Althea Gibson

• Born: 25 August 1927
• Birthplace: Silver, South Carolina
• Died: 28 September 2003 (respiratory failure)
• Best Known As: The first black woman to win the U.S. Open

The daughter of sharecroppers, Althea Gibson became a tennis sensation in the 1950s. Her 1956 triumph at the French Tennis Championships (later known as the French Open) made her the first black woman ever to win a major singles title. The next year she won singles titles at both Wimbledon and the U.S. Championships, and repeated the feat in 1958. Gibson retired as an amateur after the 1958 season, having become an acclaimed public figure. She later toured as a celebrity with the Harlem Globetrotters and then (like Babe Zaharias) chose golf as a second career; she played on the LPGA tour from 1964-71. Gibson was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971.

Gibson is often compared to her fellow tennis pioneer Arthur Ashe and to two 21st-century African-American tennis stars, Venus and Serena Williams.

For more information on Althea Gibson, visit Britannica.com.

Althea Gibson is noted not only for her exceptional abilities as a tennis player, but for breaking the color barrier in the 1950s as the first African American to compete in national and international tennis.

Born in Silver, South Carolina, in 1927, Althea Gibson became the dominant female athlete of the late 1950s in a sport well known for its custom of racial segregation. Tennis was not Gibson's first sport; instead, she shot pool, bowled, and played basketball. She even boxed a little.

Childhood in Harlem

During the Depression the Gibson family moved north to Harlem. When she was ten years old, Gibson became involved with the Police Athletic League (PAL) movement known as "play streets." Essentially, PAL was an attempt to help troubled children establish work habits they would use later in life. In 1940 in Harlem, PAL promoted paddleball. After three summers of paddleball competition Gibson was so good that the Cosmopolitan Tennis Club sponsored her to learn the game of tennis and proper social behavior.

In 1942 Gibson began winning tournaments sponsored by the American Tennis Association (ATA), the black counterpart to the United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA). In 1944 and 1945 Gibson won the ATA National Junior Championships. In 1946 Gibson was recognized by politically astute blacks as a player who could help break down institutionalized racism in the United States. Sponsored by Hubert Eaton and Walter Johnson and inspired by Sugar Ray Robinson, Gibson soon dominated every event on the ATA schedule. By the beginning of the 1950s she was ready to endure the hardship of breaking the color barrier in tennis.

Breaking the Color Barrier

Gibson had a powerful ally: four-time U.S. singles and doubles champion Alice Marble. The USLTA finally allowed Gibson to play in the 1950 Nationals when Marble intervened on her behalf. Gibson lost her first match of the tournament, but the entrance had been made. Over the next several years Gibson rose in the USLTA rankings (ninth in 1952, seventh in 1953). After a year of touring the world, playing special events for the U.S. State Department, Gibson staged a full-scale assault on the tennis world in 1956. That year she won the French Open in both singles and doubles.

Tennis Dominance

Over the next two years Gibson was the dominant women's tennis player in the world. In 1957 and 1958 she won both Wimbledon and the U.S. Nationals. In 1958 she wrote a book about her life called I Always Wanted to Be Somebody.

Further Reading

Tom Biracree, Althea Gibson (New York: Chelsea House, 1989).

Betty Millsaps Jones, Wonder Women of Sports (New York: Random House, 1981).

Pat Ross, ed., Young and Female: Turning Points in the Lives of Eight American Women, Personal Accounts (New York: Random House, 1972).

tennis player; golfer; singer; actor; writer

Personal Information

Born on August 25, 1927, in Silver, South Carolina; died on September 28, 2003, in East Orange, New Jersey; daughter of Daniel (a mechanic) and Anna (Washington) Gibson; married William A. Darben, October 17, 1965 (divorced); married Sidney Llewellyn, April 11, 1983.
Education: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, BS, 1953.

Career

Tennis player, 1941-58; author, 1958, 1968; singer, musician, spokesperson for products, and actress, 1958-63; Ladies' Professional Golf Tour, golfer, 1963-67; tennis coach, member of athletic commissions, and associate of Essex County (NJ) Park Commission, c. 1970-92.

Life's Work

Althea Gibson's accomplishments in tennis rank among the most inspiring in modern professional sports. At a time when the game of tennis was completely dominated by whites, Gibson emerged with enough talent and determination to win multiple championships at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in the late 1950s. Gibson was not only the first black woman to compete in these prestigious tournaments, she was also the first black person ever to win a tennis title. Having achieved national prominence in a sport long associated with upper-class whites, she became a role model for blacks of both sexes who sought the right to compete in previously segregated sporting events. Doors of opportunity that Gibson opened in both tennis and golf have been pursued by the likes of Arthur Ashe and Zena Garrison in tennis, and Calvin Peete in professional golf.

The titles of Gibson's two memoirs, I Always Wanted To Be Somebody, and So Much To Live For, serve as testimony to her personality and ambition. Her difficult childhood in a Harlem ghetto offered her little in the way of encouragement, but timely help from tennis coaches and supportive black professionals gave her opportunities never before extended to a black woman. Gibson forged into the previously all-white field of women's tennis with the conviction that racism could not stop her, and she handled difficult situations with a grace and earthy humor that brought her a firm following among American sports fans.

Chose Tennis Over Education

The oldest of five children, Althea Gibson was born in Silver, South Carolina, on April 25, 1927. At the time of her birth, her father was working as a sharecropper on a cotton farm. The crops failed several years in a row, and the impoverished Gibson family moved to New York City in 1930 where her aunt was said to have made a living by selling bootleg whiskey. There they settled in a small apartment in Harlem, and four more children were born.

In her memoirs Gibson described herself as a restless youngster who longed to "be somebody" but had little idea how to pursue that goal. School was not the answer for her. She often played hooky to go to the movies and had little rapport with her teachers. After finishing middle school, despite her truancy problems, she was promoted to the Yorkville Trade School. Her problems continued there and became so severe that she was referred to a series of social workers, some of whom threatened her with the prospect of reform school.

