Maureen Connolly (1934-1969) was one of the greatest singles players in the history of women's tennis. In 1953, she won four international tournaments known as the Grand Slam of Tennis, an accomplishment achieved by only two other female players since. She is rememberd as a pioneer of women's tennis, who made significant contributions to help popularize the sport.

Maureen Catherine Connolly was born on September 17, 1934 in San Diego, California. She was the victim of a broken home. Her father, Marten Connolly, left the family when she was a toddler. Her mother, Jassamine Connolly, told the young girl that her biological father was deceased, an untruth that caused a rift between mother and daughter later, when Connolly achieved fame and Marten Connolly resurfaced.

Connolly was raised by her mother and a stepfather, August Berste, a musician by profession. Connolly's mother, an amateur pianist herself, urged her daughter to find a...