The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation is delighted to celebrate Wimbledon - where tradition, strawberries & cream, and championship dreams come together! Best wishes to all players and especially to our former "Little Mo" Champions!

Wimbledon begins Monday, June 29, and continues through Sunday, July 12.

Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly captured three consecutive Wimbledon singles championships (1952, 1953, and 1954), becoming one of the most dominant champions in tennis history. Her 1953 Wimbledon victory formed part of her historic Calendar-Year Grand Slam, making her the first woman to win all four major championships in a single season. Connolly retired undefeated at Wimbledon, her brilliance cut short only by a career-ending horseback riding accident shortly after her third Wimbledon crown.

Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly’s Three Wimbledon Singles Championships

Maureen Connolly won Wimbledon three consecutive times from 1952–1954, becoming one of the most spectacular players in tennis history. She was only 17 when she captured her first title and never lost a Wimbledon singles match. 

1952 – First Wimbledon Title

At age 17, Connolly won Wimbledon on her first appearance at The All England Lawn Tennis Club. In the final she defeated veteran champion Louise Brough, 7–5, 6–3, announcing herself as the new force in women’s tennis. The victory made her the youngest Wimbledon women’s singles champion at the time. 

1953 – Grand Slam Year

Connolly returned to Wimbledon as the world’s top player and defeated Doris Hart in a hard-fought final, 8–6, 7–5. This victory was the third leg of her historic Calendar-Year Grand Slam, as she went on to win all four major championships in 1953—the first woman, and still the only American woman, to have accomplished this magnificent feat.

1954 – Third Consecutive Wimbledon Crown

Connolly successfully defended her title again in 1954, defeating Louise Brough 6–2, 7–5 in the final. The championship was her third straight Wimbledon singles title and part of a remarkable streak of nine consecutive Grand Slam singles titles. Just weeks later, a horseback riding accident severely injured her leg and ended her competitive career at age 19. 

Legacy

Connolly’s three Wimbledon championships were achieved during an astonishingly brief career. Between 1951 and 1954 she won nine Grand Slam singles titles, completed the first women’s Calendar-Year Grand Slam in 1953, and retired undefeated at Wimbledon. Many tennis historians regard her as one of the sport’s greatest “what-if” stories because her career ended while she was still at the height of her powers. 

Maureen Connolly's Wimbledon Finals Highlights

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1952

1953

1954

Irish American Hall of Fame Tribute to Maureen as the 2017 Inductee

UNBEATEN LITTLE MO: THE TEEN QUEEN OF WIMBLEDON (A Celebration of Maureen Connolly’s “Eighteen Love” SW19 Singles Win Record)

by James Harbridge

James Harbridge was born in Harpenden, England and started writing for English tennis magazines at age 16, while still at school. The first tennis player he interviewed was Stephanie Rehe at the Royal Albert Hall in London in November 1986. Rehe was there as a member of the USA team which beat GB 7 matches to zero in that year's Wightman Cup.

By 1988, James often had media accreditation for English tournaments, and he especially enjoyed press conferences, where he posed questions to stars such as John McEnroe. Indeed, John wrote the Foreword for James' 2001 UK-published book, Please Play On, which chronicled John's career in the British Isles. The same year, 2001, James had another book published named Quality Tennis, a guide about how to play the game, which he co-wrote with Argentine WTA player Mariana Diaz Oliva.

But James knew that he always wanted to write a book about Maureen Connolly, in part because “Little Mo” remains his mother's favourite player of all time, and also because he considers that “Little Mo” transcended tennis, and is the most exciting and inspirational player ever in the history of the sport. Being English, James chose to focus on the three English grass court seasons of Maureen (in 1952, 1953 and 1954). The result is Unbeaten, a souvenir diary which captures, on and off court, all the drama and twists-and-turns of “Little Mo's” three consecutive Wimbledon championship victories!    

To read the free copy of UNBEATEN LITTLE MO: THE TEEN QUEEN OF WIMBLEDON by James Harbridge, click on the book icon

FIVE LESSONS FROM “LITTLE MO” TO JAMES

1. Mo exhibited a love of life, and that’s something to always try to emulate. She told Alan Hoby of the “Sunday Express” that she never went to bed early: “I love dancing or going to the theatre and films far too much.”

