Phoebe Holcroft Watson Explained

Fullname:Phoebe Catherine Holcroft Watson
Birth Date:1898 10, df=yes
Highestsinglesranking:No. 2 (1929)
Frenchopenresult:QF (1929, 1930)
Wimbledonresult:QF (1927, 1928)
Usopenresult:F (1929)
Frenchopendoublesresult:W (1928)
Wimbledondoublesresult:W (1928, 1929)
Usopendoublesresult:W (1929)
Wimbledonmixedresult:SF (1927)
Usopenmixedresult:SF (1930)
Team:Yes
Wightmancupresult:W (1928, 1930)

Phoebe Catherine Holcroft Watson (Holcroft; 7 October 1898 – 20 October 1980) was a tennis player from the United Kingdom whose best result in singles was reaching the final of the U.S. Championships in 1929, losing to Helen Wills in straight sets.[1] According to A. Wallis Myers, Watson was ranked in the world top 10 in 1926 and from 1928 through 1930, reaching a career high of world No. 2 in 1929.[2]

Watson won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1928 and 1929 and at the US Championships in 1929, all with partner Peggy Saunders Michell.[3] [1] Her other Grand Slam title was the women's doubles at the French Championships in 1928 with partner Eileen Bennett.

She was part of the British team that won the Wightman Cup against the United States in 1928 and 1930.

Grand Slam finals

Doubles: 5 (4 titles, 1 runners-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Loss 1927French ChampionshipsClay Peggy Saunders Michell Irene Bowder Peacock
Bobbie Heine
2–6, 1–6
Win 1928French ChampionshipsClay Eileen Bennett Suzanne Devé
Sylvie Jung
6–0, 6–2
Win 1928Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Ermyntrude Harvey
Eileen Bennett
6–2, 6–3
Win 1929Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Phyllis Covell
Dorothy Shepherd
6–4, 8–6
Win 1929US National ChampionshipsGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Phyllis Covell
Dorothy Shepherd
2–6, 6–3, 6–4

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 Career SR
AustraliaAAAAAAAA0 / 0
France1ANHAA3R2RQFQF0 / 4
Wimbledon1R3R1R3RQFQF3R1R0 / 8
United StatesAAAAAAFA0 / 1
SR0 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 30 / 20 / 13

1Until 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 the 1923 edition of that tournament are shown here. 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

Notes and References

  1. News: Helen Wills Takes Sixth National Title. Chicago Tribune. Associated Press. 25 August 1929. 1, Part 2.
  2. Book: Collins, Bud . 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 .
  3. Web site: Wimbledon players archive – Phoebe Holcroft-Watson (Watson). www.wimbledon.com. AELTC.