Hilda Wallis made history at the 1924 Paris Olympic Games as the first woman to compete for Ireland in the Olympic Games, entering the ring on 13 July 1924 when she was beaten in the first round of the ladies' singles by the British player Phyllis Covell (3-6, 6-0, 6-2). An outstandingly versatile sportswoman who also competed for Ireland in golf and hockey, Wallis was one of the leading tennis players of her generation. In the mixed doubles, she and Edwin McCrea won the only Irish tennis victory of the Paris Games, beating an Indian combination 9-7, 4-6, 9-7. Wallis's brother Stewart accompanied the team to Paris and was noted for his assistance to Wallis and Phoebe Blair-White. The Irish tennis team of 1924 played their matches without a manager and encountered difficult conditions, with inadequate access to practice facilities.
Tennis