2. Mo has taught me to always stay humble. After she won her third consecutive Wimbledon in 1954, she was asked if she could equal Helen Wills’ record of winning Wimbledon eight times. Mo replied in self-effacing fashion: “I have no hope.” Of course, but for her accident, there is every chance that Mo would have won Wimbledon many more times. 

3. Mo did not waste time worrying about those who did not support her. Each time she won Wimbledon, the crowds were “lukewarm”, perhaps overawed by her brilliance and dominance. But Mo did not get deflated – she didn’t criticize anyone – she just got on with her life and stayed positive.

4. Mo taught me that you should always try to improve yourself and your craft. Her words, "There’s room for improvement,” are a constant reminder to me in this regard.

5. Mo showed me that you have to be brave in life. The way she played tennis – shooting for the lines – was the way she lived life. For instance, when she knew in her heart and mind that she was fit enough to play Wimbledon in 1952, after a bout with mild shoulder fibrositis, she also understood that her coach Eleanor Tennant would never accept it. But Mo, weighing everything up, knew that her decision was correct (and it was also backed by two doctors). Mo appreciated that sometimes you have to do the right thing and there may be adverse consequences from some quarters, but nonetheless you have to be true to yourself and stay strong and keep going.

Wimbledon: A Few Fun Facts

Wimbledon is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, first played in 1877. It is also the only Grand Slam still played on grass courts, making it tennis’s most traditional and prestigious championship.

Why Is Wimbledon So Special?

• Players must wear almost entirely white clothing, a tradition dating back to Victorian England.
• The tournament is held at the historic All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
• Royal family members often attend, and winners may meet members of the British Royal Family.
• Centre Court’s famous retractable roof opened in 2009.

Strawberries & Cream

No Wimbledon experience is complete without strawberries and cream.

The tradition dates back more than a century because Wimbledon takes place during the peak English strawberry season. Every year, hundreds of thousands of servings are sold to spectators.

The recipe is delightfully simple:

• Fresh English strawberries
• A generous pour of cream

That’s it!

Wimbledon Traditions

• Players are called “Ladies” and “Gentlemen”.
• Spectators queue for hours (sometimes overnight) for coveted tickets.
• Rain delays are part of Wimbledon folklore.
• The grass is maintained at exactly 8 millimeters in height.

Famous Champions

Some of Wimbledon’s legendary champions include:

• Maureen Connolly – won Wimbledon in 1952, 1953, and 1954.
• Martina Navratilova – record 9 ladies’ singles titles.
• Roger Federer – record 8 gentlemen’s singles titles.
• Serena Williams – 7 Wimbledon singles titles.

A Little Wimbledon Trivia

• The first Wimbledon champion in 1877 received 12 guineas and a silver cup.
• The tournament was interrupted by World Wars I and II.
• The famous phrase “The Championships” refers only to Wimbledon.
• Balls used at Wimbledon are traditionally supplied by Slazenger, a partnership that dates back to 1902.

Why Juniors Love Wimbledon

For junior players, walking through the gates of Wimbledon is often the realization of a lifelong dream. The grounds, flowers, traditions, and history make it feel unlike any other tournament in the world. Many future stars first shine on the junior courts before returning years later as champions on Centre Court.

As Maureen Connolly once demonstrated, Wimbledon has a way of turning extraordinary young players into legends. 

Top Former “Little Mo” players to watch:

Gentlemen

Tristan Boyer

Jenson Brooksby

Taylor Fritz

Sebastian Korda

Mackenzie McDonald

Brandon Nakashima

Tommy Paul

Alexei Popyrin

Ethan Quinn

Ladies

Kayla Day

Leylah Fernandez

Coco Gauff

Sofia Kenin

Madison Keys

Ashlyn Krueger

Taylor Townsend

Up and coming former "Little Mo" champion Michael Antonius hopes to continue his winning ways after being Runner-Up in the French Open junior finals. 

