Lilian Watson

{{Short description|English tennis player}} {{For|the swimmer|Lillian Watson}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox tennis biography |name = Lilian Watson |image = 19th century Tennis champions.jpg |caption = Lilian Watson, standing on the left. Her sister Maud is sitting on the right. |fullname = Lilian Mary Watson |spouse = |country = {{GBR}} |residence = |birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1857|9|17}} |birth_place = Harrow, London, England |death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1918|05|27|1857|9|17}} |death_place = Berkswell, England |height = |weight = |college = |turnedpro = |retired = |plays = |careerprizemoney = |tennishofyear = |tennishofid = |singlesrecord = |singlestitles = |highestsinglesranking = |currentsinglesranking = |AustralianOpenresult = |AustralianOpenjuniorresult = |FrenchOpenresult = |FrenchOpenjuniorresult = |Wimbledonresult = F (1884) |Wimbledonjuniorresult = |USOpenresult = |USOpenjuniorresult = |Othertournaments =  |Olympicsresult = |doublesrecord = |doublestitles = |highestdoublesranking = |currentdoublesranking = |grandslamsdoublesresults = |AustralianOpenDoublesresult = |FrenchOpenDoublesresult = |WimbledonDoublesresult = |USOpenDoublesresult = |OthertournamentsDoubles =  |OlympicsDoublesresult = |Mixed =  |mixedrecord = |mixedtitles = |AustralianOpenMixedresult = |FrenchOpenMixedresult = |WimbledonMixedresult = |USOpenMixedresult = |updated =  }} '''Lilian Mary Watson''' (17 September 1857 – 27 May 1918) was an English female tennis player.

==Biography== Lilian Watson was born on 17 September 1857 in Harrow, Middlesex,<ref name="collins">{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Bud|title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis|year=2010|publisher=New Chapter Press|location=[New York]|isbn=978-0942257700|edition=2nd |page=712}}</ref> the daughter of a local vicar Henry William and Emily Frances Watson.<ref name=little>{{cite book|last=Little|first=Alan|title=Maud Watson : The First Wimbledon Lady Champion|year=1983|publisher=The Kenneth Ritchie Wimbledon Library, The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum|location=London|isbn=978-0906741115}}</ref>

In 1881 she reached the final of the Edgbaston Open where she lost in three sets to her sister Maud Watson.

In 1883 she reached the final of the Teignmouth and Shaldon Open that was played on asphalt courts, but was defeated by Florence Mardall two sets to one.

In 1884, she and her younger sister Maud played in the first women's competition at the Wimbledon Championships. Both met in the final which Maud won 6–8, 6–3, 6–3 to become Wimbledon's first female champion.<ref name="collins" />

Lilian played at Wimbledon in the following two years. In 1885, she was defeated in the first round by Jane Meikle. In the same year, she won the doubles title at the Irish Championships alongside her sister Maud. In her final Wimbledon appearance in 1886 she reached the semifinals in which she was defeated by eventual champion Blanche Bingley.<ref>{{cite book|last=Barrett|first=John|title=Wimbledon : The Official History of the Championships|year=2001|publisher=CollinsWillow|location=London|isbn=0007117078|pages=30, 247}}</ref>

She died on 27 May 1918, aged 60, at Berkswell.<ref name="collins" />

==Grand Slam finals==

===Singles (1 runner-up)=== {| class='sortable wikitable' |- !style="width:40px"|Result !style="width:30px"|Year !style="width:130px"|Championship !style="width:50px"|Surface !style="width:140px"|Opponent !style="width:110px" class="unsortable"|Score |- | style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss || 1884 || style="background:#cfc;"|Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|UKGBI}} Maud Watson || 8–6, 3–6, 3–6 |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{Wimbledon player}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Lillian}} Category:1857 births Category:1918 deaths Category:19th-century female tennis players Category:19th-century English sportswomen Category:English female tennis players Category:British female tennis players Category:Tennis players from the London Borough of Harrow Category:People from Harrow, London

Lilian Watson

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