Elizabeth Ryan
An American expatriate who ruled the Wimbledon doubles courts with such dominance that her title record stood for over half a century.
1892–1979 (age 87)·American tennis player·Birthday: February 5·The Lost Generation
Biography
Elizabeth Ryan was a California girl who found her tennis destiny on the grass of London. Moving to the UK as a young woman, she dedicated her game to the art of the volley and the geometry of the doubles court. At Wimbledon, she was virtually unstoppable, forming formidable partnerships with the likes of Suzanne Lenglen. Her game was one of crisp precision and tactical brilliance, net-rushing and angle-finding with a consistency that bordered on the mechanical. While a singles major eluded her, her haul of 19 Wimbledon doubles titles—a mix of women's and mixed—created a record that seemed untouchable, finally broken by Martina Navratilova in 1993. Ryan's life was tennis; she competed well into her forties and remained a fixture at the All England Club, a living bridge to the sport's storied past.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Elizabeth was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Elizabeth Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Elizabeth's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1962Turned 70
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1972Turned 80
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1979Died at 87
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
Key Achievements
- Won 26 Grand Slam titles, all in doubles events.
- Holds the record for most Wimbledon titles in women's and mixed doubles combined (19), a record that stood for 59 years.
- Won 12 Wimbledon women's doubles championships and 7 Wimbledon mixed doubles championships.
- Captured four women's doubles titles at the French Championships.
Did You Know?
She was born in Anaheim, California, but lived most of her adult life in England.
Her record of 19 total Wimbledon doubles titles was broken by Martina Navratilova in 1993.
She won at least one Wimbledon title every year from 1914 to 1934, except for the war years.
She tragically died at Wimbledon in 1979, just after attending the Ladies' Final.
“The volley is not a hit, but a placement; the court is a grid of possibilities.”
