Tennis History 1901-1940

At the beginning of the 20th century the major international tournaments were Wimbledon , the US Open, the French Open and the Australian Open all form what has is known on the tennis calendar as the ‘Grand Slam’. These four have been the most important, most watched and most lucrative championships since the birth of modern tennis. Early Wimbledon men's champions included British players Arthur Gore and brothers Reggie and Laurie Doherty. Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers of England won the women's title at Wimbledon seven times (1903, 1904, 1906, 1910, 1911, 1913, and 1914). The U.S. men's championships were dominated by American William Larned, who won seven times (1901, 1902, 1907-1911). Americans Elisabeth Moore and Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman both won several U.S. women's championships in the early 1900s, and Norwegian-born Molla Mallory won eight such titles (1915-1918, 1920-1922, 1926).

In 1904 Olympic Games in St Louis there were 45 competitors for the two tennis events that were staged, the men's singles and men's doubles. Americans struck tennis gold for the first time, with Beals Wright winning the singles, and then partnering Edgar Leonard to success in the doubles. In 1908, the format for Olympic tennis was changed again. Not only were the women's singles reinstated but, on this occasion, two separate tennis events were held. The first, on covered courts in May, and the second on the grass courts of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, in July. For the indoor event, Sweden and Great Britain were the only countries represented, with Britain's Arthur Gore who was to go on to win Wimbledon a few weeks later, defeating his teammate George Caridia to take the gold medal. There was also an all-British final in the women's singles in which Gladys Eastlake-Smith finally overcame Alice Greene.

In the 1920s British, American, and French players were the most successful in international play. American Bill Tilden dominated the men's game, winning Wimbledon three times in 1920, 1921, and 1930 and the U.S. championships seven times in 1920-1925 and 1929. French players Jean Borotra, René Lacoste, and Henri Cochet were also successful, particularly at Wimbledon, which one of the three of them won each year from 1924 to 1929. Suzanne Lenglen of France became the first player to win Triple Crown of Ladies Singles, Ladies Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Suzanne Lenglen and Helen Wills Moody of the United States were the leading female players. The idea of seeding players was introduced for the first time in 1927.

In the 1930s outstanding men's players included Don Budge and Ellsworth Vines of the United States and Fred Perry of England. Miss Dorothy Round and Fred Perry won both the Wimbledon Men’s and Ladies Singles titles. It has so far proven to be the last British double. During the same period Moody continued her success, finishing her career with eight Wimbledon titles (1927-1930, 1932, 1933, 1935, 1938), seven U.S. championship titles (1923-1925, 1927-1929, 1931), and four French championship titles (1928-1930, 1932). Other leading female players included Alice Marble and Helen Jacobs of the United States and Dorothy Round of England.

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