Atkinson, Juliette P.
Tennis
b. April 15, 1873, Rahway, NJ
d. Jan. 12, 1944
Atkinson and her younger sister, Kathleen, taught themselves how to play tennis. Probably the first woman to come to the net and volley, she won her first national championships in 1894, teaming with Helen Hellwig in the women's doubles and with Edwin P. Fischer in the mixed doubles.
In 1895, Atkinson won her first national singles title and also took both doubles titles again, with the same partners. Bothered by an ankle sprain suffered during a riding accident, she lost to Elisabeth Moore in the 1896 challenge round, but teamed with Moore to win the women's doubles and with Fischer to win a third consecutive mixed doubles title.
Until 1902, women played the best-of-five format in the final round, and Atkinson never lost a five-set match, beating Moore in five sets in 1897 and Marion Jones in 1898. Her 6-3, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 7-5 win over Jones is still the longest match ever played in the women's national singles. The Atkinson sisters won the women's doubles in 1897 and 1898.
Atkinson didn't play in the nationals again until 1901, when she lost in the singles finals but won the women's doubles championship with Myrtle McAteer. In her final appearance, she lost in the singles finals once more and won the women's doubles with Jones in 1902.