Solace was hard to find for the brash youngster. Movies and stage shows at the Apollo Theater offered a glimpse of another world beyond the crowded Harlem streets, and Gibson longed for that world--and her own independence. Even before she was of legal age to drop out of school she applied for working papers and quit attending her classes. She held a series of jobs but was not able to keep any of them very long. A promise to attend night school lasted through only two weeks of classes. By the time she was 14, Gibson was a ward of the New York City Welfare Department. The social workers helped her to find steady work, and they steered her into the local Police Athletic League sports programs.

Gibson's first contact with tennis was through the game of paddleball. The game is similar to conventional tennis but uses wooden paddles instead of rackets. In paddleball Gibson found a challenge she could answer. She would practice swatting balls against a wall for hours at a time, and before long she was winning local tournaments. Her prowess brought her to the attention of musician Buddy Walker, a part-time city recreation department employee. Walker encouraged her to switch to regular tennis and even bought her a racket--a second-hand model he re-strung himself. Walker also introduced Gibson to the members of the interracial New York Cosmopolitan Club. Some of them were also impressed with Gibson's natural talents, and they sponsored her for junior membership and private lessons with a professional named Fred Johnson.

The well-to-do members of the Cosmopolitan Club--particularly a socialite named Rhoda Smith--helped Gibson to curb her wild behavior and adopt a more reasonable and conservative lifestyle. Just one year after her lessons began in 1941, Gibson won her first important tournament, the New York State Open Championship. In 1943 she won the New York State Negro girls' singles championship, and in 1944 and 1945 captured the National Negro girls' championship.

Faced Racism in Professional Tennis

Even though she lost the 1946 Negro girls' championship, Gibson drew the backing of two quite influential patrons. A pair of surgeons, Dr. Hubert Eaton of Wilmington, North Carolina, and Dr. Robert Johnson of Lynchburg, Virginia, made Gibson an attractive offer. They would provide room and board for her and pay for her tennis lessons if she agreed to finish high school at the same time. Gibson accepted and moved to Wilmington to live with Eaton's family. There she attended the local public school and practiced her tennis moves on Eaton's private court. In the summertime she returned to Harlem for coaching by Fred Johnson. Beginning in 1948, Gibson won nine consecutive Negro national championships, a feat that quickly brought her recognition within the white tennis community as well.

Having finally realized the value of a good education, Gibson graduated tenth in her class at North Carolina's Williston Industrial High School in 1949. She then accepted a tennis scholarship to Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University in Tallahassee. She wanted to study music, as she could play the saxophone and had a fine singing voice. Counselors at the college persuaded her to stay with tennis, and she majored in physical education instead.

The biggest battle of Gibson's college years was securing the right to compete in major tennis tournaments against white opponents. That she had the talent to do so could not be denied, but many of the clubs that hosted major tournaments did not admit blacks. In 1950 Gibson sought an invitation from the United States Lawn Tennis Association to play in the National Grass Court championships at Forest Hills, Long Island. The invitation never came. Other tournaments at private clubs barred her as well. Frustrated but undefeated by the rampant racism, Gibson expressed her disappointment in a dignified and professional manner. Before too long she began to find allies in prominent positions.

One such ally was Alice Marble, an editor of American Lawn Tennis magazine. In the July 1950 issue of that periodical, Marble wrote a piece about the "color barrier" keeping Gibson from the top competitions. "The entrance of Negroes into national tennis is as inevitable as it has proven in baseball, in football, or in boxing; there is no denying so much talent," Marble contended. "The committee at Forest Hills has the power to stifle the efforts of one Althea Gibson, who may or may not be succeeded by others of her race who have equal or superior ability. They will knock at the door as she has done. Eventually the tennis world will rise up en masse to protest the injustices perpetrated by our policymakers. Eventually--why not now?"

Became Wimbledon Champion

The reaction to the editorial was almost instantaneous. Within one month of its publication, Gibson was invited to the national tournament at Forest Hills, as well as a number of other important competitions that had once been closed to her. In her first appearance at Forest Hills, Gibson advanced to the second round where she met Wimbledon champion Louise Brough. Gibson was leading in a tie-breaking set, 7-6, when play was interrupted by a severe thunderstorm. When the game resumed the next day, a frazzled Gibson--who had been hounded by the media throughout the delay--lost the match 9-7.

The following three years saw even greater disappointments. In 1952 Gibson was ranked seventh nationally in women's singles; the following year she dropped to 70th. Gibson seriously considered retiring from tennis completely, especially after she earned a Bachelor's degree in 1953, and took a teaching position at Lincoln University in Missouri. A former Harlem coach, Sydney Llewellyn, encouraged her to return to the circuit, and in 1955 she was chosen as one of four American women sent on a "good will" tennis tour of Southeast Asia and Mexico. In the months that followed those trips, Gibson also played in tournaments in Sweden, Germany, France, England, Italy, and Egypt, winning in 16 of 18 appearances. She raised her fortunes even higher in 1956 when she won her first major singles title at the French Open.

Black people seeking equal treatment in all walks of American life pointed proudly to the success of Althea Gibson in 1957 and 1958. The game of tennis has no more prestigious tournament than that held at Wimbledon in England every year. Not only was Gibson the first black ever to appear in that tournament, she was seeded first both years and won the Wimbledon singles and doubles championships both years. In 1957 Gibson defeated Darlene Hard in the singles competition, 6-3, 6-2, and then teamed with Hard in the victorious doubles match. Gibson returned to a ticker-tape parade in New York City and then proceeded to defeat her old nemesis Louise Brough at the U.S. national championships at Forest Hills. Returning to Wimbledon in 1958, she beat Great Britain's Angela Mortimer 8-6, 6-2 in singles and then paired with Brazilian star Maria Bueno for the doubles win. Yet another U.S. national championship followed that summer.

