Cilly Aussem - Break Through in 1930

Break Through in 1930

In 1930, Aussem had her break through. With Tilden, she won all the mixed double titles on the Riviera that season. At the French Championships, Aussem and Tilden defeated the world's top two mixed doubles teams, Elizabeth Ryan / Jean Borotra and Eileen Bennett Whittingstall / Henri Cochet, and took the French title. Aussem also reached a singles semifinal, where she lost to Helen Jacobs.

At Wimbledon, Aussem faced Ryan in a semifinal. The match ended unexpectedly. While running, Aussem tumbled, fell, and lost consciousness. After that incident, health problems hampered the remainder of Aussem's tennis career. Her eyes became more and more sensitive, so that she had to spend hours in a darkened room waiting for her matches to start.

But Aussem's best tennis result was still was to come. At the end of 1930, just three years after starting to play in international championships, she reached second place in the world rankings.