Wednesday, August 14, 2024

To observe the Cincinnati Open's 125th anniversary, a look back at Clara Louise Zinke

In the mid-1920s and early 1930s, Clara Louise Zinke dominated what is now the Cincinnati Open. She was a finalist in singles ten times, and she won the championship in five of those finals. But that wasn't all she did--she won six women's doubles titles and one mixed doubles titles.

Zinke also enjoyed lawn bowling and surf fishing, and she was a pianist and songwriter. She worked as a social worker for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and as an admissions counselor at a nursing home. 

In 2004, Zinke was posthumously inducted into the Cincinnati Tennis Hall of Fame.

Zinke wasn't the only woman to win the tournament more than twice.  Three other players won it three times.

In the Open Era, however, only two women have won the Cincinnati Open more than once--Victoria Azarenka and Serena Williams. Azarenka won it in 2013 (defeating Williams in the final) and 2020, and Williams won it in 2014 and 2015. Simona Halep appeared in three finals, but lost all of them. Akiko Morigami and Angie Kerber each played in two Cincinnati finals and each lost both of those matches.

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