runnerup in the US Championships.

1889 US Doubles final: Margaret Ballard/Bertha Townsend d. Laura Knight/Marion Wright 6-0 6-2

Marion also won the 1888 and 1889 mixed events with Joseph Clark. Unfortunately this did not become a championship event until 1892.

Note her name was Marion, NOT Marian. Our source (in fact the only contemporary source for her) being Valentine Halls's book from 1889.

Note that a Marion Randolph Wright (1870-1914) and Albert Empie Wright were tennis playing brothers from this era. Was Miss Marion a female relation? Mr Marion Wright's last known address as of 1905 was at 1937 Chesnut Street, Philadelphia. This is highly suggestive as the US Championships were at Chesnut Hill. There is no real apparent connection at present.

There is a female Marion A. Wright born circa 1866 in the 1880 US census in Philadelphia. Could this be out tennis playing finalist? Until more information is found this will remain a mystery.

Sources:

Lawn tennis in America. Biographical sketches of all the prominent players ... knotty points, and all the latest rules and directions governing handicaps, umpires, and rules for playing, by Valentine G. Hall. 1889. Pages 21-22.

Albert Empie Wright

Seventy-five Years of I.K.A. 1829-1904. By Trinity College (Hartford, Conn.). I.K.A. Society. 1905 Page 72.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/...GSfn=marion+&GSmn=randolph&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=25250768&df=all&

[Thanks to Rollo for this information]
 
#4,384 · (Edited by Moderator)
DOVE,GILLIAN
South Africa
Born 28 January 1949 in Johannesburg, South Africa
[Active 1967-1969]

Never played in any Grand Slam singles matches, but withdrew from the 1968 French Championships after being in the draw.
Failed to qualify for singles at Wimbledon in 1967,68 and 69 but played in both doubles events in 1969.

Source British Lawn Tennis Magazine July 1966.

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,385 · (Edited by Moderator)
BENNETT, FREDA
New Zealand
Born 6 September 1906
Died 26 October 1997
Married Robert Hope Milburn in 1928
[Active circa 1924-40]

Robert Milburn was also a lawn tennis player.

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]
 
#4,386 · (Edited by Moderator)
TAYLOR, CHARLOTTE (Charlotte Laura Taylor)
Great Britain
Born in 1861 in East Ogwell, Devon
Died 1 August 1949 in Devon
Did not marry.
[Active circa 1880-85]

Sister of fellow lawn tennis player Maude Taylor. Charlotte Taylor was notably runner-up in the women’s singles event at the Exmouth tournament in 1882. She and Maude were the daughters of Fitzwilliam John Taylor, a clerk in holy orders, and Alice Taylor (née Lisle Fortescue).

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]
 
#4,387 · (Edited by Moderator)
TAYLOR, MAUDE (Maude Eliza Taylor)
Great Britain
Born in 1860 in East Ogwell, Devon
Died 22 February 1929 in Devon
Married Henry William Carew on 28 April 1885 in the Parish Church, East Ogwell, Devon
[Active circa 1880-84]

Sister of fellow lawn tennis player Charlotte Taylor. Reverend Henry Carew was vicar of the parish of Rattery in Devon at the time of his marriage to Maude Taylor. The latter’s father, Fitzwilliam Taylor, rector of East and West Ogwell in Devon, assisted in the wedding ceremony for the bride and bridegroom.

[Thanks to Newmark for this information]
 
#4,388 · (Edited by Moderator)
KOE, MARY (Mary Louisa Koe)
Great Britain
Born in 1856 in Staplehurst, Kent
Died 25 January 1945 in Bideford, Devon
Married Wilson Noble Hoare on 3 June 1876 in Romsey, Hampshire
[Active circa 1880-85]

Wilson Hoare and his brother, Thomas, also took part in some early lawn tennis tournaments.
 
#4,389 · (Edited by Moderator)
KIM, GRACE
United States
Born 16 April 1968 in Deoul, South Korea
[Active 1983-1988]

Grew up in Ridgwood, New Jersey. On pro tour before turning pro in 1984. Twice made the 3rd round at a major during the 1983 and 1985 US Opens.
Career win over Gabriela Sabatini.

Year-End WTA Rankings:

1984: #63
1985: #60
1986: #71

Wikipedia indicates highest WTA ranking at #78 on 31 August 1987, but this is clearly an error given her year-end rankings.

