Doubles, Women

In women’s doubles, Winifred McNair and Kitty McKane won, defeating Suzanne Lenglen and her partner, Elisabeth d’Ayen, in the semi-finals, and their countrywomen, Geraldine Beamish and Dorothy Holman in the finals.

McNair and McKane were a formidable doubles team. McNair reached the finals of the All-Comers singles at Wimbledon in 1913, and won the doubles plate that year, partnered by Dora Boothby. She later turned to golf and was runner-up in the 1921 English Ladies Championship, and played internationally for England that year at Turnberry.

But Kitty McKane had one of the best records of any British female tennis player ever. Not least of this was her performance at the 1920 Olympics, at which she won medals in all three events, capped by her doubles gold. She won the Wimbledon singles title in 1924 and 1926, giving Helen Wills a rare defeat in the 1924 singles final. She was U.S. doubles champion in 1923 and 1927 and U.S. mixed doubles champion in 1925. She was equally adept at badminton, winning eight All-England titles – four singles, two doubles, and two mixed doubles.