| Mrs. Hillyard | Scratch |
|---|---|
| Miss C. Cooper | 1/6 |
| Miss Martin | 2/6 |
| Mrs. Greville | |
| Mrs. Pickering | 3/6 |
| Miss Robb | 4/6 |
| Miss Bromfield | 5/6 |
| Mrs. Evered | |
| Miss C. Hill | |
| Miss Longhurst | |
| Mrs. Winch | |
| Miss Lane | 15 |
| Miss A.M. Morton | |
| Miss Tulloch | |
| Miss D.K. Douglass |
In 1901 I won my first Challenge Cup in an open tournament, beating Mrs. Greville in the challenge round at Beckenham. Mrs. Greville's defeat came as a great surprise to every one. It was her third year for the cup, and this may have accounted for her being much below her usual form. I had certainly improved a great deal, even in that one week, for I had had a hard match every day, meeting Miss Tulloch, Miss Morton, and Countess Schulenberg (with whom I had a tremendous three-set match) in the preceding rounds. Mrs. Greville, on the other hand, had been standing out—the custom at Beckenham, one that I personally always find a great disadvantage. I was easily beaten this year at Wimbledon by Mrs. Sterry. Classification for 1901:
| Mrs. Sterry | Scratch |
|---|---|
| Mrs. Hillyard | 1/6 |
| Miss Martin | |
| Miss D.K. Douglass | 2/6 |
| Mrs. Durlacher | 3/6 |
| Mrs. Greville | |
| Mrs. Pickering | |
| Miss Robb | |
| Miss Lowther | 4/6 |
| Miss A.M. Morton | |
| Miss Thomson | 5/6 |
| Mrs. Winch | |
| Mrs. Evered | 15 |
| Miss Lane | |
| Miss Longhurst | |
| Miss Tulloch |
At Wimbledon, in 1902, I had two very strenuous matches, which improved my game immensely. The first, against Mrs. Durlacher, I just won. The second, against the late Miss Robb, I just lost, after one of the closest matches I have ever played. Miss Robb won the championship this year. It was a great fight; and though of course it is hard to judge, I always feel I played in that game as well as I have ever played. The score in Miss Robb's favour was 6/4, 2/5, 9/7. Thus we both won seventeen games. This year I paid my first visit to Newcastle, a tournament which I always look forward to and enjoy as much as any meeting. The management is all one can desire, the people so keen and hospitable. I had a good hard fight with Mrs. Sterry, losing 7/5, 7/5, and winning with her the Ladies' Doubles cups. At Brighton I was again beaten by Mrs. Sterry, although managing this time to get a set. At Eastbourne the following week I won my first match against Mrs. Sterry in Open Singles, the score being 5/7, 6/2, 6/3. I was simply delighted, after so many reverses, to win a match against this player. I had been beaten so often by her, and sometimes felt as though I never should be rewarded by a victory to my credit. The classification of players for 1902 was as follows:
| Miss Robb | Scratch |
|---|---|
| Mrs. Sterry | |
| Miss D.K. Douglass | 1/6 |
| Miss L. Martin | |
| Miss Longhurst | |
| Mrs. Hillyard | 2/6 |
| Miss H. Lane | |
| Miss A.M. Morton | 3/6 |
| Miss Greville | |
| Miss Steedman | |
| Mrs. Durlacher | |
| Miss C.M. Wilson | |
| Miss Lowther | |
| Miss Bromfield | |
| Miss Thomson | 4/6 |
| Mrs. Pickering |
In 1903 I paid my first visit to the Northern tournament, held at Manchester that year. I won the All England Mixed Doubles Championship with Mr. F.L. Riseley, and was beaten in the challenge round of the Ladies' Singles by Miss L. Martin after a very hard struggle: 4/6, 7/5, 6/4. It seemed a great pity that Miss Martin was not able to play at Wimbledon that year. It was a lean year, and for me a lucky one, for with so many of the best players not competing for the championship (Mrs. Hillyard, Mrs. Sterry, Miss Robb, and Miss Martin were all absentees) I was given a chance of winning the coveted title. I met Miss E.W. Thomson in the final, who had beaten Miss Morton and Miss Wilson in the preceding rounds. I had had a good fight against Miss Lowther before reaching the final. Although I was expected to beat Miss Thomson, and actually did win the match, I scarcely deserved my triumph. Miss Thomson played by far the better tennis, and it was really very hard luck on her that she did not succeed. At one time she was a set up and four games to one, and I was forced to play on the defensive nearly the whole time. Miss Thomson played beautifully, placing with great accuracy down the lines and across the court. Indeed, her placing was so good that I always seemed to be yards away from her return, when I had thought there was plenty of time to get to the ball. It has always been a marvel to me how I won that match; but I think it was chiefly condition—Miss Thomson was never a very good stayer.