Louise Brown

Major Accomplishments

Won the Canadian Open women’s singles and doubles titles in 1957 and was the singles runner-up in 1955 and 1962-1964.
Ranked in the Top 10 in Canadian women’s tennis for 26 years and four different decades from 1946 to 1971.
A winner of more than 60 Canadian singles and doubles titles.
Gold medalist in women’s doubles at the first Canada Games in 1969.

Biography

Louise Brown’s tennis career spanned four decades and was remarkable not just for its longevity but also for the consistency of her play. Brown, a hard hitting left hander, was ranked in the top 10 in women’s tennis for 26 consecutive years. She was ranked No. 1 in 1957, was ranked No. 2 for seven years and was No. 3 for a further seven years. She reached the finals of the Canadian Open on 12 occasions winning the singles in 1957 and the women’s doubles in 1957 and 1962.

Brown was playing captain of Canada’s Federation Cup team in 1963 and 1964, the first years of that competition. She was also non-playing captain in 1966, 1967 and 1969.

Brown won a record number of singles, doubles and mixed doubles titles in the Canadian, Ontario and Quebec championships. In fact, she was a 19-time champion of the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club. All of that was accomplished by this small-town girl who never had a tennis lesson.

Tennis was a family affair in the Brown household as Louise Brown competed with her son, David, at the U.S. Nationals and husband, Ross, former president of the Ontario Lawn Tennis Association. They also opened their home to travelling players who needed a place to stay in Toronto.

Brown was a seasoned singles and doubles player and made an impact on Canadian tennis at age of 14 when she was first given a racquet by her grandfather. Both her and her son, David, competed in the first Canada Summer Games in 1969 in Halifax. Brown captured the gold medal and David captured a bronze after losing in the semifinals to Bob Bedard, who is also in the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame.

“Louise Brown dominated the Canadian tennis scene for four decades and left several men in her wake when playing in practice matches. I know, I was one of them,” (George Gross, Toronto Sun).

Brown passed away in November of 2003 from a brain tumor. She continued to play tennis up until she was diagnosed with her illness. In remembrance of her great impact on Canadian tennis, her family set up the Louise and Ross Brown Fund for the Development of Canadian Junior Tennis.