1956 French Championships – Women's singles

Women's singles
1956 French Championships
Champion	Althea Gibson
Runner-up	Angela Mortimer
Final score	6–0, 12–10
Details
Seeds	16
Events
Singles men women Doubles men
← 1955 · French Championships · 1957 →

Third-seeded Althea Gibson defeated Angela Mortimer 6–0, 12–10 in the final to win the women's singles tennis title at the 1956 French Championships.^[1] With this win Gibson became the first African-American, woman or man, to win a Grand Slam Championship.

Seeds[]

The seeded players are listed below. Althea Gibson is the champion; others show the round in which they were eliminated.

Draw[]

Key[]

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• r = Retired

Finals[]

	Quarterfinals							Semifinals							Finals
	1	Angela Mortimer	6	4	7
		Jenny Hoad	0	6	5
								1	Angela Mortimer	6	6
								5	Zsuzsi Körmöczy	4	3
		Ilse Buding	1	1
	5	Zsuzsi Körmöczy	6	6
															1	Angela Mortimer	0	10
															3	Althea Gibson	6	12
	6	Shirley Bloomer	2	1
	3	Althea Gibson	6	6
								3	Althea Gibson	2	6	6
								15	Angela Buxton	6	0	4
	10	Edda Buding	6	2
	15	Angela Buxton	8	6

Earlier rounds[]

Section 1[]

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
								1	Mortimer	7	6
										5	2
															1	Mortimer	6	6
															16		1	2
										4	0
								16		6	6
																						1	Mortimer	6	4	7
																							Hoad	0	6	5
								8	Davidson	6	2	5
		Hoad	6	6					Hoad	1	6	7
		Amouretti	1	3												Hoad
	9														9
		Ramorino						9		6	4	6
		Hopman	6	5	3					1	6	4
			3	7	6

Section 2[]

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
	4	Hawton	6	4	3
			1	6	6					0	1
		Buding	6	6					Buding	6	6
			0	2												Buding	1	6	6
			4	4											13		6	3	2
			6	6						2	4
	13		6	6				13		6	6
			0	3																			Buding	1	1
	5	Körmöczy	6	6																		5	Körmöczy	6	6
			1	1				5	Körmöczy	6	6
			3	4						0	1
			6	6											5	Körmöczy	4	7	6
			6	6	6										12	Hard	6	5	3
			0	8	2					1	3
	12	Hard	6	5	6			12	Hard	6	6
		Metzner	0	7	3

Section 3[]

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
			1	2
	11	Long	6	6				11	Long	7	6
			3	6	6					5	2
			6	4	3										11	Long	3	5
			8	3	7										6	Bloomer	6	7
			6	6	5					1	2
			1	3				6	Bloomer	6	6
	6	Bloomer	6	6																		6	Bloomer	2	1
	14	Bucaille	3	6	6																	3	Gibson	6	6
		Barril	6	2	2			14	Bucaille	0	6	6
		Dittmeyer	3	6	4					6	4	4
			6	3	6										14	Bucaille	1	1
		Puzejova	6	6											3	Gibson	6	6
			1	3					Puzejova	4	2
			1	1				3	Gibson	6	6
	3	Gibson	6	6

Section 4[]

	First round							Second round							Third round							Quarterfinals
			3	0
		Seeney	6	6					Seeney	6	7	9
		Seghers	6	6					Seghers	8	5	7
			3	2												Seeney	2	3
	10	Buding	6	6											10	Buding	6	6
			1	4				10	Buding	6	9
		De La Courtie	4	2				7	Mercelis	4	7
	7	Mercelis	6	6																		10	Buding	6	2
																						15	Buxton	8	6
								15	Buxton	6	6
									Muller	4	4
															15	Buxton	4	7	6
															2	Knode	6	5	1
										4	1
								2	Knode	6	6

References[]

External links[]

• "Official 1956 Women's Draw" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2016-12-05. (69.2 KiB) on the French Open website