Molla Bjurstedt-Mallory was the greatest ever Norwegian female tennis player, winning an Olympic bronze medal in singles in 1912. She was Norwegian Champion multiple times, before moving to New York City in 1915 where she worked as a masseuse. She won the 1915 US Indoor title, the first of her five titles in that event. She also won the US Open title in 1915, the first of her eight successes in that event, winning in 1915-18, 1920-22, and 1926. Bjurstedt-Mallory’s eight victories in the US Open is still the all-time best (as of 2015). She was runner-up at Wimbledon in 1922 to Suzanne Lenglen, and won US doubles titles in 1916-17, partnered by Eleonora Sears, and won three US mixed titles, in 1917 partnered by Irving Wright, and in 1922-23, partnered by Bill Tilden.
Bjurstedt-Mallory’s most famous victory came in her second round match against Suzanne Lenglen at the 1921 US Championships. Lenglen was ill, later to be called whooping cough, and lost the first set 6-2. In the first game of the second set, Mallory led 40-love when Lenglen came to the net and withdrew. Lenglen avenged that loss at the 1922 Wimbledon final, winning 2 and love in 26 minutes, the shortest final in any Grand Slam championship. They played later that summer in Nice, with Lenglen winning a double bagel.
Norway