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Mary Ewing Outerbride
Credited with introducing lawn tennis to the United States in 1874. -
Hazel Hotchkiss Wrightman
Nicknamed the “Queen Mother of Tennis” because she dramatically changed women's tennis. In 1903 in San Francisco, California, she introduced volley and net play. Prior to this the game was played from the baseline without much movement. -
May Sutton Bundy
The first American woman to win the women's singles title at Wimbledon. Also won in 1907 -
Althea Gibson
Credited with breaking the race barrier in tennis. In 1950 she became the first African American woman to play at the prestigious USTA at Forest Hills. -
Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly
First woman to win the Grand Slam of tennis. In 1953 she won Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, the French Open, and the Australian Open -
Billie Jean King
One of the organizers of the 1970 Virginia Slims Tennis Tournament, the first tournament for women professional tennis players. The following year she became the first female athlete in any sport to earn more than $100,000 in a single season. -
Martina Navratilova
Winner of the most singles titles in history with 167 -
Venus and Serena Williams
Sisters went head-to-head in the 1999 Lipton Championships finals, the first time since 1884 that sisters met in a major final. Venus, then 18, beat Serena, 17. -
Lindsay Davenport
Ended the season with the number one ranking, a feat she also accomplished in 1998, 2001, and 2004.
