Margaret Osborne duPont
Encyclopedia
Margaret Evelyn Osborne duPont (born March 4, 1918) is a former World No. 1 American female tennis
player.
DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Grand Slam
titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list despite never entering the Australian Championships
. She won 25 of her Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Championships, which is an all-time record.
) and 1948 U.S. Championships (versus Louise Brough Clapp). In terms of games played, the 1948 final at the U.S. Championships is the longest women's singles final ever played at that tournament (48 games).
DuPont teamed with Brough Clapp to win 20 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, which ties Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver
for the most Grand Slam titles ever won by a women's doubles team. DuPont and Brough Clapp won nine consecutive titles at the U.S. Championships from 1942 through 1950. They won that tournament 12 of the 14 years they entered as a team. Their 12 titles is an all-time record for a women's doubles team at the U.S. Championships, easily surpassing the four career titles won by the teams of Navratilova and Shriver, Doris Hart
and Shirley Fry Irvin, and Sarah Palfrey Cooke
and Alice Marble
. DuPont won a total of 13 women's doubles titles at the U.S. Championships, which also is an all-time record, as is her 10 consecutive women's doubles titles at the U.S. Championships from 1941 through 1950.
DuPont won more mixed doubles titles at the U.S. Championships than any other player. She won nine titles, including four with William Talbert (a record for a mixed doubles team at the U.S. Championships) and three with Neale Fraser
.
According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
, DuPont was ranked in the world top ten from 1946 through 1950, 1953, 1954, 1956, and 1957 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 1 in those rankings from 1947 through 1950. DuPont was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
in 1938, 1941 through 1950, 1953, 1956, and 1958. She was the top ranked U.S. player from 1948 through 1950.
From 1938 through 1958, DuPont went undefeated in ten Wightman Cup
competitions, winning her ten singles and nine doubles matches. She also captained the U.S. team nine times, winning eight.
DuPont married William duPont, Jr.
in 1947 and later interrupted her career to give birth to a son, William III. She was one of the few women to win a major title after childbirth but never played the Australian Championships because her husband would not let her. "They didn't start to invite people down there and pay their expenses until I got married, and that was wintertime and Will's vacation time, and I just never got to go. He threatened to divorce me if I went to Australia, so I never went. He had that respiratory trouble, and he wanted me to come to California with him. He thought I should be with him. That was that.". She later divorced duPont and formed a life partnership with fellow player Margaret Varner Bloss
.
in 1967. The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
inducted du Pont in 1999. In 2010, she was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions.
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player.
DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list despite never entering the Australian Championships
Australian Open
The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court...
. She won 25 of her Grand Slam titles at the U.S. Championships, which is an all-time record.
Career
DuPont won six Grand Slam singles titles, saving match points in the finals of the 1946 French Championships (versus Pauline Betz AddiePauline Betz
Pauline May Betz Addie was an American professional tennis player.She won five Grand Slam singles titles and was the runner-up on three other occasions. Jack Kramer has called her the second best female tennis player he ever saw, behind Helen Wills Moody.-Early life:Betz attended Los Angeles High...
) and 1948 U.S. Championships (versus Louise Brough Clapp). In terms of games played, the 1948 final at the U.S. Championships is the longest women's singles final ever played at that tournament (48 games).
DuPont teamed with Brough Clapp to win 20 Grand Slam women's doubles titles, which ties Martina Navratilova and Pam Shriver
Pam Shriver
Pamela Howard Shriver Lazenby , is a former professional tennis player and is currently a sports broadcaster from the United States for ESPN2. During the 1980s and 1990s, she won 133 top-level titles, including 21 women's doubles titles and one mixed doubles title at Grand Slam tournaments...
for the most Grand Slam titles ever won by a women's doubles team. DuPont and Brough Clapp won nine consecutive titles at the U.S. Championships from 1942 through 1950. They won that tournament 12 of the 14 years they entered as a team. Their 12 titles is an all-time record for a women's doubles team at the U.S. Championships, easily surpassing the four career titles won by the teams of Navratilova and Shriver, Doris Hart
Doris Hart
Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg...
and Shirley Fry Irvin, and Sarah Palfrey Cooke
Sarah Palfrey Cooke
Sarah Hammond Palfrey Fabyan Cooke Danzig was a female tennis player from the United States....
and Alice Marble
Alice Marble
Alice Marble was a World No. 1 American tennis player who won 18 Grand Slam championships : 5 in Singles, 6 in Women's Doubles, and 7 in Mixed Doubles.-Early life:Born in the small town of Beckwourth, Plumas County, California, Marble moved with her family at the age of...
. DuPont won a total of 13 women's doubles titles at the U.S. Championships, which also is an all-time record, as is her 10 consecutive women's doubles titles at the U.S. Championships from 1941 through 1950.
DuPont won more mixed doubles titles at the U.S. Championships than any other player. She won nine titles, including four with William Talbert (a record for a mixed doubles team at the U.S. Championships) and three with Neale Fraser
Neale Fraser
Neale Andrew Fraser AO MBE is a former tennis player from Australia, born in Melbourne, Victoria, the son of a Victorian judge. He began playing tennis at age 11 and attended St Kevin's College, Melbourne where he became Captain of Tennis at the school.Fraser won Wimbledon in 1960 and the US...
.
