Margaret Scriven

Margaret Croft Scriven-Vivian (née Scriven; 17 August 1912 – 25 January 2001) was a British tennis player and the first woman from that country to win the singles title at the French Championships in 1933. She also won the singles title at the 1934 French Championships, defeating Helen Jacobs in the final. She was ranked No. 5 in the world in 1933 and 1934.

Margaret Scriven
Full nameMargaret Croft Scriven-Vivian
Country (sports) United Kingdom
Born(1912-08-12)12 August 1912
Leeds, England
Died25 January 2001(2001-01-25) (aged 88)
Haslemere, England
PlaysLeft-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF2016 (member page)
Singles
Highest rankingNo. 5 (1933, A. Wallis Myers)[1]
Grand Slam singles results
French OpenW (1933, 1934)
WimbledonQF (1931, 1933, 1934, 1937)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
French OpenW (1935)
WimbledonSF ( 1934)
US OpenQF (1933)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenW (1933)
WimbledonQF (1937)
US OpenSF (1933)

Early life

Margaret Scriven was born on 18 August 1912 at Chapel Allerton, Leeds.[2] She was educated at home.[3] Her parents were club level tennis players and she played the game from an early age, playing on holiday and entering local tournaments.[4] According to one source, there was a tennis court at her family home and she was coached by her father, Edgar Scriven and by her mother.[5]

Career

Scriven won the British Junior Championships held at Wimbledon in September 1929.[6] In the final, Scriven defeated Miss P. Burt from Nottingham, 6–1, 6–3.[7]

In June 1930, Scriven played at the Wimbledon Championships for the first time, where she was beaten in the first round by Miss K. le Messurier.[8]

At Wimbledon in 1931, Scriven, was far more successful than at first attempt in the previous year. She reached the quarterfinals where she was beaten by the French player Simonne Mathieu in the sets.[9]

In 1932 she won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships, played on the wooden courts at the Queen's Club, after a victory in the final against Kay Stammers.[6]

For the 1933 French Championships, Scriven was not selected to go with the official British touring party. Instead, she travelled to Paris independently.[10] After beating top British players Mary Heeley and Betty Nuthall on her way to the final,[11] Scriven won the tournament, beating Simonne Mathieu in the final. She also triumphed in the mixed doubles, partnered by the Australian player, Jack Crawford.[12] In early August, 1933, Scriven was part of the losing British team in the Wightman Cup held at Forest Hills, New York.[13] Later in the same month, Scriven was at Forest Hills for the U.S. Championships. In the singles, she reached the last 16 of the tournament, being knocked out by the American, Josephine Cruickshank.[14] She also competed in the doubles and mixed doubles at the championships. Partnered by the Australian player Jack Crawford, Scriven reached the semi-finals of the mixed doubles.[15]

In May 1934, Scriven was back at the French Championships, this time as part of the official British team.[16] On 3 June 1934, Scriven retained her French title, beating Helen Jacobs of America, 7–5, 4–6, 6–1.[17] The final started at the late time of 6.30pm and, after two sets had been played, both players appealed against the light. The appeal was turned down, however, and the match continued in twilight. After 3 more games, with Scriven leading 2–1, Jacobs appealed again against the light but was turned down. Scriven went on to win all the remaining games.[18]

At the French Championships in 1935, Scriven was unable to win the singles title for the third time, being beaten in the semifinals by Mathieu. However, she did win the doubles, partnered by Katherine Stammers.[19]

Scriven-Vivian was the last British woman to win the same Grand Slam singles tournament for two consecutive years. In addition, she was the first left-handed woman to win a Grand Slam singles title and was the only unseeded woman ever to win the French Championships or French Open until the 2017 singles title was won by Jeļena Ostapenko.[20][21]

She played for the British Wightman Cup team in 1933, 1934 and 1938.

