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Tennis 1920-1929. Tennis was first developed in France, by French royalty, beginning in the 1500s. It was known as the sport of kings . In the US, the game became popular in the 1800s, first as court tennis and later as lawn tennis, although still a game for the rich.
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Tennis1920-1929 • Tennis was first developed in France, by French royalty, beginning in the 1500s. • It was known as the sportofkings. • In the US, the game became popular in the 1800s, first as court tennis and later as lawn tennis, although still a game for the rich. • The Olympics included tennis in the first modern Olympiad in 1896 and it was an Olympic sport through 1924, when 2 Americans, HelenWills and VinceRichards, won the singles gold medals. • In 1900 the first British-American Davis Cup competition was staged with the Americans winning the first two Davis Cups. • A similar prize for women, the Wightman Cup, was established in 1923.
Tennis1920-1929 • Men's tennis was dominated in the 1920s by “Big” BillTilden, who was from the Philadelphia area. • He won the national mixed doubles title in 1913 and 1914 and became the number 1 ranked tennis player in the US in 1920. • During the 1920s, Tilden, who was also a playwright and actor, won Wimbledon 3 times and won 7 U.S. singles championships. • He often defeated “Little” BillJohnston, who had defeated Tilden for the 1919 U.S. Championship. • Tilden and Johnston combined to play as doubles partners, as well as singles players for the U.S. Davis Cup team. • They won 7 consecutive Davis Cups in the 1920s, a record that still stands.
Tennis1920-1929 • In the early 1920s, MollaMallory was the dominant U.S. player, but she was overshadowed by SuzanneLenglen of France. • In 1923 HelenWills won her 1st U.S. championship, and she was the outstanding female tennis player of the 1920s. • Besides her Olympic medals, Wills won 6 U.S. championships, 3 Wimbledon titles, and 2 French championships in the 1920s. • She married in 1929 and, as Helen Wills Moody, won 5 more Wimbledon titles, 2 French championships, and 1 U.S. championship in the 1930s.
Tennis1920-1929 • Despite the popularity of Tilden and Wills, tennis was still largely restricted to wealthier classes. • There were few public courts and all the championships were strictly amateur; any player who made any money from tennis was considered a professional. • The game was international in scope, but few ethnic groups in the US other than wealthy, established Western Europeans could afford to play competitive tennis.
