Mary Browne Explained

Mary Browne
Fullname:Mary Kendall Browne
Birth Date:1891 6, mf=yes
Birth Place:Ventura County, California, U.S.
Death Place:Laguna Hills, U.S.
Plays:Right-handed
Tennishofyear:1957
Tennishofid:mary-browne
Highestsinglesranking:No. 1 (U.S. Singles Ranking)
Frenchopenresult:F (1926)
Usopenresult:W (1912, 1913, 1914)
Wimbledondoublesresult:W (1926)
Usopendoublesresult:W (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921, 1925)
Wimbledonmixedresult:F (1926)
Usopenmixedresult:W (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921)

Mary Kendall Browne (June 3, 1891 – August 19, 1971) was an American professional tennis player and an amateur golfer. She was born in Ventura County, California.

Biography

According to A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Browne was ranked in the world top 10 in 1921 (when the rankings began), 1924, and 1926, reaching a career high of world no. 3 in those rankings in 1921.[1] Browne was included in the year-end top 10 rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1913 (when the rankings began), 1914, 1921, 1924, and 1925. She was the top-ranked U.S. player in 1914.[2] She also played golf and was runner-up at the 1924 U.S. Women's Amateur to champion Dorothy Campbell Hurd.[3] She took part in the 1925 and 1926 editions of the Wightman Cup, an annual women's team tennis competition between the United States and Great Britain.[4]

She later became a coach at the University of Chicago, where she is credited with inventing the backboard for use in practice. She later transferred to the University of Washington and then Lake Erie College.[5]

Browne was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1957.[3]

Grand Slam finals

Singles (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Win 1912 Grass 6–4, 6–2
Win 1913 Grass 6–2, 7–5
Win 1914 Grass 6–2, 1–6, 6–1
Loss 1921 Grass 6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Loss 1926 Clay 1–6, 0–6

Doubles (6 titles, 1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win 1912 Grass Maud Barger-Wallach
Mrs. Frederick Schmitz
6–2, 5–7, 6–0
Win 1913 U.S. National Championships Grass 12–10, 2–6, 6–3
Win 1914 U.S. National Championships Grass Louise Riddell Williams Louise Raymond
Edna Wildey
10–8, 6–2
Win 1921 U.S. National Championships Grass Louise Riddell Williams Helen Gilleaudeau
Mrs. L.G. Morris
6–3, 6–2
Win Grass 6–4, 6–3
Win Grass 6–1, 6–1
Loss Grass Eleanor Goss
Elizabeth Ryan
6–3, 4–6, 10–12

Mixed Doubles (4 titles, 1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win Grass 6–4, 2–6, 11–9
Win 1913 Grass 7–5, 7–5
Win 1914 Grass 6–1, 6–4
Win 1921 Grass 3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss Grass 3–6, 4–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1912 1913 19141915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 Career SR
Australian ChampionshipsNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHNHAAAAA0 / 0
French Championships1AAANHNHNHNHNHAAAANHAF0 / 1
WimbledonAAANHNHNHNHAAAAAAA1R0 / 1
U.S. ChampionshipsWWWAAAAAAFAASF3RSF3 / 7
SR1 / 11 / 11 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 10 / 10 / 33 / 9

1Through 1923, the French Championships were open only to French nationals. The World Hard Court Championships (WHCC), actually played on clay in Paris or Brussels, began in 1912 and were open to all nationalities. The results from that tournament are shown here from 1912 through 1914 and from 1920 through 1923. The Olympics replaced the WHCC in 1924, as the Olympics were held in Paris. Beginning in 1925, the French Championships were open to all nationalities, with the results shown here beginning with that year.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Collins, Bud . Bud Collins . The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book . New Chapter Press . New York, N.Y . 2008 . 695, 701 . 978-0-942257-41-0 .
  2. Book: United States Tennis Association . 1988 Official USTA Tennis Yearbook . H.O. Zimman, Inc. . Lynn, Massachusetts . 1988 . 260.
  3. Web site: Mary K. Browne . 2 February 2016. International Tennis Hall of Fame . 1 January 2024.
  4. "100 years of Wimbledon" page 209
  5. Wilson . Paul C. . Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation . March 1952 . 9 .