Maud Banks

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Maud Banks of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a tennis champion who played in the latter stages of the 19th Century and in the early part of the 20th Century.

She reached the singles final at the U.S. Nationals in 1899, a time when women played best-of-five set finals. She lost that final to Marion Jones, 1-6, 1-6, 5-7. She reached the semifinals in both singles and doubles the next year, before losing to Myrtle McAteer of Pittsburgh in both matches. (Banks teamed with Bessie Rastall and McAteer with Marie Wimer.)

She also teamed with Winona Closterman of Cincinnati to reach the doubles final at the U.S. Nationals in 1902, only to fall to the team of Juliette Atkinson and Marion Jones.

Banks also was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Nationals in 1897, losing to Atkinson.

At the Cincinnati Masters, Banks reached five finals. She won the singles title in 1902 (over Closterman), and was runner-up in 1900 (falling to McAteer), won doubles titles in 1900 (with McAteer) and 1902 (with Hallie Champlin), and was a mixed doubles runner-up in 1899 (with John Hammond). The Cincinnati tournament began in 1899, making Banks one of its first champions.