Elizabeth Montague Ryan (February 5, 1892 – July 6, 1979) was an American tennis player who was born in Anaheim, California, but lived most of her adult life in the United Kingdom. Ryan won 26 Grand Slam titles, 12 in women's doubles and 7 in mixed doubles at Wimbledon, an all-time record for those two events. Ryan also won four women's doubles titles at the French Championships, as well as one women's doubles title and two mixed-doubles titles at the U.S. Championships. During a 19-year run Ryan amassed a total of 659 titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Career Although she reached the Wimbledon singles finals twice, Ryan never won the title. Eight of her losses at Wimbledon were to players generally considered to be among the best ever. Ryan had to play Dorothea Lambert Chambers in the all-comers final of 1920; Suzanne Lenglen in the 1919 semifinals (losing 6–4, 7–5), 1921 final, 1922 quarterfinals, 1924 quarterfinals (losing 6–2, 6–8, 6–4), and 1925 second round; and Helen Wills Moody in the 1928 semifinals and 1930 final.
In the 1926 singles final at the U.S. Championships, the 34-year-old Ryan led 42-year-old Molla Bjurstedt Mallory 4–6, 6–4, 4–0 and had a match point at 7–6 in the third set before losing the final three games of the match.
Ryan and her longtime partner Lenglen never lost a women's doubles match at Wimbledon, going 31–0. Only Billie Jean King (224 match wins) and Martina Navratilova won more matches at Wimbledon than Ryan (190 match wins): 47–15 in singles, 73–4 in women's doubles, and 70–9 in mixed doubles.
The longtime tennis writer Ted Tinling has credited Ryan with inventing the volleying style later perfected by players such as Sarah Palfrey Cooke, Alice Marble, Louise Brough Clapp, Margaret Osborne duPont, Doris Hart, Darlene Hard, Margaret Court, Navratilova, and King. "Before World War I, women's tennis consisted primary of slogging duels from the baseline. There were a few volleying pioneers, notably ... Hazel [Hotchkiss] Wightman and Ethel [Thomson] Larcombe, but volleying as a fundamental, aggressive technique was first injected into the women's game by ... Ryan." Tinling, however, also said about Ryan, "Elizabeth wasn't fast enough for singles. Too heavy."
According to A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Ryan was ranked in the world top 10 from 1921 (when the rankings began) through 1928 and again in 1930, reaching a career high of world No. 3 in those rankings in 1927. Ryan was ranked second behind Mallory in the year-end rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association for 1925 and 1926.
Ryan died on July 6, 1979, at age 87 on the grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club at Wimbledon, following the ladies singles final and the day before Billie Jean King broke her record number of Wimbledon wins by winning her 20th title. When tennis writer and television commentator Bud Collins tried to arrange for Ryan and King to film an interview together at Wimbledon in 1979, Ryan refused. King said "I always liked seeing Miss Ryan at Wimbledon, and I'd try to be friendly, but she didn't seem to want it. For me, it wasn't personal. Sure, I wanted the record, but I wasn't trying to steal a possession of hers." King also said "[T]here is no doubt in my mind that she just didn't want to be alive to see her record broken. She was , she had held it for a long, long time and she wanted it for herself. But records are there to be broken." Two years before her death, Ryan had told Ted Tinling, the tennis fashion designer, "I hope I don't live to see my record broken, but if someone is to break it, I hope it is Billie Jean. She has so much courage on the court." According to reports, Ryan became ill while watching the men's doubles final and excused herself, heading for the women's rest room. She collapsed there and was rushed to the hospital, where she died at 5:20 p.m. London time.
Career statistics
Grand Slam finals Singles: 3 (3 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1921 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen 2–6, 0–6Loss 1926 U.S. Championships Grass Molla Mallory6–4, 4–6, 7–9Loss 1930 Wimbledon Grass Helen Wills 2–6, 2–6
Doubles: 21 (17 titles, 4 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore Win 1914 Wimbledon Grass Agnes Morton Edith Hannam Ethel Thomson Larcombe 6–1, 6–3 Win 1919 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Dorothea Lambert Chambers Ethel Thomson Larcombe 4–6, 7–5, 6–3 Win 1920 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Dorothea Lambert Chambers Ethel Thomson Larcombe 6–4, 6–0 Win 1921 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Geraldine Beamish Irene Bowder Peacock 6–1, 6–2 Win 1922 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Kathleen McKane Godfree Margaret McKane Stocks 6–0, 6–4 Win 1923 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Joan Austin Evelyn Colyer 6–3, 6–1 Win 1925 Wimbledon Grass Suzanne Lenglen Kathleen Lidderdale Mary McIlquham 6–2, 6–2Loss 1925 U.S. Championships Grass May Sutton Mary Browne Helen Wills 4–6, 3–6 Win 1926 Wimbledon Grass Mary Browne Evelyn Colyer Kathleen McKane