Sought Other Careers

It seemed that Gibson's future in tennis was quite secure by 1958. Although she had just turned 30, she was at the top of her game and had achieved international acclaim. Then she shocked the world by announcing her retirement from the sport. She admitted that the most pressing reason for her decision was money--she simply did not make enough playing tennis to meet her needs. In the wake of her announcement, Gibson began to earn far more by trading upon her fame. She embarked on a singing career that took her to the Ed Sullivan Show and led to the release of several albums; she received product endorsement contracts; she even appeared in a John Ford Western, The Horse Soldiers, with John Wayne and William Holden.

The lure of sports was a powerful one, however. By 1963 Gibson had embarked on another quest, just as ground-breaking as the first. She qualified for the Ladies Professional Golf Association and began competing in important golf tournaments--the first black woman to achieve that honor. Gibson never had the success with golf that she had with tennis, however. She never won a tournament and took home little prize money, although she participated in the LPGA tour from 1963 until 1967. As late as 1990, she attempted a comeback with the LPGA but failed to qualify.

In the 1970s and 1980s Gibson also served as a tennis coach and a mentor to athletes, especially young black women. Her views on modern tennis stars were solicited regularly, and she showed a particular admiration for Martina Navratilova. Having married a New Jersey businessman named William A. Darben, Gibson concentrated her efforts in Essex County, New Jersey, where she served for many years on the Park Commission. She also took posts with the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board and the Governor's Council on Physical Fitness. Darben and Gibson were divorced and Gibson later married Sidney Llewellyn. Gibson retired in 1992, save for personal appearances in connection with golf or tennis events.

No other black woman athlete has yet risen to the prominence in tennis that Gibson achieved in the 1950s where Gibson ultimately won 56 tournaments. In 1971 Gibson was elected to the Tennis Hall of Fame. In 1990 Zena Garrison advanced to the Wimbledon finals but was defeated; she was the only other black woman star to have advanced so far in the game by that time. This does not in any way diminish Althea Gibson's contribution to American sports. Her determination to play in the top tournaments at a time when blacks had little access to the exclusive tennis clubs helped to create a climate of acceptance that persists to this day. Elitism may never be completely eliminated in sports such as golf and tennis, but the contributions of Althea Gibson--and their effect on subsequent generations of black American athletes--are of lasting value to the sporting world.

Receieved Honors Late in Life

Gibson's health later started to fade, and by 1997, according to Time magazine, "Gibson [was] suffering in silence from a series of strokes and ailments brought on by a disease she [was] simply said to have described as 'terminal'." She had all but faded from the public's eye and it seemed she would die quiet and alone without anyone noticing. But some female athletes and coaches hearing about how she was living in all but poverty in East Orange, New Jersey, because her medical bills were overwhelming her, staged a benefit and tribute to the great Althea Gibson and raised, eventually, close to $100,000 to help defray the costs of her medical care. When Gibson learned of the effort that went into raising all the money to help her, her spirits were much lifted and her health improved somewhat.

In 1997 the Arthur Ashe Stadium was dedicated in New York to fellow black tennis great Arthur Ashe. The event took place on Gibson's 70th birthday and accolades were raised to her as well. In 1999 East Orange, New Jersey, dedicated the Althea Gibson Early Childhood Education Academy in Gibson's honor. The school's purpose, according to Tennis magazine, was to "provide kids ages six and under with a safe, nurturing environment in which to grow." Betty Debnaun, the principal of the new school said, "It's only fitting to name the school after a woman as great as Althea Gibson. She excelled in everything she did. She's a living legend." Also in 1999 a documentary of Gibson's life was published, an obvious indication that Gibson's accomplishments had not been forgotten. In 2000 The Sports Authority took upon itself to rank the ten top moments in women's sports. Gibson's becoming the first black woman to win Wimbledon and the U.S. Open was named one of the ten.

On September 28, 2003, Gibson died after a long illness of respiratory failure at East Orange General Hospital in New Jersey. She was 76-years-old. According to the Sports Network several hundred mourners showed up to pay their respects to Gibson. David Dinkins, former mayor of New York spoke at the service about her greatness. Among other things Dinkins reminded listeners of a very important fact: "A lot of folks stood on the shoulders of Althea Gibson." And this is something that people should never forget.

Awards

Winner of national Negro girls' championships, 1944, 1945, 1948-56; winner of English singles and doubles championships at Wimbledon, 1957 and 1958; winner of U.S. national singles championships at Forest Hills, 1957 and 1958; named Woman Athlete of Yr., AP Poll, 1957-58; named to Lawn Tennis Hall of Fame and Tennis Mus., 1971, Black Athletes Hall of Fame, 1974, S.C. Hall of Fame, 1983, Fla. Sports Hall of Fame, 1984, Sports Hall of Fame of NJ, 1994.

Works

Selected writings

• I Always Wanted To Be Somebody, Harper, 1958.
• So Much To Live For, Putnam, 1968.

Further Reading

Books

• Ashe, Arthur, A Hard Road to Glory: A History of the African-American Athlete since 1946, Warner Books, 1988.
• Gibson, Althea, I Always Wanted To Be Somebody, Harper, 1958.
• Gibson, Althea, So Much To Live For, Putnam, 1968.
• Henderson, Edwin B., and others, The Black Athlete: Emergence and Arrival, Publishers Agency, 1976.
• Smith, Jessie Carney, ed., Notable Black American Women, Gale, 1992.
• St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press, 2000.

• American School & University, November, 1999, p. 28.
• Black Enterprise, September, 1997, p. 144.
• Ebony, November, 1997, p. 146; March, 2002, p. 74.
• Jet, March 30, 1987, p. 49; October 13, 2003, p. 51.
• Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service, March 27, 1997.
• Library Journal, March 1, 1999, p. 125.
• Newsweek, October 13, 2003, p. 12.
• Sports Illustrated, September 10, 1990, p. 26; November 29, 1999, p. 114.
• Sports Network, October 2, 2003.
• Tennis, September, 1999, p. 37.
• Time, September, 8, 1997, p. 4.
• WWD, November 17, 2000, p. 23.

