Professional Tennis Player. She was an American tennis champion during the first decades of the 20th century. Born May Godfrey Sutton in England, she relocated to California with her parents at age six. She began to play tennis at age 13 years old and using a strong right hand, won titles throughout California. She was the first American to win at Wimbledon, capturing the Ladies Singles Championship in 1905, which followed with another in 1907. She won two U.S. Open titles in singles and doubles in 1904. Weeks shy of her 18th birthday, she was the youngest woman to win the U.S. Open until Tracy Austin unseated her by winning the 1979 championship at 16 years, 8 months, 28 days. She was the 1908 Rose Parade Queen in Pasadena. On December 11, 1912, she married Tom Bundy, who was a three-time winner of the men's doubles title at the U.S. Championships. She semi-retired to raise a family of four children, however, in 1921 at the age of 35, she returned ranking 4th in competition. At age 40, she played on the 1925 Wightman Cup team. In 1928 and 1929, she and her daughter Dorothy Cheney became the only mother-daughter combination to be seeded at the U.S. Championships. She did return to Wimbledon in 1929 and ranking among the quarterfinalists. She kept competing until she was 85. She holds the distinction of being the first female player enshrined into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1956. She and her husband separated in 1923 and divorced in 1940. Besides her husband and daughter, several members of her family, including her four sisters, granddaughter, and a nephew, have excelled in tennis.
Professional Tennis Player. She was an American tennis champion during the first decades of the 20th century. Born May Godfrey Sutton in England, she relocated to California with her parents at age six. She began to play tennis at age 13 years old and using a strong right hand, won titles throughout California. She was the first American to win at Wimbledon, capturing the Ladies Singles Championship in 1905, which followed with another in 1907. She won two U.S. Open titles in singles and doubles in 1904. Weeks shy of her 18th birthday, she was the youngest woman to win the U.S. Open until Tracy Austin unseated her by winning the 1979 championship at 16 years, 8 months, 28 days. She was the 1908 Rose Parade Queen in Pasadena. On December 11, 1912, she married Tom Bundy, who was a three-time winner of the men's doubles title at the U.S. Championships. She semi-retired to raise a family of four children, however, in 1921 at the age of 35, she returned ranking 4th in competition. At age 40, she played on the 1925 Wightman Cup team. In 1928 and 1929, she and her daughter Dorothy Cheney became the only mother-daughter combination to be seeded at the U.S. Championships. She did return to Wimbledon in 1929 and ranking among the quarterfinalists. She kept competing until she was 85. She holds the distinction of being the first female player enshrined into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1956. She and her husband separated in 1923 and divorced in 1940. Besides her husband and daughter, several members of her family, including her four sisters, granddaughter, and a nephew, have excelled in tennis.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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