Godfree 6–1, 6–1 Win 1926 U.S. Championships Grass Eleanor Goss Mary Browne Charlotte Hosmer Chapin 3–6, 6–4, 12–10 Win 1927 Wimbledon Grass Helen Wills Bobbie Heine Irene Bowder Peacock 6–3, 6–2 Win 1930 French Championships Clay Helen Wills Simone Barbier Simonne Mathieu 6–3, 6–1 Win 1930 Wimbledon Grass Helen Wills Edith Cross Sarah Palfrey 6–2, 9–7Loss 1931 French Championships Clay Cilly Aussem Eileen Bennett Whittingstall Betty Nuthall 7–9, 2–6 Win 1932 French Championships Clay Helen Wills Eileen Bennett Whittingstall Betty Nuthall 6–1, 6–3Loss 1932 Wimbledon Grass Helen Jacobs Doris Metaxa Josane Sigart 4–6, 3–6 Win 1933 French Championships Clay Simonne Mathieu Sylvie Jung Henrotin Colette Rosambert 6–1, 6–3 Win 1933 Wimbledon Grass Simonne Mathieu Freda James Billie Yorke 6–2, 9–11, 6–4Loss 1933 U.S. Championships Grass Helen Wills Freda James Betty Nuthall default Win 1934 French Championships Clay Simonne Mathieu Helen Jacobs Sarah Palfrey 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 Win 1934 Wimbledon Grass Simonne Mathieu Dorothy Andrus Sylvie Jung Henrotin 6–3, 6–3
Mixed doubles: 14 (9 titles, 5 runner-ups) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore Win 1919 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Dorothea Chambers Albert Prebble 6–0, 6–0Loss 1920 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Suzanne Lenglen Gerald Patterson 5–7, 3–6 Win 1921 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Phyllis Howkins Max Woosnam 6–3, 6–1Loss 1922 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Suzanne Lenglen Pat O'Hara Wood 4–6, 3–6 Win 1923 Wimbledon Grass Randolph Lycett Dorothy Shepherd-Barron Lewis Deane 6–4, 7–5Loss 1925 Wimbledon Grass Umberto de Morpurgo Suzanne Lenglen Jean Borotra 3–6, 3–6 Win 1926 U.S. Championships Grass Jean Borotra Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman René Lacoste 6–4, 7–5 Win 1927 Wimbledon Grass Frank Hunter Kathleen McKane Godfree Leslie Godfree 8–6, 6–0 Win 1928 Wimbledon Grass Patrick Spence Daphne Akhurst Jack Crawford 7–5, 6–4 Win 1930 Wimbledon Grass Jack Crawford Hilde Krahwinkel Daniel Prenn 6–1, 6–3 Win 1932 Wimbledon Grass Enrique Maier Josane Sigart Harry Hopman 7–5, 6–2 Win 1933 U.S. Championships Grass Ellsworth Vines Sarah Palfrey George Lott 11–9, 6–1Loss 1934 French Championships Clay Adrian Quist Colette Rosambert Jean Borotra 2–6, 4–6Loss 1934 U.S. Championships Grass Lester Stoefen Helen Jacobs George Lott 6–4, 11–13, 2–6
Grand Slam tournament timelines
Singles Tournament 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 Career SR Australian Open NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NHAAAAAAAAAAAAA 0 / 0 French ChampionshipsAAANHNHNHNHNHAAAANHAQFAAAQFQF1R1R1R 0 / 7 WimbledonQF1R ACF NH NH NH NH SF ACF FQF SFQF2R3R SF SF3R FA1R1AA 0 / 16 U.S. ChampionshipsAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF FAAAAAAAQF 0 / 3 SR0 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 30 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 10 / 20 / 10 / 2 0 / 26 ACF = All comers final, with the winner to play the defending champion.
1 Ryan did not play. Her opponent got a walkover.
Doubles Tournament 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 Career SR Australian Open NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NHAAAAAAAAAAAAA 0 / 0 French ChampionshipsANHNHNHNHNHNHNHAANHANHA SFAAA W F W W W 4 / 6 Wimbledon NH2R W NH NH NH NH W W W W WQF W W WSFSF W AF W W 12 / 16 U.S. ChampionshipsAAAAAAAAAAAAA F WAAAAAA F SF 1 / 4 SR0 / 00 / 01 / 10 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 01 / 11 / 11 / 11 / 11 / 10 / 11 / 22 / 31 / 10 / 10 / 12 / 20 / 11 / 22 / 32 / 3 17 / 26
Mixed doubles Tournament 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 Career SR Australian Open NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NH NHAAAAAAAAAAAAA 0 / 0 French ChampionshipsAAANHNHNHNHNH????NH????????? F 0 / 1 Wimbledon NH ? ? NH NH NH NH W F W F W2R F SF W W SF W A WQFQF 7 / 15 U.S. Championships?AA??????????? W?????? W F 2 / 3 SR0 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 00 / 01 / 10 / 11 / 10 / 11 / 10 / 10 / 11 / 21 / 11 / 10 / 11 / 10 / 01 / 11 / 20 / 3 9 / 19
World Championship finals Singles: 1 final (1 runner up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1922World Hard Court Championships Clay Suzanne Lenglen 3–6, 2–6
Doubles: 2 finals (2 titles)
ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1914 World Hard Court Championships Clay Suzanne Lenglen Blanche Amblard Suzanne Amblard 6–0, 6–0Win 1922 World Hard Court Championships Clay Suzanne Lenglen Winifred Beamish Kitty McKane 6–0, 6–4
Mixed doubles: 2 finals(2 titles)
Result YearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1913 World Hard Court Championships Clay Max Decugis Anthony Wilding Germaine Golding walkoverWin 1914 World Hard Court Championships Clay Max Decugis Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten Suzanne Lenglen 6–3, 6–1
See also Performance timelines for all female tennis since 1978 players who reached at least one Grand Slam or Olympic singles final
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