HAZEL HOTCHKISS WIGHTMAN
Name: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
Born: 20 December 1886
Died: 5 December 1974
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (December 20, 1886 – December 5, 1974) was an American
tennis player.
Wightman was born in Healdsburg, California and married to George Wightman of
Boston in 1912. She died in Newton, Massachusetts
Wightman was an American who dominated American women's tennis before World War
I and who had an unparalleled reputation for sportsmanship. Wightman won a
lifetime total of 45 U.S. titles, the last at age 68. She won 16 titles overall
at the U.S. Championships, four of them in singles (1909-11, 1919). Nine of her
titles at the U.S. Championships came in 1909-11, when she swept the singles,
women's doubles, and mixed doubles competitions three consecutive years.
Wightman is known as the "Queen Mother of American Tennis” or "Lady Tennis" for
her lifelong participation in and promotion of women's tennis and because she
was instrumental in organizing the Ladies International Tennis Challenge between
British and American women's teams, better known as the Wightman Cup. The Cup
was first held in 1923 and continued through 1989. She played five years on the
American team and was the captain of the American team from inception of the
competition through 1948. The Cup was composed of five singles and two doubles
matches. The cup itself was donated in 1923 by Wightman in honor of her husband.
The first contest, at Forest Hills, New York on August 11 and 13, 1923, was won
by the United States.
Born during the early days of American tennis, Wightman was a frail and awkward
child. Her doctor recommended that she take up a sport to strengthen herself.
Her brother suggested tennis as it was considered a 'genteel' sport. Wightman
learned to play at the nearby courts of the University of California at
Berkelely where she graduated in 1911. Her rivalry with fellow Californian, May
Sutton, shaped a new women's game, with Wightman attacking the net to counter
Sutton's dominating forehand.
Wightman was the mother of five children and devoted herself to teaching other
young people, opening her home near Boston's Longwood Cricket Club to aspiring
champions. In recognition of Wightman's contributions to tennis, the USTA
Service Bowl was donated in her honor. In 1973, Queen Elizabeth II named
Wightman an honorary Commander of the British Empire.
17 Grand Slam titles (4 singles, 7 women's doubles, 6 mixed doubles)
Won all three titles at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911
Won singles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1919
Runner-up in singles at the U.S. Championships: 1915
Won women's doubles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1915, 1924, 1928
Runner-up in women's doubles at the U.S. Championships: 1919, 1923
Won mixed doubles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1915, 1918, 1920
Runner-up in mixed doubles at the U.S. Championships: 1926
Won women's doubles title at Wimbledon: 1924
Olympic gold medalist in women's doubles and mixed doubles: 1924
Won singles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1919, 1927
Won women's doubles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1919, 1921, 1927-1931, 1933, 1943
Won mixed doubles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1923, 1924, 1926-1928
Won doubles title at the U.S. Grass Court Championships (for age 40 and over):
1940-1942, 1944, 1946-1950, 1952, 1954
U.S. Wightman Cup team member: 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1931
U.S. Wightman Cup team captain: 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937-1939,
1946-1948
Winner of USTA Service Bowl, donated in Wightman's honor: 1940, 1946
Author of Better Tennis
Coached several women champions, including Sarah Palfrey Cooke, Helen Wills
Moody, and Helen Jacobs
Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1957
Named Honorary Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973
Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1986
First honoree in the University of California women’s athlete hall of fame
Name: Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman
Born: 20 December 1886
Died: 5 December 1974
Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (December 20, 1886 – December 5, 1974) was an American
tennis player.
Wightman was born in Healdsburg, California and married to George Wightman of
Boston in 1912. She died in Newton, Massachusetts
Wightman was an American who dominated American women's tennis before World War
I and who had an unparalleled reputation for sportsmanship. Wightman won a
lifetime total of 45 U.S. titles, the last at age 68. She won 16 titles overall
at the U.S. Championships, four of them in singles (1909-11, 1919). Nine of her
titles at the U.S. Championships came in 1909-11, when she swept the singles,
women's doubles, and mixed doubles competitions three consecutive years.
Wightman is known as the "Queen Mother of American Tennis” or "Lady Tennis" for
her lifelong participation in and promotion of women's tennis and because she
was instrumental in organizing the Ladies International Tennis Challenge between
British and American women's teams, better known as the Wightman Cup. The Cup
was first held in 1923 and continued through 1989. She played five years on the
American team and was the captain of the American team from inception of the
competition through 1948. The Cup was composed of five singles and two doubles
matches. The cup itself was donated in 1923 by Wightman in honor of her husband.
The first contest, at Forest Hills, New York on August 11 and 13, 1923, was won
by the United States.
Born during the early days of American tennis, Wightman was a frail and awkward
child. Her doctor recommended that she take up a sport to strengthen herself.
Her brother suggested tennis as it was considered a 'genteel' sport. Wightman
learned to play at the nearby courts of the University of California at
Berkelely where she graduated in 1911. Her rivalry with fellow Californian, May
Sutton, shaped a new women's game, with Wightman attacking the net to counter
Sutton's dominating forehand.
Wightman was the mother of five children and devoted herself to teaching other
young people, opening her home near Boston's Longwood Cricket Club to aspiring
champions. In recognition of Wightman's contributions to tennis, the USTA
Service Bowl was donated in her honor. In 1973, Queen Elizabeth II named
Wightman an honorary Commander of the British Empire.
17 Grand Slam titles (4 singles, 7 women's doubles, 6 mixed doubles)
Won all three titles at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911
Won singles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1919
Runner-up in singles at the U.S. Championships: 1915
Won women's doubles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1915, 1924, 1928
Runner-up in women's doubles at the U.S. Championships: 1919, 1923
Won mixed doubles title at the U.S. Championships: 1909-1911, 1915, 1918, 1920
Runner-up in mixed doubles at the U.S. Championships: 1926
Won women's doubles title at Wimbledon: 1924
Olympic gold medalist in women's doubles and mixed doubles: 1924
Won singles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1919, 1927
Won women's doubles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1919, 1921, 1927-1931, 1933, 1943
Won mixed doubles title at the U.S. Indoor: 1923, 1924, 1926-1928
Won doubles title at the U.S. Grass Court Championships (for age 40 and over):
1940-1942, 1944, 1946-1950, 1952, 1954
U.S. Wightman Cup team member: 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1931
U.S. Wightman Cup team captain: 1923, 1924, 1927, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1937-1939,
1946-1948
Winner of USTA Service Bowl, donated in Wightman's honor: 1940, 1946
Author of Better Tennis
Coached several women champions, including Sarah Palfrey Cooke, Helen Wills
Moody, and Helen Jacobs
Inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1957
Named Honorary Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 1973
Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1986
First honoree in the University of California women’s athlete hall of fame