Doreen Sansoni

Thomasine Doreen Sansoni (11 October 1911 – 22 June 1977) was a Sri Lankan tennis player and national No. 1. She won a total of twenty eight career titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles from 1935 to 1946. Adaptable at competing on two natural surfaces she won titles on both clay and grass courts. She remains the most successful Sri Lankan female player.

Tennis career Sansoni began her tennis career in 1931. In April 1933 she reached the semi-finals of the national championships played at the Hill Club in Nuwara Eliya. She won her first singles at the Ceylon Championships in 1935. At the same event that year she earned the distinction of being the first female player to achieve the triple crown by winning both the doubles and mixed doubles. In 1936 she successfully defended her Ceylon Championships title and won the event a further five times, (1937-1940, 1946) her seven singles titles remain a national record she shares with British colonial player Mrs. G. D. H. (Tiny) Alston. In addition she won the Malayan Championships four straight times from 1936 to 1939. In December 1945 she won the singles title at the Bengal Championships in Calcutta, India defeating M. Nolan in straight sets. Her final title came at the All India Championships in January 1946 where she won the singles title, defeating Sarah Mody in three sets. Sansoni was also a successful doubles player, winning the Ceylon ladies doubles championships four times and the mixed doubles championship eight times, partnering with her cousin Hildon Sansoni. Her combined nineteen national titles remain a record. She won the Malayan Championships doubles title in 1936 and the mixed doubles title in 1938. She won the doubles title at the 1941 All India Championships in Baroda, partnering with Indian player Khanum Haji.

Playing style

Personal life Sansoni was born in Negombo into a prominent Burgher family. Her father was Waldo Sansoni, (1883-1966 ), OBE, a former lieutenant colonel commanding the Ceylon Light Infantry regiment, who later became a district judge, and her mother was Thomasin Gertrude Harriet Schrader, (1889-1941) Sansoni had four siblings from her father's first marriage.

Career finals Singles (15) titles (13) runner's up (2) Legend (13-2) Win Loss

ResultNo.DateTournamentLocationSurfaceOpponentScoreWin 1. April 1935 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Amy Rock ?Win 2. April 1936 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Nedra Obeysekera 6-1 5-7 6-4 Win 3. August 1936 Malayan Championships Ipoh Grass Gwendolin Ailin 3–6, 6–3, 6–1Win 4. April 1937 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Laura Woodbridge 7–5, 7–5Win 5. August 1937 Malayan Championships Kuala Lumpur Grass Betty Humphrey 6–1, 6–1Win 6. April 1938 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Mrs Thomas ?Win 7. August 1938 Malayan Championships Singapore Grass Joyce Grenier 6–4, 6–1Win 8. April 1939 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Laura Woodbridge 7–5, 4–6, 6–4Win 9. August 1939 Malayan Championships Ipoh Grass Gwendolin Moon Ailin 6–2, 6–3Win 10. April 1940 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Sheila Roberts 6–1, 6–4Loss 11. February 1945 All India Lawn Tennis Championship Madras Grass Laura Woodbridge 6–3, 2–6, 0–6Win 12. December 1945 Bengal Championships Calcutta Grass M. Nolan 6–4, 6–2Win 13 January 1946 All India Lawn Tennis Championship Calcutta Grass Sera Mody 6–1, 10–12, 6–0Win 14. April 1946 Ceylon Championships Nuwara Eliya Clay Sheila Roberts 7-5, 6-3Loss 15. January 1947 Southern India Championships Madras Grass Sheila Roberts 2-6, 6-4, 4-6