Florence Best

Biography

Although Canadian women’s tennis did not have the same depth as men’s tennis back in the early 1900s, there was still a steady group of women that included Florence Best and Lois Moyes Bickle who were able to push the American players. Best made a name for herself and set the bar for women’s tennis in Canada for the years to follow. She was one of few Canadian women at that time that opened the door to tennis in Canada and proved that women’s tennis would be sustainable and show growth in the years to come. Best was an active player between the late 1890s to the early 1920s.

Best captured the Canadian Open singles title in 1923 and the doubles title in 1913, 1914 and 1919-1924 all with Bickle. She was the finalist at the Canadian Open in singles three times in 1913, 1914 and 1920 as she lost to her doubles partner Bickle in all three finals.