Suzanne Lenglen

Suzanne Rachel Flore Lenglen was a famous French tennis player who lived from 1899 to 1938. She was known as "La Divine," meaning "The Goddess," because she was one of the best players in the world. Lenglen won many big tournaments, including eight Grand Slam singles titles and twenty-one total Grand Slam titles. She was the first woman to be ranked world No. 1, holding that spot from 1921 to 1926.

Lenglen started playing tennis when she was just 11 years old and became the youngest major champion ever when she won the 1914 World Hard Court Championship at age 15. She had a special style of playing that made her stand out, and she became very popular in France after World War I. She won six Wimbledon singles titles, including five in a row from 1919 to 1923.

Lenglen was also known for changing how women played tennis. She played more aggressively, like the men did, and she wore clothes that were better for the sport. Her fashion, especially her headwear, became famous too. Because she was so popular, Wimbledon had to move to a bigger stadium to hold all her fans. After retiring from amateur tennis, she started professional tours in the United States, which helped create professional tournaments for men later on. Today, she is remembered as one of the greatest tennis players ever and is in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The second show court at the site of the French Open is named after her in honor of her achievements.

Early life and background

Suzanne Rachel Flore Lenglen was born on 24 May 1899 in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, the daughter of Charles and Anaïs Lenglen. Her father was a pharmacist who became wealthy by taking over a horse-drawn omnibus company from his own father. A few years after Suzanne was born, the family moved to Marest-sur-Matz near Compiègne in northern France, and spent winters in Nice on the French Riviera.

By the time she was eight, Suzanne was already good at many sports, including swimming and cycling. She especially loved playing diabolo, a game where you spin a top on a string with sticks. During the winter, she would perform diabolo shows in front of big crowds on the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Her father believed this helped her feel confident when playing in large stadiums later on.

Her father started taking her to tennis tournaments on the Riviera circuit. In June 1910, when Suzanne was just 11, he bought her a tennis racket from a toy shop and set up a small court at their home. She was so good so quickly that within a month he got her a proper racket from a tennis shop. He made training exercises for her and played matches against her. Soon after, she played on a real clay court in Paris and did very well in a big tournament in Chantilly.

Amateur career

1912–13: Maiden titles

Lenglen started her tennis journey in July 1912 at the Compiègne Championships near her hometown. She won her first match but lost in the semifinals. She also won both the singles and mixed doubles in handicap events. In 1913, she played in Monte Carlo with Elizabeth Ryan and, despite losing the final, they became a strong team. Lenglen won her first regular singles titles shortly after her 14th birthday.

1914: World Hard Court champion

In 1914, Lenglen focused on regular events and surprised everyone by beating a high-ranking British player. She lost in some bigger tournaments but won the French Championships All Comers' singles draw. She then won the World Hard Court Championships singles final, marking her first major title. She also won the doubles title with Ryan.

World War I hiatus

World War I stopped tournaments, but Lenglen kept training in Nice. She played charity exhibitions with other players to raise money for the French Red Cross.

1919: Classic Wimbledon final

After the war, Lenglen won many titles in 1919. She made her Wimbledon debut and won her first title there, setting a record for the most games in a Wimbledon women’s singles final.

1920: Olympic champion

Lenglen started 1920 with several titles. She won gold medals at the Olympics in Antwerp, winning the singles title and mixed doubles, and a bronze in doubles.

1921: Only singles defeat post-World War I

Lenglen dominated in 1921, winning many titles. Her only loss came in mixed doubles. She defended her titles at the French Championships and World Hard Court Championships, and won her third consecutive Wimbledon title.

1922: Start of 179-match win streak

In 1922, Lenglen did not lose a match until March. She began a 179-match win streak that lasted until the end of her amateur career. She won titles at the World Hard Court Championships, the French Championships, and Wimbledon.

1923: Career-best 45 titles

Lenglen won 45 titles in 1923, the most in any year. She won all singles events she entered and most doubles and mixed doubles events. She faced little opposition and continued her dominance on the tennis circuit.

1924: No major titles

Lenglen did not win a major tournament in 1924 for the first time since 1913. She was limited by minor illnesses but still won several doubles and mixed doubles titles. She withdrew from Wimbledon after a tough match.

1925: Open French champion

Lenglen returned in 1925 and won the French Championships, her first as an open international event. She also won at Wimbledon, setting a record for fewest games lost in a singles title run. She won titles in doubles and mixed doubles as well.

1926: Match of the Century

In 1926, Lenglen’s last amateur year began with a highly anticipated match against Helen Wills, which she won. She defended her French Championships titles but faced issues at Wimbledon, withdrawing after a misunderstanding with officials.

