Pat Canning Todd
Encyclopedia
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Mary Patricia Canning Todd (born July 22, 1922 in San Francisco, California), was an American tennis player who had her best results just after World War II. In 1947 and 1948, she won a total of four Grand Slam championships: one in singles, two in women's doubles, and one in mixed doubles.
Todd probably would have been more successful in Grand Slam women's doubles and mixed doubles events had she not had to play Louise Brough
and/or Margaret Osborne duPont
. Todd and her partner lost seven times to Brough and duPont in the women's doubles finals of Grand Slam tournaments. Todd's lone victory over the Brough-duPont partnership was in the 1947 Wimbledon
final, when Todd teamed with Doris Hart
. Todd and her partner lost twice to Brough and her partner in the mixed doubles finals of Grand Slam tournaments.
As for Grand Slam singles tournaments, Todd won the title at the 1947 French Championships and reached the French semifinals in 1948. At the 1947 event, the fourth seeded Todd played top seeded duPont, the defending champion and the newly crowned Wimbledon champion, in a semifinal that took two days to complete. duPont won the first set 6–2. A thunderstorm stopped play for the remainder of the day. The next day, duPont was not the same player and a quick Todd, "producing magnificent backhand shots", won after being 1–3 down in the final set. The crowd was so vocal in backing Todd that a referee reversed a line call to give Todd match point. On winning, she jumped the net to shake hands with duPont. In the final, Hart played her normal attacking game and led 4–3 in the final set, but "she was against a great fighter who was content to retrieve, and on a slow court, defence overcame attack". At the 1948 event, Nelly Adamson Landry became one of only five non-Americans to win the women's singles title at the French Championships, Wimbledon, or the U.S. Championships from 1938 through 1958. Todd, who was the favorite and defending champion, was defaulted by French officials after she refused to move her scheduled center court match to court 2. Todd had complained about being last on center court after having played there only one match previously. When requested to move, she refused because of the late hour and because a full set of linesmen would not be present. "They can scratch [default] me if they like. I am not going to play anywhere but on the center court where my match is scheduled." The officials defaulted her, then changed their minds and gave her Landry's phone number to reschedule. When Landry could not be reached, the default stood. Todd swore never to enter the French again.
But she returned to the French Championships in 1950, after a one year absence, and reached the final where she lost to Hart. Todd went to the hospital after the final for blood poisoning.
During her Grand Slam singles career against Shirley Fry
, Hart, du Pont, Pauline Betz
, and Brough, Todd won five and lost eleven matches. Todd was 1–0 versus Fry, 2–1 versus Hart, 1–3 against du Pont, 0–1 against Betz, and 1–6 against Brough.
As for tournaments that were not Grand Slam events, Todd won the singles and mixed doubles titles at the South American championships in 1947 and 1948. In 1942 and 1948, she won the U.S. National Indoor Championships. In 1950, she was the singles and doubles titlist at the Asian Championships and the Championships of India. She won both the singles and doubles titles at the tournament in Cincinnati
in 1951. She also won the U.S. Hardcourt Championship in 1950 and 1951 and was the doubles champion in 1950, 1955, 1956 and 1957.
According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
, Todd was ranked in the world top ten from 1946 through 1952 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 4 in those rankings in 1950. Todd was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
in 1942 and from 1944 through 1952, reaching a career high ranking of fourth in 1947 and 1949. She unsuccessfully complained about her sixth place ranking in 1948, especially the placement of Beverly Baker Fleitz
, Gertrude Moran
, and Hart above her, accusing the USLTA of having no standard ranking rules and of punishing her for refusing to play her semifinal match against Landry at the French Championships.
Todd played doubles on the U.S. Wightman Cup
team from 1947 to 1951, compiling a 4–1 win-loss record.
Todd was nominated for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
in 2005 but was not selected.
Todd will be inducted into the San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame on August 28, 2010, at 4:00 PM, at the Balboa Tennis Club at Morley Field.
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Mary Patricia Canning Todd (born July 22, 1922 in San Francisco, California), was an American tennis player who had her best results just after World War II. In 1947 and 1948, she won a total of four Grand Slam championships: one in singles, two in women's doubles, and one in mixed doubles.
Todd probably would have been more successful in Grand Slam women's doubles and mixed doubles events had she not had to play Louise Brough
Louise Brough
Althea Louise Brough Clapp was a World No. 1 American female tennis player.-Biography:She was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma but moved to Beverly Hills, California when she was four years old. She was taught by Dick Skeen and had a classic forehand and backhand and a paralyzing American twist...
and/or Margaret Osborne duPont
Margaret Osborne duPont
Margaret Evelyn Osborne duPont is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list despite never entering the Australian Championships. She won 25 of her Grand...
. Todd and her partner lost seven times to Brough and duPont in the women's doubles finals of Grand Slam tournaments. Todd's lone victory over the Brough-duPont partnership was in the 1947 Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
final, when Todd teamed with Doris Hart
Doris Hart
Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg...
