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 nameMary Kendall Browne
Country (sports) United States
Born(1891-06-03)June 3, 1891
Ventura County, California, U.S.
DiedAugust 19, 1971(1971-08-19) (aged 80)
Laguna Hills, U.S.
Height5 ft 2 in (1.57 m)
PlaysRight-handed
Int. Tennis HoF1957 (member page)
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 1 (U.S. Singles Ranking)
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenF (1926)
US OpenW (1912, 1913, 1914)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonW (1926)
US OpenW (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921, 1925)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
WimbledonF (1926)
US OpenW (1912, 1913, 1914, 1921)

Biography

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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

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Singles (3 titles, 2 runners-up)

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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)

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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)

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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

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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

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References

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  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. ^ a b "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)
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