— Mark Kram and Catherine V. Donaldson

Quotes:

"Most of us who aspire to be tops in our fields don't really consider the amount of work required to stay tops."

"No matter what accomplishments you make, somebody helped you."

Althea Gibson

Country	United States
Residence
Date of birth	August 25, 1927(1927-08-25)
Place of birth	Silver, SC
Date of death	September 28, 2003 (aged 76)
Place of death	East Orange, N.J.
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Singles
Grand Slam results
Australian Open	F (1957)
French Open	W (1956)
Wimbledon	W (1957, 1958)
US Open	W (1957, 1958)
Doubles
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian Open	W (1957)
French Open	W (1956)
Wimbledon	W (1956, 1957, 1958)
US Open	W (1957)

Althea Gibson (August 25, 1927 – September 28, 2003) was a former World No. 1 American sportswoman who became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour and the first to win a Grand Slam title in 1956. She is sometimes referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the "color barrier." Gibson was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Golf 3 Grand Slam finals 3.1 Singles (7) 3.1.1 Wins (5) 3.1.2 Runner-ups (2) 3.2 Women's doubles (11) 3.2.1 Wins (6) 3.2.2 Runner-ups (5) 4 Grand Slam singles tournament timeline 5 See also 6 External links 7 References

Biography

Born in Silver, South Carolina, Gibson was the daughter of sharecroppers and was raised in Harlem, New York City. She and her family were on welfare. Gibson had trouble in school. She ran away from home quite frequently. She excelled in horsemanship but also competed in golf, basketball, and table tennis. Her talent for and love of table tennis led her to win tournaments sponsored by the Police Athletic League and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Musician Buddy Walker noticed her playing table tennis and introduced her to tennis at the Harlem River Tennis Courts. Dr. Walter Johnson, a Lynchburg, Virginia, physician who was active in the black tennis community, helped with her training.

With the assistance of a sponsor, Gibson moved to Wilmington, North Carolina in 1946 for tennis training, and in 1947 at the age of 20, she won the first of 10 consecutive national championships run by the American Tennis Association, then-governing body for black tournaments. Forced to play in what was basically a segregated sport, at age 23 Gibson was finally given the opportunity to participate in the 1950 U.S. Championships after Alice Marble had written an editorial for the July 1, 1950, edition of American Lawn Tennis Magazine.^[1] Gibson continued to improve her tennis game while pursuing an education. In 1953, she graduated from Florida A&M University on a tennis and basketball scholarship and moved to Jefferson City, Missouri to work as an athletic instructor at Lincoln University.

A wall-mounted quote by Althea Gibson in The American Adventure in the World Showcase pavilion of Walt Disney World's Epcot.

Gibson was now able to compete against the best players from around the world because the color barrier had been broken. Gibson's game improved to where she won the 1955 Italian Championships. The following year, she won her first Grand Slam titles, capturing the French Championships in singles and in doubles with her partner, Jewish Englishwoman Angela Buxton. Buxton had run into discrimination from other players and the tennis establishment along the same lines as those experienced by Gibson, so the two joined forces and achieved great success. Buxton was the first Jewish champion at Wimbledon, and Gibson was the first champion of African descent. An English newspaper reported their victory at Wimbledon under the headline "Minorities Win."

She followed up by becoming the first black person to win a title at Wimbledon, again capturing the doubles title with Buxton. At the U.S. Championships that year, she reached the singles final where she lost to Shirley Fry Irvin.

In 1957, Gibson lost in the singles final of the Australian Championships, again to Irvin. The two women, however, teamed to capture the doubles title, as Buxton had retired prematurely at the age of 22 due to a serious hand injury.

At Wimbledon, Gibson won her first of two consecutive singles championships and, upon returning to the United States, was given a ticker-tape parade in New York City and an official welcome at New York City Hall. She responded by winning the U.S. Championships. For her accomplishments that year, Gibson earned the No. 1 ranking in the world and was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year.

In 1958, after successfully defending her Wimbledon singles title and winning her third consecutive Wimbledon women's doubles title, Gibson again won the singles title at the U.S. Championships. She was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year for the second consecutive year. That year, Gibson retired from amateur tennis. Before the open era began, there was no prize money, other than an expense allowance, and no endorsement deals. To begin earning prize money, tennis players had to give up their amateur status. As there was no professional tour for women, Gibson was limited to playing in a series of exhibition tours.

According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Gibson was ranked in the world top ten from 1956 through 1958, reaching a career high of World No. 1 in those rankings in 1957 and 1958.^[2] Gibson was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Tennis Association in 1952 and 1953 and from 1955 through 1958. She was the top ranked U.S. player in 1957 and 1958.^[3] In 1958, she appeared as the celebrity challenger on the TV panel show "What's My Line?".

In retirement, Gibson wrote her autobiography and in 1959 recorded an album, Althea Gibson Sings, as well as appearing in the motion picture, The Horse Soldiers. In 1964, she became the first African-American woman to play in the Ladies Professional Golf Association. However, she was too old to be successful and only played for a few years.

In 1971, Gibson was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and in 1975, she was appointed the New Jersey state commissioner of athletics. After 10 years on the job, she went on to work in other public service positions, including serving on the governor's council on physical fitness. In later years, she suffered two cerebral aneurysms and a stroke.

Tennis players made no money in the 1950s, and Gibson’s finances worsened over the years. In 1992, she suffered a stroke. A few years later, Gibson called Buxton and told her she was on the brink of suicide. Gibson was living on welfare and unable to pay for rent or medication. Buxton arranged for a letter to appear in a tennis magazine. Buxton told Gibson nothing about the letter, but Gibson figured it out when her mailbox started to bulge with envelopes full of checks from around the world. In total, nearly US$1 million came in.^[4]

In 2003, at the age of 76, Gibson died in East Orange, New Jersey due to respiratory failure and was interred there in the Rosedale Cemetery.

