Caecilia Edith Aussem (1909-1963) generally known as Cilly was born to a wealthy family in Cologne. Her talent for tennis was originally spotted by her mother, who arranged professional coaching for her, and she was a national champion by the time she was 18.

Her success was all the more remarkable as she was very small in stature and plagued by ill health throughout her life, being particularly bothered by eye inflamations.

In a bizarre incident in 1928 her mother accused an opponent of defeating her by using hypnosis and a lawsuit ensued. She reached the Wimbledon semi-finals that year but was forced to retire on health grounds. It was not until 1931 that she finally triumphed at Wimbledon; the first player of either gender from her country to do so.

But a trip to South America was to lead to further health issues, as she developed a liver condition which led to her requiring surgery. She tried to make a comeback, but with only limited success, and retired from the game at the age of 25.

In 1936 she married and moved to Kenya with her husband, but once more her health suffered, and she contracted malaria. She spent the last years of her life living quietly at her husband's castle in Italy.

Though her own career was curtailed by illness, her name still lives on in the name of the German Junior Tennis Championships, which are called after her.

A German did not win Wimbledon again until Boris Becker's unexpected triumph in 1985.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org