Phoebe Catherine Holcroft Watson ( Holcroft; 7 October 1898 – 20 October 1980) was a tennis player from the United Kingdom whose best result in singles was reaching the final of the U.S. Championships in 1929, losing to Helen Wills in straight sets. According to A. Wallis Myers, Watson was ranked in the world top 10 in 1926 and from 1928 through 1930, reaching a career high of world No. 2 in 1929.

Watson won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1928 and 1929 and at the US Championships in 1929, all with partner Peggy Saunders Michell. Her other Grand Slam title was the women's doubles at the French Championships in 1928 with partner Eileen Bennett.

She was part of the British team that won the Wightman Cup against the United States in 1928 and 1930.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 1 (1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1929 U.S. Championships Grass Helen Wills 4–6, 2–6

Doubles: 5 (4 titles, 1 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1927French ChampionshipsClay Peggy Saunders Michell Irene Bowder Peacock Bobbie Heine2–6, 1–6Win 1928French ChampionshipsClay Eileen Bennett Suzanne Devé Sylvie Jung6–0, 6–2Win 1928WimbledonGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Ermyntrude Harvey Eileen Bennett6–2, 6–3Win 1929WimbledonGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Phyllis Covell Dorothy Shepherd6–4, 8–6Win 1929US National ChampionshipsGrass Peggy Saunders Michell Phyllis Covell Dorothy Shepherd2–6, 6–3, 6–4

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

Tournament 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 Career SR AustraliaAAAAAAAA 0 / 0 France1ANHAA3R2RQFQF 0 / 4 Wimbledon1R3R1R3RQFQF3R1R 0 / 8 United StatesAAAAAA FA 0 / 1 SR0 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 20 / 30 / 2 0 / 13

1Until 1923, the French Championships were open only to French nationals. The World Hard Court Championships (WHCC), actually played on clay in Paris or Brussels, began in 1912 and were open to all nationalities. The results from the 1923 edition of that tournament are shown here. The Olympics replaced the WHCC in 1924, as the Olympics were held in Paris. Beginning in 1925, the French Championships were open to all nationalities, with the results shown here beginning with that year.

See also Performance timelines for all female tennis players since 1978 who reached at least one Grand Slam final

References