1. Cilly Aussem was the first German, male or female, to win the singles title at Wimbledon, which she did in 1931.
21 Facts About Cilly Aussem
1. 2.
Cilly Aussem won the women's single titles at the French Championships and German Championships in 1931.
3.
Cilly Aussem contacted Roman Najuch, the reigning world professional champion.
4.
Hannemann taught Cilly Aussem a sliced backhand, a precisely placed serve, and an effective drop shot.
5.
Cilly Aussem won the German Championships for the first time in 1927 when she was 18 years old.
6.
Cilly Aussem, who was described as a graceful, small, and psychologically sensitive girl, seemed incapable of withstanding the mental and physical pressures of competitive sports.
7.
Newspapers wrote that Cilly Aussem had a great sliced backhand and effective drop shots.
8.
In 1928, Cilly Aussem's mother claimed that Paula von Reznicek had twice beaten her daughter by using hypnotism, which led to a lawsuit in which Von Reznicek filed charges of defamation of character, and Cilly Aussem's mother charged her with "insulting assault".
9.
Cilly Aussem lost her German Championships singles title in 1928 after a three-set defeat in the final to Daphne Akhurst.
10.
Cilly Aussem suffered from eye inflammation throughout 1929, but in 1930, she had her breakthrough.
11.
At Wimbledon, Cilly Aussem won against Jacobs in the quarterfinals and faced Ryan in the semifinals.
12.
Cilly Aussem's eyes became more sensitive, and she had to spend hours in a darkened room waiting for her matches to start.
13.
Cilly Aussem won the French Championships, defeating Betty Nuthall of the United Kingdom, and the German Championships after a win in the final against Irmgard Rost.
14.
Cilly Aussem won the Wimbledon singles championship, defeating her compatriot Hilde Krahwinkel in the final in straight sets.
15.
Cilly Aussem became the first German woman to do so.
16.
Cilly Aussem won some tournaments, but caught a serious liver inflammation.
17.
Cilly Aussem joined the Nazi Party on 1 May 1933 ; her membership lapsed automatically when she moved to Italy three years later.
18.
In 1933, Cilly Aussem returned to the courts, but was not able to regain her form.
19.
Cilly Aussem lost at Wimbledon to Helen Jacobs in the quarterfinals and quit the tour at age 25.
20.
Cilly Aussem spent the last two decades of her life mainly in her husband's castle in Portofino.
21.
Cilly Aussem died on 22 March 1963 at the age of 54.