Tennis at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Women's singles

Women's singles tennis at the Games of the II Olympiad
Silver medalist Hélène Prévost
Venue	Île de Puteaux
Dates	6–11 July 1900
Competitors	6 from 4 nations
Medalists
Charlotte Cooper  Great Britain Hélène Prévost  France Marion Jones Farquhar  United States Hedwiga Rosenbaumová  Bohemia

Women's singles
Tennis at the 1900 Summer Olympics

The women's singles was an event on the Tennis at the 1900 Summer Olympics program in Paris. It was held from 6 to 11 July at the Île de Puteaux. There were 6 competitors from 4 nations. The event was won by Charlotte Cooper of Great Britain. France's Hélène Prévost was the silver medalist, while American Marion Jones Farquhar and Hedwiga Rosenbaumová of Bohemia are credited with bronze medals. The event made Cooper the first female individual Olympic champion (Hélène de Pourtalès won a gold medal in a team event in sailing earlier; Margaret Abbott would win the women's golf tournament later, in October).

Background

This was the debut appearance of the women's singles tennis. A women's event was held only once during the first three Games (only men's tennis was played in 1896 and 1904), but has been held at every Olympics for which there was a tennis tournament since 1908. Tennis was not a medal sport from 1928 to 1984, though there were demonstration events in 1968 and 1984.

The field for the women's tournament in 1900 was small but distinguished. Great Britain's Charlotte Cooper was a three-time Wimbledon champion (1895, 1896, 1898). France had its best player, Hélène Prévost. Bohemia sent its second-best, Hedwiga Rosenbaumová. Marion Jones Farquhar was the U.S. champion in 1899 (and would be again in 1902). (Her sister Georgina Jones also competed.)

Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament with no bronze-medal match (both semifinal losers tied for third). All matches were best-of-three sets.

Schedule

Date	Time	Round
Friday, 6 July 1900 Saturday, 7 July 1900 Sunday, 8 July 1900 Monday, 9 July 1900 Tuesday, 10 July 1900 Wednesday, 11 July 1900		Quarterfinals Semifinals Final

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• SE = Special exempt
• PR = Protected ranking
• ITF = ITF entry
• JE = Junior exempt
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted
• SR = Special ranking

Draw

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Final (gold-medal match)
								Marion Jones Farquhar (USA)		2	5
	Charlotte Cooper (GBR)		6	6				Charlotte Cooper (GBR)		6	7
	Marguerite Fourrier (FRA)		2	0											Charlotte Cooper (GBR)		6	6
	Hélène Prévost (FRA)		6	6											Hélène Prévost (FRA)		1	4
	Georgina Jones (USA)		0	1				Hélène Prévost (FRA)		6	6
								Hedwiga Rosenbaumová (BOH)		1	1

Results summary

Rank	Player	Nation	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
	Charlotte Cooper	Great Britain	Fourrier (FRA) W 6–2, 6–0	Jones Farquhar (USA) W 6–2, 7–5	Prévost (FRA) W 6–1, 6–4
	Hélène Prévost	France	G Jones (USA) W 6–0, 6–1	Rosenbaumová (BOH) W 6–1, 6–1	Cooper (GBR) L 6–1, 6–4
	Marion Jones Farquhar	United States	Bye	Cooper (GBR) L 6–2, 7–5	Did not advance
	Hedwiga Rosenbaumová	Bohemia	Bye	Prévost (FRA) L 6–1, 6–1	Did not advance
5	Marguerite Fourrier	France	Cooper (GBR) L 6–2, 6–0	Did not advance
	Georgina Jones	United States	Prévost (FRA) L 6–0, 6–1

External links

• ITF, 2008 Olympic Tennis Event Media Guide