Mary Browne

For other people with the same name, see Mary Browne (disambiguation).

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.

Mary Browne

Full name	Mary Kendall Browne
Country (sports)	United States
Born	(1891-06-03)June 3, 1891 Ventura County, California, U.S.
Died	August 19, 1971(1971-08-19) (aged 80) Laguna Hills, U.S.
Height	5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
Plays	Right-handed
Int. Tennis HoF	1957 (member page)
Singles
Highest ranking	No. 1 (U.S. Singles Ranking)
Grand Slam singles results
French Open	F (1926)
US Open	W (1912, 1913, 1914)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	W (1926)
US Open	W (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921, 1925)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Wimbledon	F (1926)
US Open	W (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921)

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)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1912	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Eleonora Sears	6–4, 6–2
Win	1913	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Dorothy Green	6–2, 7–5
Win	1914	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Marie Wagner	6–2, 1–6, 6–1
Loss	1921	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Molla Mallory	6–4, 4–6, 2–6
Loss	1926	French Championships	Clay	Suzanne Lenglen	1–6, 0–6

Doubles (6 titles, 1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1912	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Dorothy Green	Maud Barger-Wallach Mrs. Frederick Schmitz	6–2, 5–7, 6–0
Win	1913	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Louise Riddell Williams	Dorothy Green Edna Wildey	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	1925	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Helen Wills	May Sutton Bundy Elizabeth Ryan	6–4, 6–3
Win	1926	Wimbledon	Grass	Elizabeth Ryan	Evelyn Colyer Kitty McKane Godfree	6–1, 6–1
Loss	1926	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Charlotte Hosmer Chapin	Eleanor Goss Elizabeth Ryan	6–3, 4–6, 10–12

Mixed Doubles (4 titles, 1 runner-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1912	U.S. National Championships	Grass	R. Norris Williams	Eleonora Sears Bill Clothier	6–4, 2–6, 11–9
Win	1913	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	Dorothy Green C.S. Rogers	7–5, 7–5
Win	1914	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Bill Tilden	Margaretta Myers J. R. Rowland	6–1, 6–4
Win	1921	U.S. National Championships	Grass	Bill Johnston	Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Bill Tilden	3–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss	1926	Wimbledon	Grass	Howard Kinsey	Kathleen McKane Leslie Godfree	3–6, 4–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Key

W

F

SF

QF

#R

RR

Q#

DNQ

A

NH

(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Tournament	1912	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	Career SR
Australian Championships	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 0
French Championships1	A	A	A	NH	NH	NH	NH	NH	A	A	A	A	NH	A	F	0 / 1
Wimbledon	A	A	A	NH	NH	NH	NH	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	1R	0 / 1
U.S. Championships	W	W	W	A	A	A	A	A	A	F	A	A	SF	3R	SF	3 / 7
SR	1 / 1	1 / 1	1 / 1	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 1	0 / 0	0 / 0	0 / 1	0 / 1	0 / 3	3 / 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

• Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam final

References

1. Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York, N.Y: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 701. ISBN 978-0-942257-41-0.
2. United States Tennis Association (1988). 1988 Official USTA Tennis Yearbook. Lynn, Massachusetts: H.O. Zimman, Inc. p. 260.
3. "Mary K. Browne". International Tennis Hall of Fame. February 2, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
4. "100 years of Wimbledon" page 209
5. Wilson, Paul C. (March 1952). Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: 9. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• USGA website for the 1924 Championship
• "Between the Lines: Suzanne Lenglen and the First Pro Tour"
• Mary Browne at the International Tennis Hall of Fame