Grace played a steady brand of tennis patterned after Chris Evert.

Grace Kim (tennis) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
 
#4,391 · (Edited by Moderator)
CHUTE, KERRYL (Kerryl Dawn Chute)
Australia (Western Australia)
Born 20 April 1945.
[Active 1969-1974]

Only Grand Slam singles was Australian Championships in 1969 and 1974.

Electoral Rolls between 1972 and 1980 show Kerryl Dawn Chute living in Western Australia.

Date of birth from Eurosport Database.

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,392 · (Edited by Moderator)
STARR, MARGARET
Australia
Born ????
Married to a Mr. McIntyre
[Active 1967-1969]

Played singles at Australian Championships 1967,68 and 69.

Also a life member of Cammeray Tennis Club New South Wales.

Source Married name from International Tennis Club Australian Members

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,394 · (Edited by Moderator)
WILLARD, MILDRED (Mildred H. Willard)
United States
Born 06 October 1896 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died December 1985 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Married John F. Gardiner (1891-1942) in late 1926 to early 1927
[Active 1917-1927]

3 time Philadelphia and district tennis "champ".

Mildred competed in the US Championships on 6 occasions (1917-1918, 1920-1921, 1924, and 1926), compiling a respectable 7 wins and 6 loses in singles.

Mildred was the daughter of a Philadelphia lawyer. Her younger sister Venette competed in the 1920 US event but was not as talented in tennis as Mildred. She briefly competed as Mrs Gardiner after her marriage.

Her son John F. was born February 19, 1929 in Philadelphia. According to the 1930 US census she was a school psychologist.

Sources:

1930 US Census

US Social Security Index

John Gardiner Obituary, Macomb Twp., MI
 
#4,395 · (Edited by Moderator)
WILLARD, VENETTE
United States
Born 07 January 1898 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died 09 July 1957 in Byrn Mawr, Pennsylvania
Married to Andrew Shearer between 1920 and 1925
[Active in 1920]

Children; Andrew (b. c. 1925) and Venette (born c. 1927)

Venette entered the 1920 US Championships and made the 3R via a bye and a default. She lost in the 3R in her only US appearance. Her sister Mildred Willard was a much better tennis player.

Source:

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/f...5&ref=acom

[Thanks to Rollo for this information]
 
#4,396 · (Edited by Moderator)
HAWTHORNE, MARGARET (nee Margaret Farrer)
South Africa
Born 11 November 1935
Married Barry Hawthorne 15th December 1956
[Active in the mid 1960s]

Sister of Buster Farrer who played at Wimbledon in 1956 and test cricket for South Africa in the 1960's.

Won singles Griqualand West 1965 and 1966; doubles in 1966. She barely missed out on a "triple" i 1966 when she lost the mixed doubles final.

There was a Mrs M Hawthorne who was RU in the 1949 Griqualand West mixed doubles.

Both the date and the marital status of Margaret normally preclude this being her. It is possible that she won the mixed doubles at 14 and the source (the Eldridge book) has put her win under her married name to avoid any confusion. Alternatively since Barry Hawthorne came from Kimberley it could well be a relation of his such as aunt or mother.

Colin Bryden's book "the Buster Farrer story " tells us that she met her husband at Rhodes University in 1953. Barry Hawthorne's career was a geologist and his home town was Kimberley. He was a high jumper and pole vaulter and played hockey for Rhodes. The book also tells us that Margaret played tennis for Border Junior, Rhodes University and Griqualand West.

Sources:

1983 International Who's Who of Tennis
www.gendatabase.com

The South African Tennis Story. Eldridge, Russell (editor).1978. pages 101

The Buster Farrer Story . Bryden, Colin.

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,397 · (Edited by Moderator)
KASATSKINA, DARIA
Russia
Born 07 May 1987 in Togliatty, Russia
Height: 5' 7" (1.70 m)
Plays: Right-handed (two-handed backhand)
Nickname: "Dasha"
[Active 2013-present]

An artist on the court with a wide array of spins, shots, and stratagems. Daria finished 2018 inside the world top 10.

As an up and coming teen Daria demonstrated signs of maturity by taking a premier level event at Charleston in 2017. "Playing in her first final, Kasatkina showed the poise and focus of a veteran, flummoxing the big-hitting Latvian with her slice and defense. " (WTA)

Up to April of 2017 all 7 of her previous singles titles came on the ITS circuit.


