Suzanne Richardine Girod

Suzanne Richardine Girod (née Poirson) was a tennis player from France. She became the singles winner of the French tennis championships at Roland Garros in 1901 when she defeated Mrs. Leroux in the final by 6-1 6-1. She was runner-up in 1897 and 1902 to Adine Masson. At that early point, Mme Girod had probably only recently taken up what was a new sport in France.

Suzanne Richardine Poirson is the daughter of Paul Poirson, insurance broker and playwright, and Seymourina Cuthbert, niece of collector Richard Seymour-Conway. She is also the niece of the painter Maurice Poirson and the great-granddaughter of the engineer-cartographer Jean-Baptiste Poirson. She married in 1891 Pierre Girod, from an important family of Swiss origin. The latter was managing partner of the bank Neuflize et Cie then vice-president of the Eaux d'Évian company. They have a daughter, Jacqueline, born in 1892 (wife Philippe Cruse).

Frequenting the very fashionable courts of the Société des sports de l'île de Puteaux, Madame Girod used to play with gloves so as not to tan her hands. Coming from the Parisian upper middle class, she shares her life between her home on Avenue Hoche and the city of Évian-les-Bains where she organizes many social events. She created in this city with her daughter the water gardens of Pré Curieux, located on a property belonging to her father-in-law Gustave Girod, founder of the Mineral Water Company of Evian.

In 1897, she was one of the three players lined up for the first French women's championship and lost her only match against Adine Masson. She participated again in the tournament in 1901 where she won against the only other competitor in the running. The following year, against four other opponents, she was again a finalist against Madame Masson.