Lena Rice

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For the American poet (1900-1981), see Helen Steiner Rice.

Helena Bertha Grace Rice, Lena Rice (born June 21, 1866 - June 21, 1907) was the only female Irish tennis player to win a singles title at Wimbledon. Lena, (who was born Helena Bertha Grace)was the second youngest of the seven children of spring Rice and Anna Gorde. She was born on the 21st of June 1866 at Marlhill, in a two storied Georgian building, half a mile from New Inn, Co.Tipperary. She had two brothers, Henry and Spring and four sisters Bess, Connie Annie and Lucy. Lena who regularly partnered her sister Annie at tennis, learn't the game at home, where her parents entertained in their large garden at Marlhill in the 1880s. The family fortunes were not to last and after the death of Spring Rice, the household declined into a state of near destitution.

Lena played at Cahir Lawn Tennis Club which had four courts as well as two croquet lawns. Lena had a powerful service game and also a brilliant forehand drive and also that time most of her own opponents were men.

Lena Rice's first sporting appearance outside Co. Tipperary was at the Irish Championships at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club in May 1889. Her sister Annie who also played but usually lost in the first round continued to travel with her sister to matches. At Fitswilliam Lena lost narrowly in two sets to Mrs Hillyard- five times Wimbledon Champion- in the semi-final. She took revenge in the Mixed Doubles when partnered by Willoughby Hamilton, she won the Mixed Doubles title, beating Mrs Hillyard and Henry Stone in the final 6–4 5–7 6–4.

In June that year she competed at the Lawnsdowne Handicap Challenge where she was runner up in the singles tournament. She then traveled to England with her sister to compete at Wimbledon for the first time. Lena battled hard to the final in where she met Mrs Hillyard. After almost two hours on Centre Court the Irishwoman had three match points to become the Wimbledon Champion of 1889. She lost her nerve though and faltered and Mrs Hillyard won the next three games and the match 4–6 8–6 6–4. This encounter has not happened since the women's final in Wimbledon in 2005 when Lindsay Davenport had a match point against Venus Williams but lost the match 9–7 in the final set. Lena returned to Ireland disappointed and exhausted.

The following year during the 1890 Irish Fitswilliam Championships, Lena lost the women's singles final to Louise Martin a match she had been expected to win. In Wimbledon of that year Lena had little difficulty reaching the final where her opponent to be was Miss. M. Jacks of Great Britain. She had beaten her easily in the semi-final the previous year. On the 4th of July 1890 on the day of the final Lena wore a full length dress with long sleeves, bustles, corsets and long petticoats and it also comprised with an angles length floral-patterned skirt and a blouse tightly clinched to the waist.

Lena won the first set 6–4, but in the second set faltered again. In what turned out to be the final game of the match Lena stunned everyone when Miss Jacks hit a ball into her opponents side of the court which it bounced almost head height. Lena then leaped into the air and pointed her racket downwards smashing the ball and introducing the forehand smash into the game of tennis and became the first Irish woman to win Wimbledon.

Lena Rice from Tipperary was aged 24 years and 14 days on her day of glory and had scored 58 points to her opponent's 42. She was presented with the 50 guineas Challenge Trophy, together with a cash prizo of 20 guineas, a gold bracelet and a ring set with diamonds and emeralds.

Lena retired from competitive tennis immediately after her Wimbledon victory. It can only be assumed after her mothers ill health and the family's lack of money Lena returned to Ireland.

After her mother's death, little of Lena's life is known. She lived alone in Marlhill.

On the 21st of June 1907, just seventeen years after her victory at Wimbledon Lena died of tuberculosis on her 41st birthday.