Reginald Doherty
 | |
| Full name | Reginald Frank Doherty |
|---|---|
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Born |
14 October 1872 Wimbledon, London, England |
| Died |
29 December 1910 (aged 38) Kensington, England |
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Int. Tennis HOF | 1980 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (1897, Karoly Mazak)[1] |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1897, 1898, 1899, 1900) |
| US Open | F (1902Ch) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Olympic Games |
 Bronze Medal (1900) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905) |
| US Open | W (1902, 1903) |
| Other Doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games |
 Gold Medal (1900, 1908) |
| Other Mixed Doubles tournaments | |
| Olympic Games |
Gold Medal (1900) |
| Team competitions | |
| Davis Cup | W (1903, 1904, 1905, 1906) |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Tennis | ||
| Gold | 1900 Paris | Doubles |
| Gold | 1900 Paris | Mixed doubles |
| Gold | 1908 London | Doubles |
| Bronze | 1900 Paris | Singles |
Reginald "Reggie" or "R.F." Frank Doherty (14 October 1872 – 29 December 1910) was a World No. 1 British male tennis player, and the older brother of Laurence Doherty. He was known in the tennis world as "R.F." rather than "Reggie".[2]
Early life
Doherty was born on 14 October 1872 at Beulah Villa in Wimbledon, Surrey, the oldest son of William Doherty, a printer, and his wife, Catherine Ann Davis.[3] Doherty began tennis early in life and as a boy at Westminster School showed great promise. At age 14 he won the boys' singles title at an open championship in Llandudno. Doherty was educated at the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall), where he played for the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club.[4] In 1895 and 1895 he was part of the Cambridge team that beat Oxford and won the Scottish and Essex championships.
Career
Grand Slams
Doherty played in his first Wimbledon Championships in 1894 and lost in the first round to Clement Cazalet in four sets. In 1897 Doherty won his first singles Wimbledon title after beating reigning champion Harold Mahony in three straight sets (6–4, 6–4, 6–3). He successfully defended his title for the next three years (1898, 1899, 1900). In 1898 he did so by beating his brother in the Challenge Round in five sets (6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1). In 1901 he finally lost his Wimbledon crown when he was defeated in the Challenge Round by Arthur Gore in four sets (6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 4–6). He was also a runner-up at the US Championships in 1902 where he was beaten by the defending American champion William Larned in four sets (6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–8). Together with his brother Laurie he won eight Wimbledon Championships doubles titles and two US Championship doubles titles.
Davis Cup
Doherty represented the British Isles in the prestigious Davis Cup contest from 1902 to 1906. In 1902 he won the doubles match with his brother but lost the final and decisive singles match against American Malcolm Whitman in straight sets (1–6, 5–7, 4–6). In 1903 he contributed significantly to his team's first Davis Cup title against the United States by winning the doubles match and the decisive singles match against Robert Wrenn. Doherty won the Davis Cup trophy a further three times (1904, 1905, 1906) although in these years he only competed, and won, in the doubles matches.[5]
Olympics
Doherty won the doubles title (gold medals were not given at the 1900 Games) at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris with his brother.[6] He also competed in the singles tournament and reached the semi-final where he was scheduled to play against his brother. Reggie withdrew, since the brothers refused to play each other before the final.[7] He also won the mixed doubles title with five-time Wimbledon champion Charlotte Cooper. Doherty did not compete in the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. In the 1908 Olympics in London Reggie again won the doubles title, this time with compatriot George Hillyard.[8]
R.F. Doherty was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980 together with his brother.[9]
Death
Doherty died of heart failure and neurasthenia on 29 December 1910 at the age of only 38 at his home in Kensington a day after returning from a convalescence stay in a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland.[10][3]
According to his obituary in The New York Times, Doherty had "been ill health for some time". The article further stated, he "held at various times every important championship the world of tennis has for a man to win. He was not beaten until he began to fail in health".[2] Both brothers apparently suffered from respiratory problems throughout their lives.[11]
R.F. and his brother had been urged to take up lawn tennis by their father, reportedly for health reasons.[2]
Grand Slam record
Singles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runners-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Opponent | Score |
| Winner | 1897 | Wimbledon Championships | Harold Mahony | 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1898 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1. |
| Winner | 1899 | Wimbledon Championships | Arthur Gore | 1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1900 | Wimbledon Championships | Sidney Smith | 6–8, 6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 11–9 |
| Runner-up | 1901 | Wimbledon Championships | Arthur Gore | 6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 1902 | US Championships |  William Larned | 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–8 |
Doubles: 13 (10 titles, 3 runners-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Runner-up | 1896 | Wimbledon Championships | Harold Nisbet | Wilfred Baddeley Herbert Baddeley | 6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 2–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 1897 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Wilfred Baddeley Herbert Baddeley | 6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1898 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Harold Nisbet Clarence Hobart | 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Winner | 1899 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Harold Nisbet Clarence Hobart | 7–5, 6–0, 6–2 |
| Winner | 1900 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Herbert Roper Barrett Harold Nisbet | 9–7, 7–5, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1901 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Dwight F. Davis Holcombe Ward | 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 9–7 |
| Runner-up | 1902 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Sidney Smith Frank Riseley | 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4, 9–11 |
| Winner | 1902 | US Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Holcombe Ward Dwight F. Davis | 11–9, 12–10, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1903 | US Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Kreigh Collins L. Harry Waidner | 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1903 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Sidney Smith Frank Riseley | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1904 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Sidney Smith Frank Riseley | 6–1, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1905 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Sidney Smith Frank Riseley | 6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 1906 | Wimbledon Championships | Lawrence Doherty | Sidney Smith Frank Riseley | 8–6, 4–6, 7–5, 3–6, 3–6 |
References
- ↑ Mazak, Karoly (2010). The Concise History of Tennis, p. 25.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Famous Tennis Player Dead: R.F. Doherty, Once American Champion, Passes Away in London", The New York Times, 30 December 1910
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Wray Vamplew. "Doherty, (Hugh) Lawrence [Laurie] (1875–1919), tennis player". Oxford University Press.
- ↑ "Doherty, Reginald Frank (DHRY894RF)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- ↑ "Davis Cup Player Profile". ITF. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ "Reginald Doherty Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved 2014-01-26.
- ↑ Grasso, John. Historical dictionary of tennis. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780810872370. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ "All the Medallists since 1896". Olympic Movement. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ "Hall of Famers – Reggie Doherty". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
- ↑ "Late Mr. Doherty". Northern Advocate (New Zealand) (Northland). 14 February 1911. p. 3.
- ↑ Hugh Laurence Doherty (UK)
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Reginald Doherty. |
| ||||||
| ||||||
| ||||||