Professional career

A month after leaving Wimbledon, Suzanne Lenglen signed a contract to play a four-month professional tour in the United States starting in October 1926. She had earlier turned down offers to become professional but changed her mind after facing crowd issues at Wimbledon. The tour featured many stops across the United States, Canada, and even Cuba. Lenglen played amazingly well, winning all 33 of her matches against another player named Mary Browne.

The tour was very popular and made a lot of money. Lenglen earned more than any other player that year, including famous baseball player Babe Ruth. Thousands of fans came to see her play, especially at big venues like Madison Square Garden in New York City.

A few months later, Lenglen also headed a shorter tour in the United Kingdom. She won all seven of her matches there too. Some of the biggest crowds were at football club grounds, with over fifteen thousand people watching her final match.

Many people criticised Lenglen for turning professional. Tennis groups expelled her from competing in amateur events. She spoke out about how hard it was to make money as a tennis player and questioned the rules that made the sport unfair to ordinary people. After 1927, she did not join any more professional tours and never tried to return to amateur tennis.

Rivalries

Molla Mallory was the only player to beat Suzanne Lenglen in singles after World War I. Mallory was fifteen years older than Lenglen and came from Norway. She won a bronze medal at the 1912 Olympic Games before moving to the United States in 1914. While World War I stopped tennis in Europe, Mallory became the top American player, winning the first four U.S. National Championships from 1915 to 1918. Mallory played mostly from the baseline, taking the ball early and using a powerful forehand. She and Lenglen had similar personalities off the court, both loving to dance and smoking. Lenglen played Mallory four times in singles, winning three matches and losing one. She also won both of their doubles and mixed doubles matches.

Lenglen's usual doubles partner, Elizabeth Ryan, was also her most frequent singles opponent. Ryan was born in the United States but moved to England in 1912. She lost all four of her major singles finals but won 26 major titles in doubles and mixed doubles. Ryan and Lenglen first played together in 1913 and never lost a regular doubles match. Ryan beat Lenglen in their first singles meeting in 1914 but Lenglen won all their remaining 17 matches.

Helen Wills was almost Lenglen's main rival. Wills won 19 Grand Slam singles titles and became world No. 1 in 1927, keeping that title for many years. Wills won the 1924 Olympic gold medal while Lenglen was not competing. However, they only played each other once because Lenglen was sick in 1924 and Wills had health issues in 1926, so they never had many matches against each other.

Playing style

Suzanne Lenglen had a special way of playing tennis. She could use every kind of shot and knew just when to use them. She made her opponents run a lot by changing her shots. Even though she focused on control more than power, she could hit hard when she needed to.

Lenglen liked to move close to the net to finish points quickly. She played with grace, moving like a dancer. She also liked to drink a special kind of drink called cognac during important matches to help her focus. Her style of play influenced many players and changed how women played tennis.

Legacy

Suzanne Lenglen was a very successful tennis player. She was the best player in the world from 1921 to 1926 and won eight big titles in singles and twenty-one in total.

Lenglen became a famous symbol in France after World War I. People called her "our Suzanne" and "The Goddess" because she was so good at tennis. She was known for predicting her wins before matches and became a celebrity outside of tennis. Her matches were very popular, and people would pay a lot to watch her play. She also helped change what women wore when playing tennis, choosing more comfortable and stylish clothes.

Lenglen's legacy lives on today. A court at the French Open is named after her, and she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1978.

Personal life

Suzanne Lenglen had a long relationship with Baldwin Baldwin from 1927 to 1932. Baldwin was the grandson and heir to Lucky Baldwin, a well-known businessman in California. They met during her tour in the United States and planned to marry, but Baldwin was already married and his wife would not agree to divorce.

Lenglen wrote several books about tennis. Her first book, Lawn Tennis for Girls, gave tips for new players. She also wrote Lawn Tennis: The Game of Nations and a novel called The Love Game: Being the Life Story of Marcelle Penrose. In 1937, she finished Tennis by Simple Exercises with Margaret Morris. She also acted in a 1935 British film called _Things Are Looking Up, where she played a tennis match.

In 1933, Lenglen returned to tennis as a coach and later opened her own tennis school for girls in Paris. She became the first director of the French National Tennis School in May 1938. Sadly, she became very ill shortly after and passed away on July 4, 1938, at the age of 39.

Career statistics

Suzanne Lenglen was a wonderful tennis player. She won many big matches and was the best player in the world for several years. Her achievements include winning eight Grand Slam singles titles and many more in other categories.

Results from the French Championships before 1924 do not count towards the statistical totals because the tournament was not yet open to international players.