Myrtle McAteer

Myrtle McAteer was an American tennis player who was active around the turn of the 20th century. She is best known for winning the singles title at the U.S. National Championships in 1900, as well as two doubles titles at the same event.

She was also the inaugural singles champion of the storied Cincinnati tournament, where she won a total of three singles and four doubles titles.

Player Profile

Myrtle McAteer was born on June 12, 1878, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and passed away on October 26, 1952, in Los Angeles, California, USA. She played a slow-paced, methodical game from the baseline, using anticipation and accuracy.

A right-handed player, she had a distinctive style where her forehand and backhand were almost indistinguishable.

Professional Career

McAteer was a prominent figure in American tennis during the years leading up to the Open Era.

Her career spanned from the late 1890s through the 1910s. Her greatest success came at the U.S. National Championships (now the U.S. Open), where she won the singles title in 1900. She also won two women's doubles titles at the event, in 1899 with Dr. Jane Craven and again in 1901 with Juliette Atkinson. In addition to her victories, she was a finalist in singles in 1901, a doubles finalist in 1900, and a mixed doubles finalist in 1901.

McAteer also made her mark at the Cincinnati tournament, where she was the very first singles champion in 1899. She defeated future International Tennis Hall of Famer Juliette Atkinson to claim the title. She won two more singles titles in Cincinnati in 1900 and 1904, and four doubles titles in 1899, 1900, 1904, and 1905. In all, she reached 10 finals at the Cincinnati tournament.

In the later stages of her career, at the U.S. Clay Court Championships in 1915, she reached the singles quarterfinals and the mixed doubles semifinals. Her last major tournament appearance was in 1915.

Career Record

Singles

Best Grand Slam Singles Performances

• US Open – W (1900)

Doubles

Best Grand Slam Doubles Performances

• US Open – W (1899, 1901)

Mixed Doubles

Best Grand Slam Mixed Doubles Performances

• US Open – F (1901)