The 1894 Women's Tennis Season was a worldwide tennis circuit composed of 83 major, national, regional, provincial, state, county, metropolitan, city and regular tournaments.
The season began on 2 January 1894 in Cape Town, South Africa and ended on 28 December in Christchurch, New Zealand.
It was the 19th season since women's tennis began.
Season summary The 1894 women's tennis season began on 2 January in Cape Town, South Africa with the Western Province Championships played on clay courts the event is won by Mrs F.S. Green.
At the end of May the first major tournament of the season the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships are held at the Fitzwilliam Club, Dublin, Ireland with Englands Blanche Hillyard emerges victorius in the women's singles event.
In mid June the second major event of the season the Northern Championships are played at the Liverpool Cricket Club grounds, the holder Lottie Dod chooses not to defend her Northern title this leaving Blanche Hillyard to win a second major title by defeating Beatrice Draffen in the all comers final in three sets.
Moving across the Atlantic Ocean to Philadelphia in the United States the third major tournament of the season U.S. National Championships conclude on 16 June, the women's singles title is won by Helen Hellwig needing five sets to overcome Aline Terry.
In the middle of July at the fourth and final major tournament of the season the Wimbledon Championships are brought to a conclusion, Englands Lottie Dod does not to defend her title, leaving Blanche Hillyard to defeat Welsh player Edith Austin in straight sets in the all comers final, Hillyard completes a clean sweep of the three home major events.
The 1894 season is brought to a close on 28 December with the New Zealand Championships that are played in Christchurch, the women's singles event is won by K Hilda Hitchings.NEW ZEALAND CHAMPIONSHIPS, from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Online Source: https://teara.govt.nz/node/26322 (accessed 17 Jan 2026)
Season results Notes:Hard includes asphalt, cement and concrete tennis courts, some European tournaments use the term to define clay courts they are shown as clay.
Key Tournaments Major National Professional Worldwide Team SurfaceCanvas – Indoor (0)Clay – Outdoor (20)Clay – Indoor (0)Grass – Outdoor (54)Hard – Outdoor (6)Wood – Indoor (3)
January EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist6 Jan.Western Province Championships Cape Town, South AfricaClay Mrs F.S. Greendef. Miss L A. Butler
February EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist24 Feb.Lyttleton Ladies TournamentLyttleton, AustraliaGrass Mrs Chambersdef. G. Hildyard
March EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist4 Mar.Ceylon ChampionshipsNuwara Eliya, CeylonClay Mrs A. F. Brown 6-3, 6-2 Annette de Fonblanque 7 Mar.Auckland ChampionshipsAuckland, New ZealandGrass Jane Mowbry 6-4, 6-4 Mary Spiers 19 Mar.Singapore LLTC Spring OpenSingapore, Straits SettlementsGrass Mrs Lovell1-6, 6-4, 6-4 Mrs Wadell 22 Mar.South African Championships Port Elizabeth, South AfricaClay Mabel Grant 6-1, 6-0 Beatrice Grant 24 Mar.Otago LTA TournamentDunedin, New ZealandGrass Ms Mackerras9-0 games N. Callender 26 Mar.Goulburn OpenGoulburn, AustraliaGrass S. Dransfield 6-1, 6-3 M. Freeman 26 Mar.Geelong Easter TournamentGeelong, AustraliaHard Ms Robertson6-2, 6-1 Ms Spence 27 Mar.Tasmanian ChampionshipsHobart, AustraliaGrass Nina Rock 6-0, 6-3 Gertrude Swan
April EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist7 Apr.British Covered Court ChampionshipsWest Kensington, Great BritainWood (i) Edith Austin2-6 6-4 7-5 May Arbuthnot 9 Apr.Ladie's South Australian Championships Adelaide, AustraliaHard Maisie Parr 6-0, 6-2 W. Brown 14 Apr.Montreux International Montreux, SwitzerlandClay Mildred Brooksmithdef. ? Ruth Dyas 17 Apr.Roman Open Tournament Rome, ItalyClay Mabel Barffdef. Maria della Somaglia 21 Apr.Welsh Covered Court ChampionshipsLlandudno, Great BritainWood (i) Alice Pickering6-3, 6-3 Margaret Dickens
May EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist19 May.New South Wales ChampionshipsSydney, AustraliaGrass S. Dransfield (2)default. Ellen Mayne 19 May.Tynedale OpenHexham, Great BritainGrass Helen Jackson6-3, 6-2 Lottie Paterson 26 May.Irish ChampionshipsFitzwilliam LTCDublin, IrelandGrass Blanche Hillyard6-3, 6-2 Miss Shaw
June EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist1 Jun.Prater Public Park Tournament Vienna, AustriaClay Countess Metternich def Princess Auersperg 3 Jun.Lansdowne ChampionshipsDublin II, IrelandGrass Miss Shaw6-2, 6-4 Florence Snook 8 Jun.North of Ireland ChampionshipsBelfast, IrelandGrass R. Shaw6-1, 6-1 Florence Carr 9 Jun.Middlesex ChampionshipsChiswick Park, Great BritainGrass Edith Austin (2)6-3, 6-3 Alice Brown 13 Jun.Leicester OpenLeicester, Great BritainGrass Blanche Hillyard (2)6-3, 6-1 Helen Jackson 16 Jun.Northern ChampionshipsLiverpool, Great BritainGrass Blanche Hillyard (3)7-5, 4-6, 6-3 Beatrice Draffen 16 Jun.Kent County ChampionshipsBlackheath, Great BritainGrass Amy Wilson default Georgina Wilson 16 Jun.U.S. National ChampionshipsPhiladelphia, United StatesGrass Helen Hellwig7-5, 3-6, 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 Aline Terry 23 Jun.Hudson River Lawn Tennis Association Tourney". Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 24 June 1894. p. 6. via Newspaper Archive. Retrieved 4 February 2026Hudson River ChampionshipsYonkers, United StatesClay Augusta Bradley3-6, 8-10, 6-4, 7-5, 6-1 Mabel L. Ferris 23 Jun.Kent ChampionshipsBeckenham, Great BritainGrass Edith Austin (3)6-4, 6-2 Amy Wilson 24 Jun.Gainsborough ChampionshipsGainsborough, Great BritainGrass Agatha Templeman 6-0, 10-8 Elizabeth White 25 Jun.Whittlesey, Joseph T. Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide for 1895. Tournaments of 1894. Wright and Ditson Publishers. Boston MASS. pp.48-57.Westside TC OpenNew York City, United StatesClay Juliette Atkinson 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 Agnes Collard 30 Jun.London ChampionshipsWest Kensignton II, Great BritainGrass Edith Austin (4) 8-6 11-9 Charlotte Cooper
July EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist2 Jul.Middle States Championships Montrose, United StatesGrass Juliette Atkinson (2)6-8, 6-4, 7-5, 8-10, 6-3 Helen Hellwig 5 Jul.Welsh ChampionshipsPenarth, Great BritainGrass Helen Jackson (2)8-6, 6-2 Ethel Cochrane 7 Jul.Gipsy ChampionshipsStamford Hill, Great BritainGrass Amy Wilson (2)6-1, 3-6, 7-5 C. Reade 7 Jul.Canadian Championships Ottowa,CanadaGrass Maude D. Osborne3-6, 6-2, 6-1 Mrs Whitehead 14 Jul.Natal ChampionshipsPietermaritzburg, South AfricaClay Norah Hickman6-4, 6-1 Miss Forder 14 Jul.Sheffield & Hallamshire Tournament Sheffield, Great BritainGrass Jane Corder Florence Thompson 15 Jul.Hungarian Tennis Association; Fallabda – Tenisz Magazin (in Hungarian); Traco Press, August 8, 1994)Hungarian National Championships Balatonfüred, HungaryClay Paulina Von Pálffy (f)6-4, 11-9 Károly Demény (m) 18 Jul.Wimbledon Championships Wimbledon, Great BritainGrass Blanche Hillyard (4)6-1, 6-1 Edith Austin 25 Jul.Warwickshire ChampionshipsLeamington Spa, Great BritainGrass Lucy Kendal6-4, 6-4 Agatha Templeman 28 JulNottinghamshire OpenNottingham, Great BritainGrass Kate Nunneley6-1, 6-0 Helen Jackson 28 JulNottingham Ladies Challenge Cup Nottingham II, Great BritainGrass Kate Nunneley (2)6-3, 6-4 Blanche Hillyard 28 Jul.Scottish Championships Wemyss Bay, Great BritainGrass Lottie Patersonwalkover Jane Corder 28 Jul.West of Scotland ChampionshipsWemyss Bay, Great BritainGrass Lottie Paterson (2)6-2, 6-0 Heather Graham 29 Jul.Netherlands National Championships Scheveningen, NetherlandsClay Mej P. Scherius2-1 sets I. Matthes
August EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist4 Aug.Queensland ChampionshipsBrisbane, AustraliaGrass Amy Pugh6-2, 6-3 Mabel Taylor 4 Aug.Northumberland ChampionshipsNewcasle, Great BritainGrass Helen Jackson (3)6-3, 9-7 Blanche Hillyard 4 Aug.Trefriw OpenTrefriw, Great BritainGrass Miss Smith6-1, 6-4 Ruth Dyas 10 Aug.Exmouth Open Exmouth, Great BritainGrass Lilian Pine-Coffin6-2, 6-4 Helen Jackson 10 Aug.North of Scotland Championships Elgin, Great BritainClay Miss Forsyth 6-0, 6-2 Miss Daun 10 Aug.Scheveningen InternationalScheveningen II, NetherlandsHard A. Smithers6-4, 2-6, 8-6 C. van Lennep 11 Aug.British Columbia ChampionshipsVictoria, CanadaGrass Bessie Anderson4-6, 6-3, 6-3 Jessie Kershaw 14 Aug.North of Wales Open Abergele, Great BritainGrass Mary Pick6-3, 6-1 Margaret Dickins 16 Aug.Stroud OpenStroud, Great BritainGrass Emma Ridding2 - 0 sets Mrs Story 16 Aug.Wright & Ditson p.131.Inter-White Mountain TournamentMaplewood, United StatesGrass Mary Colahan3-6, 6-5, 6-4, 6-0 Lillian Cone 18 Aug.South of Scotland Championships Moffat, Great BritainGrass Lottie Paterson (3)walkover Jane Corder 18 Aug.Derbyshire ChampionshipsBuxton, Great BritainGrass Blanche Hillyard (5)6-4, 5-7, 7-5 Charlotte Cooper 18 Aug.East of England ChampionshipsFelixstowe, Great BritainGrasd M. Burton6-3, retd. E. Burton 20 Aug.Hilversum OpenHilversum, NetherlandsHard C. van Lennep6-2, 8-6, 6-4 A. Blom-van Lennep 23 Aug.Falmouth OpenFalmouth, Great BritainGrass Agatha Templeman (2)6-4, 6-4 Miss Boyd 23 Aug.North Wales Championships Criccieth, Great BritainGrass Miss Turnerdef. ? Edith Moorehouse 25 Aug.Yorkshire County Championships Scarborough II, Great BritainGrass Beatrice Draffen6-3,, 6-1 Katherine Grey 26 Aug.Southern California Championships Santa Monica, United StatesHard Marion Jones8-6, 8-6 Fannie Shoemaker
September EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist2 Sep.Niagara International Championship Niagara-on-the-Lake, CanadaGrass Maude Delano-Osborne (2)4-6, 6-3, 6-4 Mrs Whitehead 7 Sep.Nyack Open Nyack, United StatesClay Harriet Banks3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 9-7 Augusta Bradley 7 Sep.New York State Championships Saratoga Springs, United StatesClay Lena Ide Default Mabel Cahill 7 Sep.Singapore LLTC Autumn Open Singapore II, Straits SettlementsGrass Mrs Lovell (2)6-5, 6-4 M. Keasberry 9 Sep.Haarlem International Haarlem, NetherlandsClay M. Viruly2-1 sets C. van Lennep 10 Sep.Sussex Championships Brighton, EnglandGrass Blanche Hillyard (6)6-3, 6-0 Maud Shackle 10 Sep.Hamilton Ontario Open Hamilton, CanadaGrass Mrs WhiteheadWon Maude Osborne 10 Sep.Pacific Coast Championships San Rafael, United StatesHard Bee Hooper5-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 Ethel Bates 14 Sep.Staten Island Ladies Club Open Livingston, United StatesGrass Juliette Atkinson (3)6-0, 6-3 Harriet Banks 15 Sep.South of England Championships Eastbourne, EnglandGrass Helen Jackson (4)6-4, 6-2 Charlotte Cooper 15 Sep.Pacific Northwest Championships Tacoma, United StatesClay Miss Kershaw6-2, 4-6, 7-5 Bessie Anderson 17 Sep.Dinard Ladies CupDinard, FranceClay Ivy Arbuthnot6-2, 6-8, 6-4 Alice Arbuthnot 22 Sep.Hohokus Valley TC Open Ridgewood, United StatesClay May Moore8-6, 6-0, 8-6 Bessie Moore 23 Sep.Boulogne International ChampionshipBoulogne-sur-Mer, FranceClay Lottie Paterson (4)6-0, 6-1 Miss Marsh 30 Sep.Bohemian Championships Prague, BohemiaClay A. von Stoninka Holodow5-7, 6-3, retd. Hedwig Rosenbaum
October EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist6 Oct.Welsh Covered Court Championships Llandudno II, WalesWood (i) Margaret Dickins1-6, 6-4, 6-4 Ellen Cressy
November No events
December EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist1 Dec.Victorian Championships Melbourne, AustraliaGrass Constance Raleigh6-5, 6-1 Maisie Parr 10 Dec.Stanford University Championships Stanford, United StatesHard Anna MartinWon ? 24 Dec.Transvaal Championships Johannesburg, South AfricaClay Mrs Airth6-1, 10-8 Miss Vincent 28 Dec.New Zealand Championships Christchurch, New ZealandGrass Hilda Hitchings6-3, 6-4 A. Meeson
Tournament winners Players are listed by most titles won, major tournaments are in bold.