Connolly, Maureen

Connolly, Maureen, 1934–69, American tennis player, b. San Diego, Calif. She became, at 16, the youngest player to win the U.S. national singles. She successfully defended the U.S. title (1952, 1953), won the Wimbledon championship (1952, 1953, 1954), and completed a grand slam of the world's four major titles in 1953 with the French and Australian championships. Little Mo, as she was known, was one of America's greatest woman tennis players. Following a serious injury in a horseback riding accident, she was forced to retire in 1955.

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Connolly, Maureen (Catherine)

(born Sept. 17, 1934, San Diego, Calif., U.S.—died June 21, 1969, Dallas, Texas) U.S. tennis player. She became the youngest winner of the National Girl's Tournament at age 14. “Little Mo” won her first National Women's title in 1951. In 1953 she became the first woman to win the grand-slam (the Wimbledon, U.S., Australian, and French singles competitions). Her career was ended in 1954 by a horseback-riding accident.

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Connolly, Maureen (Catherine) (1934–69) tennis player; born in San Diego, Calif. In 1953 she became the first woman to win in the same year the four major championships that comprise the Grand Slam of tennis: the U.S., Australian, British, and French titles. Nicknamed "Little Mo," a horse riding accident in 1954 ended her career in active competition.