. Todd and her partner lost twice to Brough and her partner in the mixed doubles finals of Grand Slam tournaments.
As for Grand Slam singles tournaments, Todd won the title at the 1947 French Championships and reached the French semifinals in 1948. At the 1947 event, the fourth seeded Todd played top seeded duPont, the defending champion and the newly crowned Wimbledon champion, in a semifinal that took two days to complete. duPont won the first set 6–2. A thunderstorm stopped play for the remainder of the day. The next day, duPont was not the same player and a quick Todd, "producing magnificent backhand shots", won after being 1–3 down in the final set. The crowd was so vocal in backing Todd that a referee reversed a line call to give Todd match point. On winning, she jumped the net to shake hands with duPont. In the final, Hart played her normal attacking game and led 4–3 in the final set, but "she was against a great fighter who was content to retrieve, and on a slow court, defence overcame attack". At the 1948 event, Nelly Adamson Landry became one of only five non-Americans to win the women's singles title at the French Championships, Wimbledon, or the U.S. Championships from 1938 through 1958. Todd, who was the favorite and defending champion, was defaulted by French officials after she refused to move her scheduled center court match to court 2. Todd had complained about being last on center court after having played there only one match previously. When requested to move, she refused because of the late hour and because a full set of linesmen would not be present. "They can scratch [default] me if they like. I am not going to play anywhere but on the center court where my match is scheduled." The officials defaulted her, then changed their minds and gave her Landry's phone number to reschedule. When Landry could not be reached, the default stood. Todd swore never to enter the French again.
But she returned to the French Championships in 1950, after a one year absence, and reached the final where she lost to Hart. Todd went to the hospital after the final for blood poisoning.
During her Grand Slam singles career against Shirley Fry
Shirley Fry
Shirley June Fry Irvin was a World No. 1 American female tennis player who was born in Akron, Ohio, United States.Irvin is one of sixteen persons to have won each Grand Slam singles tournament at least once during the person's career...
, Hart, du Pont, Pauline Betz
Pauline Betz
Pauline May Betz Addie was an American professional tennis player.She won five Grand Slam singles titles and was the runner-up on three other occasions. Jack Kramer has called her the second best female tennis player he ever saw, behind Helen Wills Moody.-Early life:Betz attended Los Angeles High...
, and Brough, Todd won five and lost eleven matches. Todd was 1–0 versus Fry, 2–1 versus Hart, 1–3 against du Pont, 0–1 against Betz, and 1–6 against Brough.
As for tournaments that were not Grand Slam events, Todd won the singles and mixed doubles titles at the South American championships in 1947 and 1948. In 1942 and 1948, she won the U.S. National Indoor Championships. In 1950, she was the singles and doubles titlist at the Asian Championships and the Championships of India. She won both the singles and doubles titles at the tournament in Cincinnati
Cincinnati Masters
The Cincinnati Open is an annual outdoor hardcourts tennis event held in the Cincinnati suburb of Mason, Ohio, USA. The event started on September 18, 1899 and is the oldest tennis tournament in the United States played in its original city., Between...
in 1951. She also won the U.S. Hardcourt Championship in 1950 and 1951 and was the doubles champion in 1950, 1955, 1956 and 1957.
According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Todd was ranked in the world top ten from 1946 through 1952 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 4 in those rankings in 1950. Todd was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
in 1942 and from 1944 through 1952, reaching a career high ranking of fourth in 1947 and 1949. She unsuccessfully complained about her sixth place ranking in 1948, especially the placement of Beverly Baker Fleitz
Beverly Baker Fleitz
Beverly Baker Fleitz from Bakersfield, California, was a women's tennis player from the United States. According to John Olliff and Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Fleitz was ranked in the world top ten in 1951, 1954, 1955, 1958, and 1959, reaching a career high of World No...
, Gertrude Moran
Gussie Moran
Gertrude "Gussie" Agusta Moran is a retired American female tennis player who was active in the 1950s...
, and Hart above her, accusing the USLTA of having no standard ranking rules and of punishing her for refusing to play her semifinal match against Landry at the French Championships.
Todd played doubles on the U.S. Wightman Cup
Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was a team tennis competition for women contested from 1923 through 1989 between teams from the United States and Great Britain. U.S. player Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman wanted to generate international interest in women's tennis the way Davis Cup did for men's...
team from 1947 to 1951, compiling a 4–1 win-loss record.
Todd was nominated for induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in 2005 but was not selected.
Todd will be inducted into the San Diego Tennis Hall of Fame on August 28, 2010, at 4:00 PM, at the Balboa Tennis Club at Morley Field.
