Tennis at the 1924 Summer Olympics – Women's singles

The women's singles tennis competition was one of five tennis events at the 1924 Summer Olympics.[1] It was held from 13 to 20 July at the Stade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir.[2] There were 31 competitors from 14 nations (after 7 withdrawals).[2] The event was won by Helen Wills of the United States, the first American victory in the women's singles. Julie Vlasto of France took silver. Kathleen McKane Godfree of Great Britain repeated as bronze medalist.

Women's singles
at the Games of the VIII Olympiad
Gold medalist Helen Wills (1932)
VenueStade Olympique Yves-du-Manoir
Dates13–20 July 1932
Competitors31 from 14 nations
Medalists
1st place, gold medalist(s) Helen Wills
 United States
2nd place, silver medalist(s) Julie Vlasto
 France
3rd place, bronze medalist(s) Kathleen McKane Godfree
 Great Britain
← 1920
1988 →
Women's singles
Tennis at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Events
Singles men women
Doubles men women mixed
← 1920 · Summer Olympics · 1988 →

Background edit

This was the fifth appearance of the women's singles tennis. A women's event was held only once during the first three Games (only men's tennis was played in 1896 and 1904), but has been held at every Olympics for which there was a tennis tournament since 1908. Tennis was not a medal sport from 1928 to 1984, though there were demonstration events in 1968 and 1984.[2]

France's Suzanne Lenglen was the reigning Olympic champion and the dominant player of the time; however, she was ill (battling jaundice) and could not compete in front of the home crowd. American Helen Wills (who would go on to replace Lenglen as the dominant women's player and win 19 total singles Grand Slam titles) was 18 at the time and had played in three Grand Slam tournaments to date, reaching the finals in all three (and winning the 1923 U.S. championship). Julie Vlasto was the top French player in Lenglen's absence.[2]

Greece, Hungary, India, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Spain each made their debut in the event. France and Great Britain each made their fourth appearance, tied for most among nations to that point.

Competition format edit

The competition was a single-elimination tournament with a bronze-medal match. All matches were best-of-three sets.

Schedule edit

Date Time Round
Sunday, 13 July 1924 Round of 64
Monday, 14 July 1924 Round of 64
Round of 32
Tuesday, 15 July 1924 Round of 32
Round of 16
Wednesday, 16 July 1924 Round of 16
Thursday, 17 July 1924 Quarterfinals
Friday, 18 July 1924 Semifinals
Sunday, 20 July 1924 Bronze medal match
Final

Draw edit

Key edit

Finals edit

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final (gold-medal match)
               
  Helen Wills (USA) 6 6
  Molla Mallory (NOR) 2 3
  Helen Wills (USA) 6 6
  Germaine Golding (FRA) 2 1
  Lilí Álvarez (ESP) 5 3
  Germaine Golding (FRA) 7 6
  Helen Wills (USA) 6 6
  Julie Vlasto (FRA) 2 2
  Dorothy Shepherd-Barron (GBR) 4 2
  Julie Vlasto (FRA) 6 6
  Julie Vlasto (FRA) 0 7 6 Bronze-medal match
  Kathleen McKane (GBR) 6 5 1
  Marion Jessup (USA) 2 0   Germaine Golding (FRA) 7 3 0
  Kathleen McKane (GBR) 6 6   Kathleen McKane (GBR) 5 6 6

Top half edit

Section 1 edit

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
  ML Marnet (ESP) w/o
  H Wills (USA)
  H Wills (USA) 6 6
  P Satterthwaite (GBR) 1 1
  M Forlanini (ITA) w/o
  P Satterthwaite (GBR)
  H Wills (USA) 6 6
  M Mallory (NOR) 2 3
  K Bouman (NED) 8 6
  M Dupont (BEL) 6 4
  K Bouman (NED) 7 0
  M Mallory (NOR) 9 6
  M Mallory (NOR) 6 6
  J Vaussard (FRA) 2 3

Section 2 edit

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
  N Polley (IND) 1 6 6
  L Valaoritou-Skaramaga (GRE) 6 3 2
  N Polley (IND) 0 3
  E Álvarez (ESP) 6 6
  L Scharman (USA) 2 2
  E Álvarez (ESP) 6 6
  E Álvarez (ESP) 5 3
  A Golding (FRA) 7 6
  P Bologna (ITA) 0 3
  A Golding (FRA) 6 6   A Golding (FRA) 6 6
  L von Essen (SWE) 4 2   A Golding (FRA) 6 3 6
  M Janssen (BEL) 4 1   P Covell (GBR) 3 6 2
  I Váradi (HUN) 6 6   I Váradi (HUN) 1 3
  P Covell (GBR) 3 6 6   P Covell (GBR) 6 6
  M Wallis (IRL) 6 0 2

Bottom half edit

Section 3 edit

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
  R Gagliardi (ITA) 6 6
  E Brehm (DEN) 0 2   R Gagliardi (ITA) 4 7 6
  R Blair-White (IRL)   R Blair-White (IRL) 6 5 2
  R le Gallais (LUX) w/o   R Gagliardi (ITA) 1 0
  D Shepherd-Barron (GBR)   D Shepherd-Barron (GBR) 6 6
  I Fonrodona (ESP) w/o   D Shepherd-Barron (GBR) 6 6
  M Storms (BEL) 1 1
  D Shepherd-Barron (GBR) 4 2
  J Vlasto (FRA) 6 6
  H Contostavlos (GRE) w/o
  E Goss (USA)
  E Goss (USA) 3 6 4
  J Vlasto (FRA) 6 2 6
  J Vlasto (FRA) 6 6
  C Dahl (NOR) 1 0

Section 4 edit

First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals
  R Torras (ESP) 6 4 8
  G Perelli (ITA) 4 6 6
  R Torras (ESP) 2 0
  M Jessup (USA) 6 6
  M Jessup (USA)
  S Lenglen (FRA) w/o
  M Jessup (USA) 2 0
  K McKane (GBR) 6 6
  M Krencsey (HUN) w/o
  S Fick (SWE)
  S Fick (SWE) 1 1
  K McKane (GBR) 6 6
  A de Borman (BEL) 0 2
  K McKane (GBR) 6 6

References edit

  1. ^ "Tennis at the 1924 Summer Olympics: Singles, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Singles, Women". Olympedia. Retrieved 14 July 2021.

Sources edit