Lenke Ziszovits-Popper (1909–1944)

Lenke Ziszovits was born in 1909 and she came to Oradea as a young girl and from the age of 14 attended the Jewish Commercial School. She had already shown her talent for tennis in Petrosani (being trained by Miss E Schlosser, who herself became the National Ladies Champion of Romania in 1928). She joined the tennis section of the Oradea Athletics Club and showed great promise as a player.

Lenke (to the left) aged 16

On leaving school in Oradea she returned to Petrosani, followed by a brief period of training and competing in tournaments in Switzerland. Aged 17, she returned to Oradea under the tutelage of coach Andor Mathe.

Oradea was one of the most successful tennis centres in Romania and had extensive facilities for playing tennis, including, it was said, the first indoor tennis courts built in Romania.

Guided by her coach she made an impact on the national scene winning silver medals in the women’s singles, women’s doubles and the mixed doubles.