According to A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Scriven-Vivian was ranked in the world top ten from 1933 through 1935, reaching a career high of World No. 5 in those rankings in 1933 and 1934.[1]

Personal life

Scriven married Harvey Vivian on 28 November 1940[22] who was a house master and a wartime RAF officer. The couple had a son and a daughter.[2]

Grand Slam finals

Singles (2 titles)
Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win1933French ChampionshipsClayFrance Simonne Mathieu6–2, 4–6, 6–4
Win1934French Championships (2)ClayUnited States Helen Jacobs7–5, 4–6, 6–1

Doubles (1 title)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1935French ChampionshipsClayUnited Kingdom Kay StammersFrance Ida Adamoff
Denmark Hilde Krahwinkel Sperling		6–4, 6–0

Mixed doubles (1 title)
Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1933French ChampionshipsClayAustralia Jack CrawfordUnited Kingdom Betty Nuthall
United Kingdom Fred Perry		6–2, 6–3

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.
Tournament193019311932193319341935193619371938193919401941–194419451946119471Career SR
Australian Championships A A A A A A A A A A A NH NH A A 0 / 0
French Championships A A 2R W W SF 2R QF A A NH R A A A 2 / 6
Wimbledon 1R QF 2R QF QF 3R 1R QF 4R 4R NH NH NH 4R 3R 0 / 12
US Championships A A A 3R A A A A A A A A A A A 0 / 1
SR 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 2 1 / 3 1 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 1 0 / 1 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 0 0 / 1 0 / 1 2 / 19

R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.

1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.

See also

References
  1. Collins, Bud (2008). The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book. New York, N.Y: New Chapter Press. pp. 695, 702. ISBN 978-0-942257-41-0.
  2. "Peggie Scriven". The Telegraph. 12 February 2001. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  3. "Peggy Scriven's Triumph". Derby Daily Telegraph. 6 June 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "Peggie Scriven". The Times. The Times Digital Archive. 2 February 2001. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  5. "Miss Scriven of Leeds". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 30 June 1931. p. 6. Retrieved 26 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  6. Myers, A. Wallis, ed. (1937). Ayres' Lawn Tennis Almanack. London: F.H. Ayres Ltd. p. 679.
  7. "British Junior Championships". Dundee Courier. 16 September 1929. p. 3. Retrieved 12 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Ladies' singles". Sheffield Daily Telegraph. 25 June 1930. p. 8. Retrieved 12 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Thrilling duel at Wimbledon". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 1 July 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 12 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "PEGGY SCRIVEN, SPARKLING PERSONALITY OF TENNIS". Daily Telegraph. National Library of Australia. 7 November 1933. p. 5. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  11. ""Peggy" Scrivens' triumph". Gloucester Citizen. 6 June 1933. p. 9. Retrieved 26 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "IRRESISTIBLE". Northern Star. National Library of Australia. 2 June 1933. p. 7. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  13. "Jacobs saves day as British rally". Evening Star. 6 August 1933. p. 3. ISSN 2331-9968. Retrieved 17 June 2019 – via Library of Congress.
  14. "Only eight remain in US title play". Evening Star. 18 August 1933. pp. B–4. ISSN 2331-9968. Retrieved 17 June 2019 – via Library of Congress.
  15. "Invading teams advance". Evening Star. 27 August 1933. p. 2. ISSN 2331-9968. Retrieved 17 June 2019 – via Library of Congress.
  16. "A British victory". Western Morning News. 1 June 1934. p. 7. Retrieved 26 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  17. "Bow in surprises in French events". Evening Star. Library of Congress. 3 June 1934. p. 59. ISSN 2331-9968. Retrieved 12 June 2019.
  18. "Favourite for Wimbledon". Daily Herald. 4 June 1934. p. 18. Retrieved 26 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
  19. "Yankees survive in French tennis". Evening Star. 27 May 1935. pp. A–15. ISSN 2331-9968. Retrieved 13 June 2019 – via Library of Congress.
  20. Lynch, Steven (15 May 2014). "French Open fairytales". espn.co.uk. ESPN UK.
  21. "French Open: Jelena Ostapenko beats Simona Halep to win first Grand Slam". BBC Sport. 10 June 2017.
  22. "Peggy Scriven". Gloucestershire Echo. 29 November 1940. p. 6. Retrieved 10 June 2019 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
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