2019 was a massive disappointment. Daria failed to make the semis at any event.


More on Daria from her WTA mini-biography

Coached by Vladimir Platenik ... Parents are Sergey and Tatiana; brother is Alexsandr (Daria's fitness trainer) ... Introduced to tennis by brother at age 6 ... Speaks Russian and English ... Baseliner whose favorite surface is clay; favorite shot is forehand ... Loves soccer (favorite team is FC Barcelona) ... Best tennis memory is winning Roland Garros juniors and 2015 US Open run.

Career Highlights:

SINGLES

Winner (2): 2018 - Moscow; 2017 - Charleston

Finalist (3): 2018 - Dubai, Indian Wells; 2017 - Moscow.

DOUBLES

Winner (1): 2015 - Moscow (w/Vesnina).

Finalist (2): 2017 - Tokyo (Pan Pacific) (w/Gavrilova); 2016 - Moscow (w/Gavrilova)

Year-End WTA Rankings

2019: #69
2018: #10
2017: #24
2016: #27
2015: #72
2014: #370

Daria with her Charleston Trophy
Image


Sources:

Players | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English

News | WTA Tennis English
 
#4,398 · (Edited by Moderator)
TOMLINSON, WENDY
South Africa
Born 18 September 1950 in Johannesburg, South Africa
Married Grant Lawsonb in 1970
[Active 1967-1970]

Ranked #9 In South Africa for 1968.

Played singles at French and Wimbledon 1969 and 1970 and US Open 1969. Wendy won the Southern Transvaal doubles with Brenda Kirk in 1969. They also teamed up that year to represent South Africa in the Federation Cup.

As of 1983 she was living in Canada.

Source 1983 International Who's Who in tennis.

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
#4,399 · (Edited by Moderator)
GRAY, ELSIE (nee Elsie May Wade)
Canada
Born 03 December 1900 in Ilford, Essex, England.
Died 15 April 1998 in the United States
Married Oswald Eugene Gray (1898-1962) 25 October 1920 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada
[Active in the late 1920s to 1932]

1929 Canadian doubles winner with her younger sister Olive Wade. Mrs Gray was the superior player before 1929, when Olive started to eclipse her in singles. She traveled with her sister in 1929 to New York City for the US Championships at Forest Hills, losing in the 1st round 6-0 6-3 to Gertrude Dwyer.

Elsie was the oldest child of Alfred Wade (a stonecutter) and Elizabeth Mason of Essex, England. The family emigrated to Canada in 1907.

Married in 1920 (or less likely 1926) to Oswald Eugene Gray, she is usually listed as Mrs O. E. Gay. The birth of their son James Richard in August of 1933 in Toronto effectively put an end to her tennis days at the upper levels of the sport.

Emigrating to the US in 1945, by 1946 they took up residence in Florida, she received her Social security card from there that year. A 1951 Florida naturalization paper for Oswald lists his job as "tennis professional". He was born in Gibralter in 1898. it also gives their marriage date as 1920. The couple were living in Ft Lauderdale, Florida at the time. Later in life she may have moved to New Jersey after the death of her husband in 1962.

For her sister Olive see: http://www.tennisforum.com/25566626-post2079.html

Sources:

Wright and Ditson Lawn Tennis Guide for 1930, page 170 (which informs us that Olive Wade is her sister)

Elsie Wade - Ancestry.ca

Ancestry.com. Florida, Naturalization Records, 1847-1995

Another page gives 25 Oct 1926 as her marriage date, but it is not correct.
https://www.ancestry.ca/genealogy/ma...wald-gray.html

Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928; Series: MS932; Reel: 522
[Marriage certificate of 1920 showing her parents as witness and Oswald's occupation as "tennis instructor"]

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=156626369&ref=acom

[Thanks to LKK and Rollo for this information]
 
#4,400 · (Edited by Moderator)
GARRISON, DEBORAH
United States
[Active in 1964]

From The Bronx, New York.

Active in 1964 when she played singles in the 1964 US Championships. Earlier in the year at the Rose Taubele event (a local New York tournament) she is referred to as "Debbie" Garrison.

Source New York Times 5th September 1964

[Thanks to Rosamund for this information]
 
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