In the early 1950s, the 5-foot-4-inch dynamo dominated the tennis world, using powerful groundstrokes to become the first woman to win all four major tennis tournaments in a calendar year. From 1951 to 1954, Connolly amassed nine major singles titles and three major doubles titles. For three years in a row, she was the top-ranked player in the world, and the Associated Press named her its “Woman Athlete of the Year” three straight years (1951—1953).