William Renshaw
 | |
| Full name | William Charles Renshaw |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |
 |
| Born |
3 January 1861 Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England |
| Died |
12 August 1904 (aged 43) Swanage, Dorset, England |
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in) |
| Plays | Right-handed (1-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1983 (member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 22–3 |
| Career titles | 23 [1] |
| Highest ranking | No. 1 (1881, Karoly Mazak)[2] |
| Grand Slam Singles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1889) |
| Other tournaments | |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam Doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1884, 1885, 1886, 1888, 1889) |
William Charles Renshaw (3 January 1861 – 12 August 1904) was a British tennis player active during the late 19th century who was ranked world No. 1. He won 12 Major titles during his career and was one of the most successful male players in the history of the Wimbledon Championships, winning the singles title seven times, this stood as a record in the Gentleman's singles along with Pete Sampras until 2017 when Roger Federer won his 8th title [3]. He won a record six times consecutively from (1881–86). Additionally he won the doubles title five times together with his twin brother Ernest. The right-hander was known for his power and technical ability which put him ahead of competition at the time. He was the first president of the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).
Career
Renshaw won a total of twelve Wimbledon titles.[4] Seven of those were in singles, which was a record shared with Pete Sampras which was surpassed in 2017 by Roger Federer who won his eighth title. The first six were consecutive, an achievement which has been unequaled to this day [5]. Since 1922 the reigning champions have had to play in the main draw, making such feats considerably more difficult). In the summer months he would compete in England and Ireland, while competing on the French Riviera during the winter months and practising on a private tennis court he and his brother had built at their own cost.[6] In singles play he played his twin brother Ernest Renshaw three times (1882, 1883 and 1889) in the Wimbledon final, triumphing on all three occasions. He was unable to defend his title in 1887 because of tennis elbow, the first time this injury received public attention, and during his absence took up golf.[6][7][8] The other five titles were in the Gentlemen's doubles, partnering with Ernest. Additionally, he and his brother dominated the sport for many years in a time when the only other Grand Slam was the U.S. Championships, and by custom players did not travel far. The rise in popularity of tennis in this period became known as the 'Renshaw Rush'.[9][10] In 1888 William was elected the first president of the British Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).[6] In 1983, William Renshaw was elected posthumously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame together with his brother.
Death
He died in Swanage, Dorset on 12 August 1904, aged 43, of epileptic convulsions.[11]
Grand Slam finals
Singles (7 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1881 | Wimbledon | Grass | | 6–0, 6–1, 6–1 |
| Winner | 1882 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass | | 6–1, 2–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| Winner | 1883 | Wimbledon (3) | Grass | | 2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1884 | Wimbledon (4) | Grass | | 6–0, 6–4, 9–7 |
| Winner | 1885 | Wimbledon (5) | Grass | | 7–5, 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Winner | 1886 | Wimbledon (6) | Grass | | 6–0, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1889 | Wimbledon (7) | Grass | | 7–5, 6–2, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 1890 | Wimbledon | Grass | | 8–6, 2–6, 6–3, 1–6, 1–6 |
Doubles (5 titles)
| Outcome | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winner | 1884 | Wimbledon | Grass | |
|
6–3, 6–1, 1–6, 6–4 |
| Winner | 1885 | Wimbledon (2) | Grass | |
|
6–3, 6–3, 10–8 |
| Winner | 1886 | Wimbledon (3) | Grass | |
|
6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Winner | 1888 | Wimbledon (4) | Grass | |
|
2–6, 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Winner | 1889 | Wimbledon (5) | Grass | |
|
6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 0–6, 6–1 |
Records
All-time
| Tournament | Since | Record accomplished | Players matched |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wimbledon Championships | 1877 | 6 consecutive singles titles won (1881–1886) | Stands Alone [12] |
See also
References
- ↑ "William Charles Renshaw: Stats". tennisarchives.com. Tennis Archives. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
- ↑ Mazak, Karoly (2010). The Concise History of Tennis, p. 9.
- ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/16/sports/tennis/wimbledon-roger-federer-marin-cilic.html
- ↑ Bud Collins (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 414/415, 435, 630. ISBN 978-0942257700.
- ↑ "William Renshaw: Class of 1983 Master Class". International Tennis Hall of Fame. ITHF. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
- 1 2 3 Gillmeister, Heiner (1998). Tennis : A Cultural History (Repr. ed.). London: Leicester University Press. pp. 190, 191, 199. ISBN 978-0718501952.
- ↑ "Stands Lawn Tennis Where It Did?". Aberdeen Evening Express. British Newspaper Archive. 16 August 1893. (Subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "Lawn Tennis – Championship Meeting". Birmingham Daily Post. British Newspaper Archive. 30 June 1891. (Subscription required (help)).
- ↑ "History of The All England Club and The Wimbledon Championships". AELTC. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ↑ "The Start of Something Special". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 31 May 2004. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
- ↑ "William Renshaw". db4tennis.com.
- ↑ Roopanarine, Les (6 July 2008). "Wimbledon 2008: Nadal clinches first Wimbledon title after Centre Court epic". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
External links
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