Cilly Aussem

Cilly Aussem, a famous German female tennis player who was born January 4, 1909 in Cologne, Germany. She started her career at the age of fourteen with Willy Hanneman as her tennis coach. Hannemann taught her a great sliced backhand, a precisely placed serve, and an effective drop shot. In 1926, she had her first tennis match and won the German Championship at the age of 17.

She was then introduced by her mother to "Big" Bill Tilden, which later on became her coach and partner in mixed doubles. Tilden brought out the Aussem’s powerful flat forehand trademark and made her a world class player.

Aussem had her breakthrough in the year 1930 when she and Tilden won several mixed doubles titles on the Riviera and at the French Championships beating Elizabeth Ryan / Jean Borotra and Eileen Bennett Whittingstall / Henri Cochet. And on that same year, she became the No. 2 tennis player in the world rankings.

But Aussem had the most successful year in 1931 when she took the German Championships title, the French Championships title winning over Betty Nuthall Shoemaker of the United Kingdom, and the Wimbledon singles championship title, defeating her compatriot Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling. She again took the No. 2 world ranking that year.

To celebrate her success in 1931, she and a friend went on a tour to Argentina and Brazil. Sadly, she caught a liver irritation that made her stop playing for two years after her surgery. In 1933, Aussem made a comeback but was not able continue her success. She was led to a decision to retire at the young age of 25.

In her private life, she married Earl Fermo Murari dalla Corte Bra and lived with him in his castle in Portofino. She underwent another liver surgery in 1963 which she unfortunately did not recover. She died last March 22, 1963, at the age of 54. Today, she inspires a lot of young tennis players in Germany. As Roderich Menzel wrote: "Everywhere where she swang her racket and warmed the spectators hearts with her magic smile, she unknowingly inspired young girls to play tennis the way she did. If we remember her today, we feel deep love in our hearts. And we confess proudly: She was our mistress of tennis."