The early years
Great Britain · born Newcastle upon Tyne, 1878 · died 1907 · Wimbledon champion 1902 after the longest women's final
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53
Games across two days in the 1902 Challenge Round, a record for a Wimbledon women's final
4
National singles titles: Wales 1899, Ireland and Scotland 1901, Wimbledon 1902
4
Wimbledon appearances, never worse than a quarter-final
13-11
Second set of the abandoned first attempt at the 1902 final
28
Age at her death in 1907, the youngest of any Wimbledon singles champion
Muriel Evelyn Robb was born in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne, on 13 May 1878, the daughter of William David Robb, a provision agent, and Ellen Robb. She learned the game at Cheltenham Ladies' College, which she attended from 1893 to 1897, and played for Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club in Newcastle.
She began entering tournaments in 1896. In a short career she won the Welsh singles in 1899, the Irish and Scottish singles in 1901 and Wimbledon in 1902, and in four Wimbledons from 1899 to 1902 she never lost before the quarter-finals. Her 1902 Challenge Round against Charlotte Sterry was stopped by rain at one set all, 4-6, 13-11, and replayed in full the next day, when she won 7-5, 6-1.
She returned to Jesmond after her playing days and died there on 12 February 1907, aged 28, after a long illness. She is buried in Jesmond Old Cemetery, and in 2011 the Lord Mayor of Newcastle unveiled a plaque in her honour at Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club.
| Wimbledon 1902 | Beat Edith Bromfield 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, Elsie Lane 6-1, 7-5 and Dorothea Douglass 6-4, 2-6, 9-7, then Agnes Morton 6-2, 6-4 in the All-Comers final |
|---|---|
| Challenge Round 1902 | Against the holder Charlotte Sterry: abandoned for rain at 4-6, 13-11 after Robb saved a match point with Sterry leading 5-4, 40-30 in the second set; replayed from the start the next day and won 7-5, 6-1. The 53 games are a record for a Wimbledon women's final |
| National finals | Welsh 1899: beat Henrica Ridding 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Irish 1901: beat Ruth Durlacher 9-7, 6-1. Scottish 1901: beat Minnie Hunter 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 |
| Kent Championships 1900 | Final at Beckenham: lost to Edith Greville 6-1, 6-3 |
| Wimbledon | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1902 | Women's singles | |
| Welsh Championships | ||
| 1899 | Women's singles†| |
| Irish Championships | ||
| 1901 | Women's singles†| |
| Scottish Championships | ||
| 1901 | Women's singles†| |
Leading grass titles only: the grass majors, tour-level grass events since 1968 and the leading grass championships before 1968. †single source; ‡ sources disagree. Roll of champions
"the power she got on the ball was astonishing. Indeed, few men have ever had a harder drive"
The person behind the player.
Cheltenham, 1893 to 1897
She learned the rudiments of the game at Cheltenham Ladies' College, then joined Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club, which members of the Jesmond Wesleyan Methodist Church had founded in 1883 and moved to Osborne Road in 1890.
Source: Friends of Jesmond Old CemeteryServe
An unusual feature of her game was that she preferred to serve overhead, at a time when most women served underhand. She is credited with helping to popularise the overhead serve in the women's game.
Source: JesmondLocal, 2011Wimbledon, 1902
Charlotte Sterry won the first set 6-4 and had a match point at 5-4, 40-30 in the second. Robb saved it and took the set 13-11 before rain stopped play. The next day the match was not resumed but replayed from the start, and Robb won 7-5, 6-1. Why it was restarted has never been explained.
Source: Friends of Jesmond Old Cemetery1903
A year after her title, A. Wallis Myers wrote in Lawn Tennis at Home and Abroad that the champion's style was "a combination of grace, vigour and consistency" and that she had the asset every open competitor needs, "a cool head".
Source: JesmondLocal, 2011Jesmond, 1907
She died in Jesmond in February 1907, less than five years after her Wimbledon win. It was reported that the wreaths at her funeral were so numerous that two lorries were needed to carry them. She is buried in Jesmond Old Cemetery.
Source: JesmondLocal, 2011Osborne Road, 2011
On 14 June 2011 the Lord Mayor of Newcastle unveiled a plaque to her at the gate of Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club, with a re-enactment of a 1900s match by players in period costume.
Source: JesmondLocal, 2011Free membership: player news, the grass court Atlas, the rankings and the grass season calendar.
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