Wimbledon champ Lenglen takes home double gold in the tennis for France

Antwerp, 24 August 1920 - The idyllic weather attracted huge crowds to the Olympic grounds today, with water sports and the women’s tennis finals being the main events. 

The women’s 10m diving heats were notable due to the number of competitors taking part. One of the standout athletes of the day was Aileen Riggin owing to her young age. The 14 year old American came second in her heat, qualifying for the next round. 

Aileen Riggin, the 14-year-old U.S. diver (Image: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. USA)

In tennis, at about ten minutes past two Suzanne Lenglen from France met Dorothy Holman of Great Britain on court to decide who would take the gold medal. The game did not last very long and there was never much doubt in the minds of the crowd who would be the ultimate winner. Holman began serving and took the first game, but this was the only time she led. For the first seven games there was not much in it but then Lenglen pulled away and went without losing another game. The final score was 6-3, 6-0. Lenglen, along with her partner Max Decugis, also won gold in the mixed doubles for France. She rounded off her olympic experience by winning a bronze in the women's doubles.

Great Britain was guaranteed a gold medal in the women’s doubles final, as both teams competed under the union jack. The victorious pair Kathleen McKane and Winifred McNair defeated Winifred Geraldine Beamish and Dorothy Holman. It was Holman's second disappointment of the day, having lost the singles final earlier to Lenglen.

[Editor's note: This is an article from Century Ireland, a fortnightly online newspaper, written from the perspective of a journalist 100 years ago, based on news reports of the time.]