Germaine Golding

Personal life Golding was born on 6 June 1887 in Dijon, daughter of Jean Marie Georges Régnier, a trader, and Camille Berthe Dietz.

Career Golding was a finalist at the French Championships singles event on four occasions, before the tournament became open to international players. In 1910 she lost in a close three-set match to Jeanne Matthey. In 1921 she withdrew from her final against Suzanne Lenglen, while in 1922 and 1923 she lost to Lenglen in straight sets.

Golding reached the singles final of the 1914 World Hard Court Championships in Paris which she lost to 15-year-old Suzanne Lenglen in straight sets. Her greatest success were her three titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles at the 1922 World Covered Court Championship, played on wood courts in St. Moritz, Switzerland. In the singles final she was too strong for Jeanne Vaussard and she won the doubles title with Vaussard after a walkover in the final. In the mixed doubles she partnered with Jean Borotra and defeated compatriots Max Decugis and Vaussard in the final in two sets.

In August 1922 she won the singles title at the Swiss International Championships, that year also held in St. Moritz, which she had also won the previous year and would win for a third time in 1924. In addition she finished as runner-up at the event in 1911 and 1917.

At the 1924 Summer Olympics at Paris, she lost her semifinals match of the singles event against eventual champion Helen Wills as well as the following match for bronze against Kathleen McKane.

After the French Championships were opened for international players in 1925, Golding had problems to compete. She played at Paris for the last time in 1933, losing to Sylvie Jung Henrotin in the second round.

World Championships finals Singles (1 title, 2 runner-ups)

Doubles (2 titles, 2 runner-ups)

Mixed doubles (2 titles, 1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionship SurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1919 World Covered Court Championships Wood William Laurentz Geraldine Beamish Max Decugis 3–6, 3–6Win 1920 World Hard Court Championships Clay William Laurentz Suzanne Amblard Max Decugis walkoverWin 1922 World Covered Court Championships Wood Jean Borotra Jeanne Vaussard Max Decugis 6–3, 6–4