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Bertha Townsend

1869 – 1909

US tennis player

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About Bertha Townsend

Lived 1869 – 1909 (aged 40). Bertha Townsend was an American tennis player.

Bertha Louise Townsend Toulmin (née Townsend; March 7, 1869 – May 12, 1909) was a female tennis player from the United States. She is best remembered for being the first repeating women's singles champion at the U.S. Championships (now U.S. Open) in 1888 and 1889. She developed the underhand technique.

She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1974.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 titles, 1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1888 U.S. Championships Grass Ellen Hansell 6–3, 6–5Win 1889 U.S. Championships Grass Lida Voorhees 7–5, 6–2Loss 1890 U.S. Championships Grass Ellen Roosevelt 2–6, 2–6

Doubles (1 title, 1 runners-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1889 U.S. Championships Grass Margarette Ballard Marion Wright Laura Knight 6–2, 6–0Loss 1890 U.S. Championships Grass Margarette Ballard Grace Roosevelt Ellen Roosevelt 1–6, 2–6

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Awards
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Also known as
Bertha Louise Townsend Toulmin

People in Bertha Townsend's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bertha Townsend's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bertha Townsend?

US tennis player (1869-1909)

When was Bertha Townsend born?

Bertha Townsend was born on 7 March 1869 in Philadelphia.

When did Bertha Townsend die?

Bertha Townsend died on 12 May 1909 in Haverford.

What was Bertha Townsend's occupation?

Bertha Townsend was a tennis player.

What nationality was Bertha Townsend?

Bertha Townsend was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bertha Townsend

· Wikidata: Q453061

· DBpedia: Bertha Townsend

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bertha Townsend. https://biography.guide/bertha-townsend/

MLA: "Bertha Townsend." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bertha-townsend/.

Chicago: "Bertha Townsend." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bertha-townsend/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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