Winning a Grand Slam title is one of the hardest things to achieve in professional sports.
However, for some players, the achievement seems an almost routine affair. Just ask Roger Federer, who won his first seven Grand Slam finals.
For many others, leaping over that final hurdle proves to be the toughest challenge of them all.
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Credit: Sofascore
Esna Boyd, who lost the first-ever Australian Open Women’s Singles final, knew all too well about struggling in major finals.
Esna Boyd lost five consecutive Australian Open Women’s Singles finals
Between 1922 and 1926, Esna Boyd lost five consecutive Australian Open finals.
The Australian star lost the first-ever Australian Open final to compatriot Margaret Molesworth, 6-3, 10-8.
The pair met once again in the 1923 final. Again Molesworth triumphed, this time by a scoreline of 6-1, 7-5.
In 1924, another Australian player – Sylvia Lance Harper – defeated Boyd [pictured below, right] in the final, 6–3, 3–6, 8–6.
In 1925 and 1926, Boyd lost to Daphne Akhurst [pictured above, left] in the Australian Open final. Akhurst, a five-time champion in Australia, is the individual whom the Australian Open Women’s Singles trophy is named [Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup].
In 1927, Boyd’s long wait for Australian Open glory came to an end. The Australian star, born in Melbourne, defeated Sylvia Lance Harper 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 in the final.
Boyd again made the final in 1928, where she lost to Akhurst again. It was Boyd’s seventh final appearance in a row.
Esna Boyd’s doubles success
While Boyd may have struggled to secure Grand Slam titles in singles, she had little trouble doing so when playing doubles.
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Between 1922 and 1928, Boyd won seven Grand Slam titles across the women’s doubles and mixed doubles formats.
Boyd won her first doubles major at the 1922 Australian Open. Boyd and Marjorie Mountain defeated Gwen Utz and Floris St. George 1–6, 6–4, 7–5 in the final.
The Australian won her last Grand Slam title in 1928 while playing alongside Daphne Akhurst at the Australian Open. In the Women’s Doubles final, the pair defeated Kathleen Le Messurier and Dorothy Weston 6-3, 6-1.
Esna Boyd passed away on November 13, 1966, at the age of 67.