On the opening night of the 2007 US Open, the 50th anniversary of Gibson's victory at the U.S. Championships in 1957 (now the US Open), Gibson was inducted into US Open Court of Champions.^[5][6] She is a 2009 inductee of the New Jersey Hall of Fame.^[7]

Golf

This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (August 2009)

Gibson became the first African American woman to join the Ladies Professional Golf Association tour. She joined the tour in 1963. Her best finish on the tour was a tie for second after a three-way playoff at the 1970 Lem Immke Buick Open. Gibson retired from professional golf at the end of the 1978 season.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (7)

Wins (5)

Year	Championship	Opponent in Final	Score in Final
1956	French Championships	Angela Mortimer Barrett	6–0, 12–10
1957	Wimbledon	Darlene Hard	6–3, 6–2
1957	U.S. Championships	Louise Brough Clapp	6–3, 6–2
1958	Wimbledon (2)	Angela Mortimer Barrett	8–6, 6–2
1958	U.S. Championships (2)	Darlene Hard	3–6, 6–1, 6–2

Runner-ups (2)

Year	Championship	Opponent in Final	Score in Final
1956	U.S. Championships	Shirley Fry Irvin	6–3, 6–4
1957	Australian Championships	Shirley Fry Irvin	6–3, 6–4

Women's doubles (11)

Wins (6)

Year	Championship	Event	Partner	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1956	French Championships	Women's doubles	Angela Buxton	Darlene Hard Dorothy Head Node	6–8, 8–6, 6–1
1956	Wimbledon	Women's doubles	Angela Buxton	Fay Muller Daphne Seeney	6–1, 8–6
1957	Australian Championships	Women's doubles	Shirley Fry Irvin	Mary Bevis Hawton Fay Muller	6–2, 6–1
1957	Wimbledon (2)	Women's doubles	Darlene Hard	Mary Bevis Hawton Thelma Coyne Long	6–1, 6–2
1957	U.S. Championships	Mixed doubles	Kurt Nielsen	Darlene Hard Bob Howe	6–3, 9–7
1958	Wimbledon (3)	Women's doubles	Maria Bueno	Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Varner Bloss	6–3, 7–5

Runner-ups (5)

Year	Championship	Event	Partner	Opponents in Final	Score in Final
1956	Wimbledon	Mixed doubles	Gardnar Mulloy	Shirley Fry Irvin Vic Seixas	2–6, 6–2, 7–5
1957	Wimbledon	Mixed doubles	Neil Fraser	Darlene Hard Mervyn Rose	6–4, 7–5
1957	U.S. Championships	Women's doubles	Darlene Hard	Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont	6–2, 7–5
1958	Wimbledon	Mixed doubles	Kurt Nielsen	Lorraine Coghlan Green Bob Howe	6–3, 13–11
1958	U.S. Championships	Women's doubles	Maria Bueno	Darlene Hard Jeanne Arth	2–6, 6–3, 6–4

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	Career SR
Australia	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	F	A	0 / 1
France	A	A	A	A	A	A	W	A	A	1 / 1
Wimbledon	A	3R	A	A	A	A	QF	W	W	2 / 4
United States	2R	3R	3R	QF	1R	3R	F	W	W	2 / 9
SR	0 / 1	0 / 2	0 / 1	0 / 1	0 / 1	0 / 1	1 / 3	2 / 3	2 / 2	5 / 15

A = did not participate in the tournament

SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played

See also

• Althea Gibson Foundation
• List of African American firsts
• Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam final

External links

• Althea Gibson.com
• International Tennis Hall of Fame profile
• Sports Illustrated obituary
• United States Tennis Association
• Hickoksports.com (a short biography)
• Althea Gibson - Womens History.about.com
• Althea Gibson Biography
• Althea Gibson Biography (Short)
• WTA Tour
• U.S. Open mixed doubles page
• Wimbledon women's doubles page
• [2]

References

1. ^ Billie Jean King with Cynthia Starr (1988). We Have Come a Long Way: The Story of Women's Tennis. New York: McGraw-Hill. pp. 76. ISBN 0-07-034625-9. 
2. ^ Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York, N.Y.: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 703. ISBN 0-942257-41-3. 
3. ^ United States Tennis Association (1988). 1988 Official USTA Tennis Yearbook. Lynn, Massachusetts: H.O. Zimman, Inc.. pp. 261. 
4. ^ [1]
5. ^ "USTA To Honor Althea Gibson on Opening Night". usopen.org. 2007-08-15. http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2007-08-15/200708151187195923532.html. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
6. ^ Dillman, Lisa (2007-08-27). "Williams sisters part of Gibson tribute". Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/sports/tennis/la-sp-gibson27aug27,1,7412634.story?coll=la-headlines-sports-tennis&ctrack=1&cset=true. Retrieved 2007-08-28. 
7. ^ New Jersey to Bon Jovi: You Give Us a Good Name Yahoo News, February 2, 2009