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| Tournament | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 - 1956 | 1957 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
A | A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| French Championships | A | A | NH | R | R | R | R | A | 3R | W | SF | A | F | A | A | A | A | 1 / 4 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
A | A | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | NH | 3R | QF | SF | SF | SF | A | SF | A | A | 0 / 6 |
| U.S. Championships | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 2R | A | 2R | QF | SF | QF | SF | QF | QF | 3R | A | A | 3R | 0 / 14 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 1 / 24 |
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Win (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1947 | French Championships |  Doris HartDoris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg... |
6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
Runner-up (1)
| Year | Championship | Opponent in Final | Score in Final |
| 1950 | French Championships | Doris Hart Doris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg... |
6–4, 4–6, 6–2 |
Wins (2)
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
| 1947 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Doris Hart Doris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg... |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Evelyn Osborne duPont is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list despite never entering the Australian Championships. She won 25 of her Grand... |
3–6, 6–4, 7–5 |
| 1948 | French Championships | Doris Hart |
Shirley Fry Irvin Mary Arnold Prentiss Mary Arnold ----Mary Arnold Prentiss was an amateur American tennis player of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.Arnold was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 every year between 1939 and 1947. Her highest ranking came in 1942 and 1944 when she was ranked No... |
6–4, 6–2 |
Runner-ups (8)
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
| 1943 | U.S. Championships | Mary Arnold Prentiss Mary Arnold ----Mary Arnold Prentiss was an amateur American tennis player of the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.Arnold was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 every year between 1939 and 1947. Her highest ranking came in 1942 and 1944 when she was ranked No... |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Osborne duPont Margaret Evelyn Osborne duPont is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.DuPont won a total of 37 singles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, which places her fourth on the all-time list despite never entering the Australian Championships. She won 25 of her Grand... |
6–1, 6–3 |
| 1946 | U.S. Championships | Mary Arnold Prentiss |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
6–1, 6–3 |
| 1947 | French Championships | Doris Hart Doris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg... |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
7–5, 6–2 |
| 1947 | U.S. Championships | Doris Hart |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
5–7, 6–3, 7–5 |
| 1948 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Doris Hart |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
| 1948 | U.S. Championships | Doris Hart |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
6–4, 8–10, 6–1 |
| 1949 | Wimbledon | Gertrude Moran Gussie Moran Gertrude "Gussie" Agusta Moran is a retired American female tennis player who was active in the 1950s... |
Louise Brough Clapp Margaret Osborne duPont |
8–6, 7–5 |
| 1951 | U.S. Championships | Nancy Chaffee Kiner |
Shirley Fry Irvin Doris Hart |
6–4, 6–2 |
Win (1)
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
| 1948 | French Championships |  Jaroslav DrobnýJaroslav Drobný Jaroslav Drobný was an amateur tennis champion as well as being an ice hockey player for the Czechoslovakian national team... |
Doris Hart Doris Hart Doris Hart is a former World No. 1 American female tennis player.As a child, she suffered from osteomyelitis, which resulted in a permanently impaired right leg...  Frank SedgmanFrank Sedgman Frank Arthur Sedgman, born 29 October 1927, in Mont Albert, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, was a tennis player who was arguably the world No.1 in 1952. In his 1979 autobiography Jack Kramer, the long-time tennis promoter and great player himself, included Sedgman in his list of the 21... |
6–3, 3–6, 6–3 |
Runner-ups (3)
| Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents in Final | Score in Final |
| 1942 | U.S. Championships |  Alejo Russell |
Louise Brough Clapp Frederick Schroeder Ted Schroeder Frederick Rudolph "Ted" Schroeder was an American tennis player who won the two most prestigious amateur tennis titles, Wimbledon and the U.S. National. He was the No. 1-ranked American player in 1942 and the No. 2 for 4 consecutive years, 1946 through 1949... |
3–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
| 1950 | French Championships | Bill Talbert Bill Talbert William Franklin "Billy" Talbert was an American tennis player and administrator.He was ranked in the U.S. Top 10 13 times between 1941 & 1954. He won nine Grand Slam doubles titles, and also reached the men’s doubles finals of the U.S. National Championship nine times. mainly with favorite... |
Barbara Scofield Davidson Enrique Morea Enrique Morea Enrique Morea was an Argentine tennis player.Morea won the mixed doubles title of the 1960 French Championships. He also won two gold medals at the inaugural men's tennis competition at the 1951 Pan American Games.Morea is the current president of the Asociación Argentina de Tenis .-References:... |
Walkover |
| 1950 | Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
Geoff Brown |
Louise Brough Clapp Eric SturgessEric Sturgess Eric William Sturgess was a South African male tennis player. Eric Sturgess attended Parktown Boys' High School in Johannesburg... |
11–9, 1–6, 6–4 |
See also
- Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam finalTennis performance timeline comparison (women)This article presents in a tabular form the career tennis Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships and Olympic singles results of every woman who has reached the singles final of at least one Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships or Olympic tournament during her career...