#1 Little Mo
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Before there was such a thing as an ‘Open Era’ and all the records that came with it, was a young American player called Maureen Connolly, raised by a single mother in San Diego, California.
One of the best in the sport, Connolly took up tennis because learning horseback riding was not financially viable for her mother. At only 10 years old, Connolly was scouted and trained – and in only a couple of years, became one of the best baseline specialists experts had seen in some time.
At only 14, Connolly went on a 56-match winning streak, winning the under-18 US Tennis Championships the following year. To say she was a prodigy would be an understatement, although her beginnings with tennis were not as ‘obvious’ as is the case with many other players.
The next year, she became the youngest player to win the erstwhile version of the US Open, and subsequently hired the services of tennis icon Harry Hopman – for whom the Hopman Cup is named – as her coach in 1953.
That would prove to be one of the best decisions Connolly ever took. She went on to win what was known as a Grand Slam – that is, winning all four Majors in a calendar year, the first woman and only second player to achieve the feat.
Having intended to go pro in 1954, Connolly was thwarted by ill luck, thrown from a horse she had been riding. Her tennis career ended when she was only 19.
Her career thwarted in its immensely successful infancy, Connolly was still involved post retirement in tennis coverage and coaching, and worked extensively with her husband, an Olympic equestrian, on promoting junior tennis.
But once again, life had different plans. Connolly was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1966, and after a three-year battle with the disease, passed away in 1969.
Her real life, filled with so many drastic highs and lows, was the stuff of film all on its own – and it was portrayed in Little Mo, with TV actress Glynnis O’Connor portraying the title role.
This is an extremely touching watch, and an insight into the life of a player who was immensely successful but dogged by tragedy for most of her life before an untimely death.