v • d • e French Championships women's singles champions (1897) Adine Masson  • (1898) Adine Masson  • (1899) Adine Masson  • (1900) Hélène Prévost  • (1901) P Girod  • (1902) Adine Masson  • (1903) Adine Masson  • (1904) Kate Gillou  • (1905) Kate Gillou  • (1906) Kate Gillou-Fenwick  • (1907) Comtesse de Kermel  • (1908) Kate Gillou-Fenwick  • (1909) Jeanne Matthey  • (1910) Jeanne Matthey  • (1911) Jeanne Matthey  • (1912) Jeanne Matthey  • (1913) Marguerite Broquedis  • (1914) Marguerite Broquedis  • (1915-1919) No competition (due to World War I)  • (1920) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1921) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1922) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1923) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1924) Emilienne Didi Vlasto  • (1925) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1926) Suzanne Lenglen  • (1927) Kea Bouman  • (1928) Helen Wills Moody  • (1929) Helen Wills Moody  • (1930) Helen Wills Moody  • (1931) Cilly Aussem  • (1932) Helen Wills Moody  • (1933) Margaret Scriven Vivian  • (1934) Margaret Scriven Vivian  • (1935) Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling  • (1936) Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling  • (1937) Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling  • (1938) Simone Mathieu  • (1939) Simone Mathieu  • (1940) No competition (due to World War II)  • (1941) Alice Weiwers  • (1942) Alice Weiwers  • (1943) Simone Iribarne Lafargue  • (1944) Raymonde Jones Veber  • (1945) Lolette Payot  • (1946) Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1947) Patricia Canning Todd  • (1948) Nelly Adamson Landry  • (1949) Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1950) Doris Hart  • (1951) Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1952) Doris Hart  • (1953) Maureen Connolly Brinker  • (1954) Maureen Connolly Brinker  • (1955) Angela Mortimer Barrett  • (1956) Althea Gibson  • (1957) Shirley Bloomer Brasher  • (1958) Zsuzsa Körmöczy  • (1959) Christine Truman Janes  • (1960) Darlene Hard  • (1961) Ann Haydon-Jones  • (1962) Margaret Court  • (1963) Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1964) Margaret Court  • (1965) Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1966) Ann Haydon-Jones  • (1967) Françoise Durr

v • d • e Pre Open Era Wimbledon women's singles champions (1884) Maud Watson · (1885) Maud Watson · (1886) Blanche Bingley · (1887) Lottie Dod · (1888) Lottie Dod · (1889) Blanche Bingley · (1890) Lena Rice · (1891) Lottie Dod · (1892) Lottie Dod · (1893) Lottie Dod · (1894) Blanche Bingley · (1895) Charlotte Cooper · (1896) Charlotte Cooper · (1897) Blanche Bingley · (1898) Charlotte Cooper · (1899) Blanche Bingley · (1900) Blanche Bingley · (1901) Charlotte Cooper · (1902) Muriel Robb · (1903) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1904) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1905) May Sutton · (1906) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1907) May Sutton · (1908) Charlotte Cooper · (1909) Dora Boothby · (1910) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1911) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1912) Ethel Thomson Larcombe · (1913) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1914) Dorothea Douglass Lambert Chambers · (1915-18) No competition (due to World War I) · (1919) Suzanne Lenglen · (1920) Suzanne Lenglen · (1921) Suzanne Lenglen · (1922) Suzanne Lenglen · (1923) Suzanne Lenglen · (1924) Kathleen McKane Godfree · (1925) Suzanne Lenglen · (1926) Kathleen McKane Godfree · (1927) Helen Wills Moody · (1928) Helen Wills Moody · (1929) Helen Wills Moody · (1930) Helen Wills Moody · (1931) Cilly Aussem · (1932) Helen Wills Moody · (1933) Helen Wills Moody · (1934) Dorothy Round Little · (1935) Helen Wills Moody · (1936) Helen Jacobs · (1937) Dorothy Round Little · (1938) Helen Wills Moody · (1939) Alice Marble · (1940–45) No competition (due to World War II) · (1946) Pauline Betz · (1947) Margaret Osborne duPont · (1948) Louise Brough · (1949) Louise Brough · (1950) Louise Brough · (1951) Doris Hart · (1952) Maureen Connolly · (1953) Maureen Connolly · (1954) Maureen Connolly · (1955) Louise Brough · (1956) Shirley Fry · (1957) Althea Gibson · (1958) Althea Gibson · (1959) Maria Bueno · (1960) Maria Bueno · (1961) Angela Mortimer · (1962) Karen Hantze Susman · (1963) Margaret Smith · (1964) Maria Bueno · (1965) Margaret Smith · (1966) Billie Jean King (1967) Billie Jean King

v • d • e U.S. National Championships women's singles champions (1887) Ellen Hansell  • (1888) Bertha Townsend  • (1889) Bertha Townsend  • (1890) Ellen Roosevelt  • (1891) Mabel Cahill  • (1892) Mabel Cahill  • (1893) Aline Terry  • (1894) Helen Hellwig  • (1895) Juliette Atkinson  • (1896) Elisabeth Moore  • (1897) Juliette Atkinson  • (1898) Juliette Atkinson  • (1899) Marion Jones  • (1900) Myrtle McAteer  • (1901) Elisabeth Moore  • (1902) Marion Jones  • (1903) Elisabeth Moore  • (1904) May Sutton  • (1905) Elisabeth Moore  • (1906) Helen Homans  • (1907) Evelyn Sears  • (1908) Maud Barger-Wallach  • (1909) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman  • (1910) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman  • (1911) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman  • (1912) Mary Browne  • (1913) Mary Browne  • (1914) Mary Browne  • (1915) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1916) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1917) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1918) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1919) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman  • (1920) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1921) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1922) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1923) Helen Wills Moody  • (1924) Helen Wills Moody  • (1925) Helen Wills Moody  • (1926) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory  • (1927) Helen Wills Moody  • (1928) Helen Wills Moody  • (1929) Helen Wills Moody  • (1930) Betty Nuthall Shoemaker  • (1931) Helen Wills Moody  • (1932) Helen Jacobs  • (1933) Helen Jacobs  • (1934) Helen Jacobs  • (1935) Helen Jacobs  • (1936) Alice Marble  • (1937) Anita Lizana  • (1938) Alice Marble  • (1939) Alice Marble  • (1940) Alice Marble  • (1941) Sarah Palfrey Cooke  • (1942) Pauline Betz Addie  • (1943) Pauline Betz Addie  • (1944) Pauline Betz Addie  • (1945) Sarah Palfrey Cooke  • (1946) Pauline Betz Addie  • (1947) Louise Brough Clapp  • (1948) Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1949) Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1950) Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1951) Maureen Connolly Brinker  • (1952) Maureen Connolly Brinker  • (1953) Maureen Connolly Brinker  • (1954) Doris Hart  • (1955) Doris Hart  • (1956) Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1957) Althea Gibson  • (1958) Althea Gibson  • (1959) Maria Bueno  • (1960) Darlene Hard  • (1961) Darlene Hard  • (1962) Margaret Court  • (1963) Maria Bueno  • (1964) Maria Bueno  • (1965) Margaret Court  • (1966) Maria Bueno  • (1967) Billie Jean King

