Elisabeth Moore


Elisabeth 'Bessie' Holmes Moore was an American tennis champion who was active at the beginning of the 20th century. Moore won the singles title at the U.S. Championships on four occasions. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1971.

Biography

Elisabeth Moore was born on March 5, 1876 in Brooklyn, the daughter of George Edward Moore, an affluent cotton broker, and Sarah Z. Orr. She was raised and schooled in Ridgewood, Bergen County, New Jersey. She learned to play tennis at age 12. Moore reached her first U.S. National Championships singles final in 1892 at the age of 16 years and three months, losing to Mabel Cahill from Ireland in the first five-set match contested between two women. In the final years of the 19th century, she had a rivalry with Juliette Atkinson.
She won the inaugural U.S. Indoor Women's Singles Championship in 1907, defeating Marie Wagner in the final in three sets. In 1908, she also won the inaugural indoor doubles title with partner Helen Pouch.
Elisabeth Moore died on January 22, 1959 in Starke, Florida from congestive heart failure.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (4 titles, 5 runners-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore
Runner-up1892U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Mabel Cahill7–5, 3–6, 4–6, 6–4, 2–6
Winner1896U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Juliette Atkinson6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2
Runner-up1897U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Juliette Atkinson3–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–3, 3–6
Winner1901U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Myrtle McAteer6–4, 3–6, 7–5, 2–6, 6–2
Runner-up1902U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Marion Jones1–6, 0–1 retired
Winner1903U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Marion Jones7–5, 8–6
Runner-up1904U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass May Sutton1–6, 2–6
Winner1905U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass May Suttondefault
Runner-up1906U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Helen Homansdefault

Doubles (2 titles, 3 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Runner-up1895U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Amy Williams Juliette Atkinson
Helen Hellwig
2–6, 2–6, 10–12
Winner1896U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Juliette Atkinson Annabella C. Wistar
Amy Williams
6–4, 7–5
Runner-up1901U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Marion Jones Juliette Atkinson
Myrtle McAteer
default
Winner1903U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Carrie Neely Miriam Hall
Marion Jones
6–4, 6–1, 6–1
Runner-up1904U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Carrie Neely May Sutton Bundy
Miriam Hall
6–3, 3–6, 3–6

Mixed doubles (2 titles)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Winner1902U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Wylie Grant Elizabeth Rastall
Albert L. Hoskins
6–2, 6–1
Winner1904U.S. National ChampionshipsGrass Wylie Grant May Sutton
F. B. Dallas
6–2, 6–1