According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, DuPont was ranked in the world top ten from 1946 through 1950, 1953, 1954, 1956, and 1957 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 1 in those rankings from 1947 through 1950. DuPont was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
in 1938, 1941 through 1950, 1953, 1956, and 1958. She was the top ranked U.S. player from 1948 through 1950.
From 1938 through 1958, DuPont went undefeated in ten Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
competitions, winning her ten singles and nine doubles matches. She also captained the U.S. team nine times, winning eight.
DuPont married William duPont, Jr.
William duPont, Jr.
William duPont, Jr. was an American businessman and banker and a prominent figure in the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. A member of the Delaware Du Pont family, he was the son of William du Pont and Annie Rogers , and brother to horsewoman, Marion.In 1919, he married Jean Liseter Austin...
in 1947 and later interrupted her career to give birth to a son, William III. She was one of the few women to win a major title after childbirth but never played the Australian Championships because her husband would not let her. "They didn't start to invite people down there and pay their expenses until I got married, and that was wintertime and Will's vacation time, and I just never got to go. He threatened to divorce me if I went to Australia, so I never went. He had that respiratory trouble, and he wanted me to come to California with him. He thought I should be with him. That was that.". She later divorced duPont and formed a life partnership with fellow player Margaret Varner Bloss
Margaret Varner Bloss
Margaret Varner Bloss was an American athlete and professor of physical education from El Paso, Texas who excelled in three distinctly different racket sports: badminton, squash, and tennis. She is the only person to have represented the USA at the highest level of international competition in all...
.
Awards
She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of FameInternational Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in 1967. The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame
The Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame is a membership-based organization founded in 1976. The organization runs a museum with exhibits at Daniel S...
inducted du Pont in 1999. In 2010, she was inducted into the US Open Court of Champions.
Grand Slam record
- French Championships (5)
- Singles champion (2): 1946, 1949
- Women's Doubles champion (3): 1946, 1947, 1949
- Women's Doubles runner-up: 1950
- WimbledonThe Championships, WimbledonThe Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
(7)- Singles champion: 1947
- Singles runner-up (2): 1949, 1950
- Women's Doubles champion (5): 1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1954
- Women's Doubles runner-up (3): 1947, 1951, 1958
- Mixed Doubles champion: 1962
- Mixed Doubles runner-up: 1954
- U.S. Championships (25)
- Singles champion (3): 1948, 1949, 1950
- Singles runner-up (2): 1944, 1947
- Women's Doubles champion (13): 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1957
- Women's Doubles runner-up (2): 1953, 1954
- Mixed Doubles champion (9): 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1950, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960
- Mixed Doubles runner-up (3): 1948, 1949, 1954
Wins (6)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1946 | French Championships |  Pauline Betz Addie |
1–6, 8–6, 7–5 |
| 1947 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Doris Hart Doris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg... |
6–2, 6–4 |
| 1948 | U.S. Championships | Louise Brough Clapp |
4–6, 6–4, 15–13 |
| 1949 | French Championships (2) |  Nelly Adamson-Landry |
7–5, 6–2 |
| 1949 | U.S. Championships (2) | Doris Hart |
6–3, 6–1 |
| 1950 | U.S. Championships (3) | Doris Hart |
6–4, 6–3 |
Runner-ups (4)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1944 | U.S. Championships | Pauline Betz Addie |
6–3, 8–6 |
| 1947 | U.S. Championships | Louise Brough Clapp |
8–6, 4–6, 6–1 |
| 1949 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Louise Brough Clapp |
10–8, 1–6, 10–8 |
| 1950 | Wimbledon | Louise Brough Clapp |
6–1, 3–6, 6–1 |
Singles
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| France | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | W | SF | A | W | QF | SF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 2 / 5 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | SF | W | SF | F | F | QF | A | A | QF | A | A | A | QF | A | A | A | 1R | 1 / 9 |
| United States | 2R | A | 3R | SF | SF | QF | F | QF | QF | F | W | W | W | A | A | QF | 3R | A | QF | A | 3R | A | 1R | A | A | 3 / 17 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 1 / 2 | 2 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 6 / 31 |
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Women's doubles
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| France | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | W | W | A | W | F | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 3 / 4 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | W | F | W | W | W | F | A | A | W | A | A | A | F | A | A | A | 3R | 5 / 9 |
| United States | 1R | A | QF | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | A | A | F | F | W | W | W | QF | QF | A | SF | SF | 13 / 21 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 3 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3 | 2 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 2 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 21 / 34 |
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Mixed doubles
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| France | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | ? | ? | A | ? | ? | ? | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / ? |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | SF | SF | SF | 4R | 4R | SF | A | A | F | A | A | A | ? | A | A | A | W | 1 / ? |
| United States | 2R | A | ? | ? | SF | W | W | W | W | SF | F | F | W | A | A | A | F | ? | W | SF | W | W | W | A | A | 9 / ? |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / ? | 0 / ? | 0 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 1 / ? | 0 / ? | 0 / ? | 0 / ? | 1 / ? | 0 / ? | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / ? | 1 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 1 / ? | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 1 /1 | 10 / ? |
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
See also
- Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam finalTennis performance timeline comparison (women)This article presents in a tabular form the career tennis Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships and Olympic singles results of every woman who has reached the singles final of at least one Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships or Olympic tournament during her career...