v • d • e Australasian Championships/Australian Championships women's doubles champions (1922) Esna Boyd Robertson / Marjorie Mountain  • (1923) Esna Boyd Robertson / Sylvia Lance Harper  • (1924) Daphne Akhurst Cozens / Sylvia Lance Harper  • (1925) Sylvia Lance Harper / Daphne Akhurst Cozens  • (1926) Meryl O'Hara Wood / Esna Boyd Robertson  • (1927) Meryl O'Hara Wood / Louie Bickerton  • (1928) Daphne Akhurst Cozens / Esna Boyd Robertson  • (1929) Daphne Akhurst Cozens / Louie Bickerton  • (1930) Margaret Molesworth / Emily Hood Westacott  • (1931) Daphne Akhurst Cozens / Louise Bickerton  • (1932) Coral McInnes Buttsworth / Marjorie Cox Crawford  • (1933) Margaret Molesworth / Emily Hood Westacott  • (1934) Margaret Molesworth / Emily Hood Westacott  • (1935) Evelyn Dearman / Nancy Lyle Glover  • (1936) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1937) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1938) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1939) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1940) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1941 - 1945) No competition (due to World War II)  • (1946) Joyce Fitch / Mary Bevis Hawton  • (1947) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1948) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1949) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1950) Louise Brough Clapp / Doris Hart  • (1951) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1952) Thelma Coyne Long / Nancye Wynne Bolton  • (1953) Maureen Connolly Brinker / Julie Sampson Haywood  • (1954) Mary Bevis Hawton / Thelma Coyne Long  • (1955) Mary Bevis Hawton / Beryl Penrose Collier  • (1956) Mary Bevis Hawton / Thelma Coyne Long  • (1957) Althea Gibson / Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1958) Mary Bevis Hawton / Thelma Coyne Long  • (1959) Renee Schuurman Haygarth / Sandra Reynolds Price  • (1960) Maria Bueno / Christine Truman Janes  • (1961) Mary Carter Reitano / Margaret Court  • (1962) Margaret Court / Robyn Ebbern  • (1963) Margaret Court / Robyn Ebbern  • (1964) Judy Tegart Dalton / Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1965) Margaret Court / Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1966) Carole Caldwell Graebner / Nancy Richey  • (1967) Lesley Turner Bowrey / Judy Tegart Dalton  • (1968) Karen Krantzcke / Kerry Melville Reid

v • d • e French Championships women's doubles champions (1914) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1915 – 1919) No competition (due to World War I)  • (1920) Dorothy Holman / Phyllis Satterwaithe  • (1921) Suzanne Lenglen / Germaine Golding  • (1922) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1923) Geraldine Beamish / Kitty McKane Godfree  • (1924) No competition (due to 1924 Paris Olympics)  • (1925) Suzanne Lenglen / Didi Vlasto  • (1926) Suzanne Lenglen / Didi Vlasto  • (1927) Irene Bowder Peacock / Bobbie Heine  • (1928) Phoebe Holcroft Watson / Eileen Bennett Whittingstall  • (1929) Lili de Alvarez Valdene / Kea Bouman  • (1930) Helen Wills Moody / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1931) Eileen Bennett Whittingstall / Betty Nuthall Shoemaker  • (1932) Helen Wills Moody / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1933) Simone Mathieu / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1934) Simone Mathieu / Elizabeth Ryan  • (1935) Margaret Scriven Vivian / Kay Stammers Bullitt  • (1936) Simone Mathieu / Billie Yorke  • (1937) Simone Mathieu / Billie Yorke  • (1938) Simone Mathieu / Billie Yorke  • (1939) Simone Mathieu / Jadwiga Jędrzejowska  • (1940 -1945) No competition (due to World War II)  • (1945) P. Fritz / Simone Iribarne Lafargue  • (1946) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1947) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont  • (1948) Doris Hart / Patricia Canning Todd  • (1949) Margaret Osborne duPont / Louise Brough Clapp  • (1950) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1951) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1952) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1953) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin  • (1954) Maureen Connolly Brinker / Nell Hall Hopman  • (1955) Beverly Baker Fleitz / Darlene Hard  • (1956) Angela Buxton / Althea Gibson  • (1957) Shirley Bloomer Brasher / Darlene Hard  • (1958) Rosie Reyes / Yola Ramirez Ochoa  • (1959) Sandra Reynolds Price / Renee Schuurman Haygarth  • (1960) Maria Bueno / Darlene Hard  • (1961) Sandra Reynolds Price / Renee Schuurman Haygarth  • (1962) Sandra Reynolds Price / Renee Schuurman Haygarth  • (1963) Ann Haydon-Jones / Renee Schuurman Haygarth  • (1964) Margaret Court / Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1965) Margaret Court / Lesley Turner Bowrey  • (1966) Margaret Court / Judy Tegart Dalton  • (1967) Françoise Durr / Gail Chanfreau

