Esna Boyd Robertson ( Boyd; 21 September 1899 – 13 November 1966) was an Australian tennis player who reached seven consecutive women's singles finals at the Australian Championships from 1922 through 1928. She won one of those finals, defeating Sylvia Lance Harper in 1927. Robertson participated in the first women's singles final at the Australian Championships in 1922 against fellow Australian Margaret Molesworth.
According to Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Robertson was ranked world No. 10 in 1928.
Personal life Boyd was born in Melbourne on 21 September 1899, the daughter of James Boyd, a politician, and Emma Flora McCormack. She had a sister, Alva who became a medical practitioner. She married Angus Robertson on 11 March 1929; they had a son, William, in 1930 and a daughter Mary, in 1933.
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 7 (1 title, 6 runners-up)
ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1922Australian Championships Grass Margaret Molesworth 3–6, 8–10Loss 1923Australian Championships Grass Margaret Molesworth 1–6, 5–7Loss 1924 Australian Championships Grass Sylvia Lance Harper 3–6, 6–3, 6–8Loss 1925 Australian Championships Grass Daphne Akhurst Cozens 6–1, 6–8, 4–6Loss 1926 Australian Championships Grass Daphne Akhurst Cozens 1–6, 3–6Win 1927 Australian Championships Grass Sylvia Lance Harper 5–7, 6–1, 6–2Loss 1928 Australian Championships Grass Daphne Akhurst Cozens 5–7, 2–6
Doubles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1922 Australian Championships Grass Marjorie Mountain Gwen Utz Floris St. George 1–6, 6–4, 7–5Win 1923 Australian Championships Grass Sylvia Lance Harper Margaret Molesworth Beryl Turner 6–1, 6–4Loss 1925 Australian Championships Grass Kathleen Le Messurier Daphne Akhurst Sylvia Lance Harper 4–6, 3–6Win 1926 Australian Championships Grass Meryl O'Hara Wood Daphne Akhurst Marjorie Cox Crawford 6–3, 6–8, 8–6Loss 1927 Australian Championships Grass Sylvia Lance Harper Louise Bickerton Meryl O'Hara Wood 3–6, 3–6Win 1928 Australian Championships Grass Daphne Akhurst Kathleen Le Messurier Dorothy Weston 6–3, 6–1
Mixed doubles: 5 (3 titles, 2 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1922 Australian Championships Grass John Hawkes Gwen Utz Harold Utz 6–1, 6–1Loss 1924 Australian Championships Grass Gar Hone Daphne Akhurst Jim Willard 3–6, 4–6Win 1926 Australian Championships Grass John Hawkes Daphne Akhurst Jim Willard 6–1, 6–4Win 1927 Australian Championships Grass John Hawkes Youtha Anthony Jim Willard 6–1, 6–3Loss 1928 Australian Championships Grass John Hawkes Daphne Akhurst Jean Borotra default
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
Tournament 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 Career SR Australian Championships F F F F F W FAAA2RAA 1 / 8 French Championships1AANHAAA3RAAAAAA 0 / 1 WimbledonAAAQFAA4RA4RAAA1R 0 / 4 United States ChampionshipsAAAAAAAAAAAAA 0 / 0 SR0 / 10 / 10 / 10 / 20 / 11 / 11 / 30 / 00 / 10 / 00 / 10 / 00 / 1 1 / 13
1Through 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 1922 and 1923 editions 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