The “Little Mo” Story

Maureen Catherine Connolly Brinker, affectionately called “Little Mo”, was born on September 17, 1934 in San Diego, California. She began playing tennis at age nine in 1943 on the public courts of the Balboa Tennis Club in San Diego.



Although her career spanned three years, many premier sportswriters consider her to be the finest of all female players. In 1953 at the age of 18, she was the first woman to win the “Grand Slam” of tennis by claiming all four major events in one calendar year (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open). She lost only one set in the process. She is still the only American woman and the youngest to have accomplished this magnificent feat. To put the significance of her “Grand Slam” achievement into perspective, only five players in the history of tennis have won the “Grand Slam” of singles championships.

Nicknamed “Little Mo” for her powerful, accurate ground strokes (a comparison to “Big Mo”, the battleship USS Missouri), Maureen was devastating from the baseline and seldom needed to go to the net. A small and compact right-hander (5-foot-4), she won her major singles championships as a teenager: three successive Wimbledon titles (1952-54), three consecutive U.S. Championships at Forest Hills (1951-53), two French Championships (1953-54), and one Australian Championships (1953).

Maureen was the #1 junior girl in the nation in 1949 and 1950, winning the 18 and under singles and doubles titles at the National Jr. Championships. In 1951, 1952 and 1953, Maureen was the undisputed world champion. She was voted “Woman Athlete of the Year” by the Associated Press for those three consecutive years.

A cheerful and sporting competitor, Maureen crushed the opposition, never losing an important match, only occasionally losing a set. She helped the U.S. beat Britain in the Wightman Cup matches of 1951-54 by winning all seven of her singles. Nobody has measured up to her perfect record in the majors. She sailed through nine successive majors (three U.S. titles, three Wimbledon titles, two French titles, one Australian titles), unbeaten in 50 matches.

In July 1954, Maureen’s playing career ended with heartbreaking suddenness when she was involved in a horseback riding accident. After winning her third consecutive Wimbledon title, she was riding her beloved Tennessee Walker, Colonel Merry Boy, in San Diego with two friends on a private dirt road. A cement truck unexpectedly rounded the corner, sideswiped her horse, and severely injured her leg. “I knew immediately I’d never play again,” Maureen said later.

Although she was unable to compete any longer at her elite championship level, Maureen’s love of the sport continued. She dedicated herself to the promotion of the game of tennis, conducting clinics throughout the nation and becoming one of the game’s outstanding teachers. Maureen married Norman Brinker in 1955 and had two daughters, Cindy and Brenda. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1968. In 1969, she lost her valiant battle with cancer and passed away at the young age of 34.

This remarkable champion is memorialized through her namesake, The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB), which is dedicated to the promotion and support of junior tennis development worldwide. Maureen’s dream of establishing a foundation was based on her desire to give back to the game she loved so much. She was raised by a single mother and due to financial constraints, she was unable to travel to national tournaments. There were a few organizations in California that helped her with travel grants to cover expenses. Maureen thought at that time if she was ever in a position where she could help some young, promising players financially to travel to tournaments in order to improve their rankings, she would do it. This was the seed that was planted over fifty years ago in forming the foundation.

“Whenever a great player comes along you have to ask yourself, ‘Could she have beaten Maureen?’” says Lance Tingay of the Daily Telegraph of London. “In every case, the answer is, ‘I think not.’”

We hope you will find some time to enjoy the 1978 "Little Mo" movie (made for TV) about Maureen Connolly. The movie is about 2.5 hours long and features some major movie stars like Mark Harmon, Leslie Nielsen, and Glynnis O'Connor. It is a wonderful movie for the entire family and is very inspirational for young players who love the game of tennis. Thank you so much for sharing the "Little Mo" story with your child as it will help make their "Little Mo" experience more meaningful.

To watch the "Little Mo" movie, please click on the popcorn icon!

This wonderful documentary tells the story of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker's life and includes interviews with her friends, her husband Norman Brinker, her daughters Cindy Brinker Simmons and Brenda Brinker Bottum, and many more. Jennifer Spell was the director and produced the documentary in 2003.



To watch the "Little Mo" documentary, please click on the film icon!