v • d • e Pre Open Era Wimbledon women's doubles champions (1913) Winifred McNair / Dora Boothby · (1914) Agnes Morton / Elizabeth Ryan · (1915-18) No competition (due to World War I) · (1919) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1920) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1921) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1922) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1923) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1924) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Helen Wills Moody · (1925) Suzanne Lenglen / Elizabeth Ryan · (1926) Mary Browne / Elizabeth Ryan · (1927) Helen Wills Moody / Elizabeth Ryan · (1928) Peggy Saunders Michel / Phoebe Holcroft Watson · (1929) Peggy Saunders Michel / Phoebe Holcroft Watson · (1930) Helen Wills Moody / Elizabeth Ryan · (1931) Phyllis Mudford / Dorothy S. Barron · (1932) Doris Metaxa / Josane Sigart · (1933) Simone Mathieu / Elizabeth Ryan · (1934) Simone Mathieu / Elizabeth Ryan · (1935) Freda James / Kay Stammers Bullitt · (1936) Freda James / Kay Stammers Bullitt · (1937) Simone Mathieu / Billie Yorke · (1938) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Alice Marble · (1939) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Alice Marble · (1940-45) No competition (due to World War II) · (1946) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont · (1947) Patricia Canning Todd / Doris Hart · (1948) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont · (1949) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont · (1950) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont · (1951) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin · (1952) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin · (1953) Doris Hart / Shirley Fry Irvin · (1954) Louise Brough Clapp / Margaret Osborne duPont · (1955) Angela Mortimer Barrett / Anne Shilcock · (1956) Angela Buxton / Althea Gibson · (1957) Althea Gibson / Darlene Hard · (1958) Maria Bueno / Althea Gibson · (1959) Jeanne Arth / Darlene Hard · (1960) Maria Bueno / Darlene Hard · (1961) Karen Hantze Susman / Billie Jean King · (1962) Karen Hantze Susman / Billie Jean King · (1963) Maria Bueno / Darlene Hard · (1964) Margaret Court / Lesley Turner Bowrey · (1965) Maria Bueno / Billie Jean King · (1966) Maria Bueno / Nancy Richey · (1967) Rosemary Casals / Billie Jean King

v • d • e U.S. National Championships mixed doubles champions (1888) M. Wright / J. S. Clark  • (1889) M. Wright / J. S. Clark  • (1890) Mabel Cahill / R. Beach  • (1891) Mabel Cahill / M. R. Wright  • (1892) Mabel Cahill / Clarence Hobart  • (1893) Ellen Roosevelt / Clarence Hobart  • (1894) Juliette Atkinson / Edwin Fisher  • (1895) Juliette Atkinson / Edwin Fisher  • (1896) Juliette Atkinson / Edwin Fisher  • (1897) Laura Henson / D.L. Magruder  • (1898) Carrie Neely/ Edwin Fisher  • (1899) Elizabeth Rastall / Albert Hoskins  • (1900) Margaret Hunnewell / Alfred Codman  • (1901) Marion Jones / Ray Little  • (1902) Elisabeth Moore / Wylie Grant  • (1903) Helen Chapman / Harry Allen  • (1904) Elisabeth Moore / Wylie Grant  • (1905) Augusta Schultz Hobart / Clarence Hobart  • (1906) Sarah Coffin / Edward Dewhurst  • (1907) May Sayers / Wallace Johnson  • (1908) Edith Rotch / Nathaniel Niles  • (1909) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Wallace Johnson  • (1910) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Joseph Carpenter, Jr.  • (1911) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Wallace Johnson  • (1912) Mary Browne / Dick Williams  • (1913) Mary Browne / Bill Tilden  • (1914) Mary Browne / Bill Tilden  • (1915) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Harry Johnson  • (1916) Eleonora Sears / Willis Davis  • (1917) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory / Irving Wright  • (1918) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Irving Wright  • (1919) Marion Jessup / Vincent Richards  • (1920) Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman / Wallace Johnson  • (1921) Mary Browne / Bill Johnston  • (1922) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory / Bill Tilden  • (1923) Molla Bjurstedt Mallory / Bill Tilden  • (1924) Helen Wills Moody / Vincent Richards  • (1925) Kathleen McKane Godfree / John Hawkes  • (1926) Elizabeth Ryan / Jean Borotra  • (1927) Eileen Bennett Whittingstall / Henri Cochet  • t(1928) Helen Wills Moody / John Hawkes  • (1929) Betty Nuthall Shoemaker / George Lott  • (1930) Edith Cross / Wilmer Allison  • (1931) Betty Nuthall Shoemaker / George Lott  • (1932) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Fred Perry  • (1933) Elizabeth Ryan / Ellsworth Vines  • (1934) Helen Jacobs / George Lott  • (1935) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Enrique Maier  • (1936) Alice Marble / Gene Mako  • (1937) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Don Budge  • (1938) Alice Marble / Don Budge  • (1939) Alice Marble / Harry Hopman  • (1940) Alice Marble / Bobby Riggs  • (1941) Sarah Palfrey Cooke / Jack Kramer  • (1942) Louise Brough Clapp / Ted Schroeder  • (1943) Margaret Osborne duPont / Bill Talbert  • (1944) Margaret Osborne duPont / Bill Talbert  • (1945) Margaret Osborne duPont / Bill Talbert  • (1946) Margaret Osborne duPont / Bill Talbert  • (1947) Louise Brough Clapp / John Bromwich  • (1948) Louise Brough Clapp / Tom Brown  • (1949) Louise Brough Clapp / Eric Strugess  • (1950) Margaret Osborne duPont / Ken McGregor  • (1951) Doris Hart / Frank Sedgman  • (1952) Doris Hart / Frank Sedgman  • (1953) Doris Hart / Vic Seixas  • (1954) Doris Hart / Vic Seixas  • (1955) Doris Hart / Vic Seixas  • (1956) Margaret Osborne duPont / Ken Rosewall  • (1957) Althea Gibson / Kurt Nielsen  • (1958) Margaret Osborne duPont / Neale Fraser  • (1959) Margaret Osborne duPont / Neale Fraser  • (1960) Margaret Osborne duPont / Neale Fraser  • (1961) Margaret Court / Bob Mark  • (1962) Margaret Court / Fred Stolle  • (1963) Margaret Court / Ken Fletcher  • (1964) Margaret Court / John Newcombe  • (1965) Margaret Court / Fred Stolle  • (1966) Donna Floyd Fales / Owen Davidson  • (1967) Billie Jean King / Owen Davidson

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