1956 French Championships – Women's singles

1956 French Championships USA 1912 Althea Gibson GBR 1912 Angela Mortimer 6–0, 12–10 55 16 1956 French Championships (tennis) Althea Gibson defeated Angela Mortimer in the final, 6–0, 12–10 to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1956 French Championships.Collins Bud The Bud Collins History of Tennis 2010 New Chapter Press [New York] 978-0942257700 2nd 395 It was her first Grand Slam tournament title, and Gibson became the first African American to win a Grand Slam tournament.Dunlop Lawn Tennis Annual 1957 1957 Ed. J. Burrow & Co. Ltd. London 204–205, 208–209 G.P. Hughes Pat Hughes (tennis) Seeds The seeded players are listed below. Althea Gibson is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated. GBR Angela Mortimer (finalist) USA 1912 Dorothy Knode (third round) USA 1912 Althea Gibson (champion) AUS Mary Hawton (first round) HUN 1949 Zsuzsi Körmöczy (semifinals) GBR Shirley Bloomer (quarterfinals) BEL Christiane Mercelis (second round) USA 1912 Barbara Davidson (second round) FRA Suzanne Le Besnerais (third round) FRG Edda Buding (quarterfinals) AUS Thelma Long (third round) USA 1912 Darlene Hard (third round) ITA Annalissa Bellani (third round) FRA Ginette Bucaille (third round) GBR Angela Buxton (semifinals) FRA Myrtil Dubois (third round) Draw Key Q = Qualifier WC = Wild card LL = Lucky loser r = Retired Finals 150 GBR Angela Mortimer 1 USA 1912 Althea Gibson 3 0 6 10 12 GBR Angela Mortimer 1 HUN 1949 Zsuzsi Körmöczy 5 6 4 6 3 USA 1912 Althea Gibson 3 GBR Angela Buxton 15 2 6 6 0 6 4 GBR Angela Mortimer 1 AUS Jenny Hoad   6 0 4 6 7 5 FRG Ilse Buding   HUN 1949 Zsuzsi Körmöczy 5 1 6 1 6 GBR Shirley Bloomer 6 USA 1912 Althea Gibson 3 2 6 1 6 FRG Edda Buding 10 GBR Angela Buxton 15 6 8 2 6 Earlier rounds Section 1 First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals GBR Mortimer 1 AUS Hoad 6 0 4 6 7 5 GBR Mortimer 1 FRA Dubois 16 6 1 6 2 AUS Hoad FRA Le Besnerais 9 GBR Mortimer 1 FRA Salvet 7 5 6 2 BEL Pouchain FRA Dubois 16 4 6 0 6 USA 1912 Davidson 8 AUS Hoad 6 1 2 6 5 7 FRA Le Besnerais 9 FRG Alhert 6 1 4 6 6 4 AUS Hoad FRA Amouretti 6 1 6 3 FRA Le Besnerais 9 ITA Ramorino AUS Hopman FRG Alhert 6 3 5 7 3 6 Section 2 First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals FRG Buding HUN 1949 Körmöczy 5 1 6 1 6 FRG Buding ITA Bellani 13 1 6 6 3 6 2 HUN 1949 Körmöczy 5 USA 1912 Hard 12 4 6 7 5 6 3 FRA Lemal FRG Buding 0 6 1 6 RSA 1928 O'Donnell ITA Bellani 13 2 6 4 6 HUN 1949 Körmöczy 5 FRA Monnot 6 0 6 1 FRA Kermina USA 1912 Hard 12 1 6 3 6 AUS Hawton 4 FRA Lemal 6 1 4 6 3 6 FRG Buding GBR Walter 6 0 6 2 FRA Bouchet RSA 1928 O'Donnell 4 6 4 6 ITA Bellani 13 FRA Launay 6 0 6 3 HUN 1949 Körmöczy 5 FRA Varin 6 1 6 1 BEL Coessens FRA Monnot 3 6 4 6 FRA Kermina FRA Trauttmann 6 0 6 8 6 2 USA 1912 Hard 12 BRA Metzner 6 0 5 7 6 3 Section 3 First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals GBR Bloomer 6 USA 1912 Gibson 3 2 6 1 6 AUS Long 11 GBR Bloomer 6 3 6 5 7 FRA Bucaille 14 USA 1912 Gibson 3 1 6 1 6 AUS Long 11 ITA Migliori 7 5 6 2 FRA Bourbonnais GBR Bloomer 6 1 6 2 6 FRA Bucaille 14 RSA 1928 Forbes 0 6 6 4 6 4 TCH Puzejova USA 1912 Gibson 3 4 6 2 6 FRA Trancart AUS Long 11 1 6 2 6 ITA Migliori NED Wienese 3 6 6 4 6 3 FRA Bourbonnais FRA Nenot 8 6 3 6 7 5 BEL Isaac GBR Bloomer 6 1 6 3 6 FRA Bucaille 14 ESP 1945 Barril 3 6 6 2 6 2 FRG Dittmeyer RSA 1928 Forbes 3 6 6 3 4 6 TCH Puzejova FRA Galtier 6 1 6 3 FRA Gimault USA 1912 Gibson 3 1 6 1 6 Section 4 First round Second round Third round Quarterfinals FRG Buding 10 GBR Buxton 15 8 6 6 2 AUS Seeney FRG Buding 10 2 6 3 6 GBR Buxton 15 USA 1912 Knode 2 4 6 7 5 6 1 AUS Seeney FRA Seghers 6 8 7 5 9 7 FRG Buding 10 BEL Mercelis 7 6 4 9 7 GBR Buxton 15 AUS Muller 6 4 6 4 FRA Coste USA 1912 Knode 2 4 6 1 6 FRA De Chambure AUS Seeney 3 6 0 6 FRA Seghers BEL Crowet 6 3 6 2 FRG Buding 10 SUI Wavre 6 1 6 4 FRA De La Courtie BEL Mercelis 7 4 6 2 6 References External links http://ww2.fft.fr/rolandgarros/pdfpalmares/femmes1956_en.pdf Official 1956 Women's Draw 2016-12-05 2016-03-03 https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181439/http://ww2.fft.fr/rolandgarros/pdfpalmares/femmes1956_en.pdf dead  (69.2 KiB) on the French Open website 1956 Australian Championships – Women's singles Grand Slam women's singles 1956 Wimbledon Championships – Women's singles Category:1956 in women's tennis 1956 Category:1956 in French women's sport Category:1956 in French tennis