Dorothy Holman

Dorothy Holman reached the ladies singles final at the 1920 Olympics but lost 6-3, 6-0 to Suzanne Lenglen. It was to remain the biggest win in an Olympics ladies singles final until Serena Williams beat Mariya Sharapova to win her first singles gold in 2012. Holman won a second silver in the ladies doubles with Geraldine Beamish when they were beaten in the final by another British pair, Kitty McKane and Winifred McNair. Dorothy won the Queen’s Club Championship (then known as the London Championship) in 1920 when the holder Ethel Larcombe scratched from the final. Dorothy was also runner-up in the championship on three occasions.

Between 1912 and 1925 Dorothy Holman won 22 titles, which included four British Covered court titles in 1912, 1914, 1921 and 1922. But her biggest triumph was in beating Germaine Goulding of France 6-3, 6-4 to capture the World covered court championship in Paris in 1919. Her best performance at Wimbledon was in reaching the semi-final on two occasions. Losing to Charlotte Sterry in three sets in 1912 and in 1913 when she again lost in three sets, to Winifred McNair. She also twice reached the ladies doubles semi-final.

A portrait of Dorothy was hung in the National Portrait Gallery in 1924.