Reginald Doherty

Reginald "Reggie" or "R. F." Frank Doherty (14 October 1872 – 29 December 1910) was a British tennis player and the older brother of tennis player Laurence Doherty. He was known in the tennis world as "R.F." rather than "Reggie".[3] He was a four-time Wimbledon singles champion and a triple Olympic Gold medalist in doubles and mixed doubles.[4]

Reginald Doherty
Full nameReginald Frank Doherty
Country (sports) United Kingdom
Born(1872-10-14)14 October 1872
Wimbledon, Surrey, England
Died29 December 1910(1910-12-29) (aged 38)
Kensington, London, England
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Turned pro1891 (amateur)
Retired1910
PlaysRight-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF1980 (member page)
Singles
Career record211–96 (68.7%)[1]
Career titles36[1]
Highest rankingNo. 1 (1897, ITHF)[2]
Grand Slam singles results
WimbledonW (1897, 1898, 1899, 1900)
US OpenF (1902Ch)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
WimbledonW (1897, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1905)
US OpenW (1902, 1903)
Team competitions
Davis CupW (1903, 1904, 1905, 1906)
Medal record
Olympic Games – Tennis
Gold medal – first place 1900 Paris Doubles
Gold medal – first place 1900 Paris Mixed doubles
Gold medal – first place 1908 London Doubles
Bronze medal – third place 1900 Paris Singles

Early life

Doherty was born on 14 October 1872 at Beulah Villa in Wimbledon, the oldest son of William Doherty, a printer, and his wife Catherine Ann Davis.[5] 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.[6] In 1895 and 1895, he was part of the Cambridge team that beat Oxford and won the Scottish and Essex championships.

Career

Grand Slam tournaments

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.[7]

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.[8] He also competed in the singles tournament and reached the semifinal, where he was scheduled to play against his brother. Reggie withdrew, since the brothers refused to play each other before the final.[9] 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.[10]

R.F. Doherty was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980 together with his brother.[2]

Death

Doherty died of heart failure and neurasthenia on 29 December 1910 at age 38 at his home in Kensington, a day after returning from a convalescence stay in a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland.[5][11]

According to his obituary in The New York Times, Doherty had "been in 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".[3] Both brothers apparently suffered from respiratory problems throughout their lives.[12]

R.F. and his brother had been urged to take up lawn tennis by their father, reportedly for health reasons.[3]

Grand Slam finals
Reginald Doherty – Beginning of a low backhand drive
Reginald Doherty (left) with his brother Laurence.

Singles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runners-up)
Result Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win1897WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Harold Mahony6–4, 6–4, 6–3[13]
Win1898WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence Doherty6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1[13]
Win1899WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Arthur Gore1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3[13]
Win1900WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith6–8, 6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 11–9[13]
Loss1901WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Arthur Gore6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 4–6[13]
Loss1902U.S. National ChampionshipsGrassUnited States William Larned6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–8[14]

Doubles: 13 (10 titles, 3 runners-up)
Result Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss1896WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Harold NisbetUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Herbert Baddeley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Wilfred Baddeley		6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 2–6, 1–6[15]
Win1897WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Herbert Baddeley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Wilfred Baddeley		6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4[15]
Win1898WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited States Clarence Hobart
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Harold Nisbet		6–4, 6–4, 6–2[15]
Win1899WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited States Clarence Hobart
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Harold Nisbet		7–5, 6–0, 6–2[15]
Win1900WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Herbert Roper Barrett
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Harold Nisbet		9–7, 7–5, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3[15]
Win1901WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited States Dwight Davis
United States Holcombe Ward		4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 9–7[15]
Loss1902WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Frank Riseley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith		6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4, 9–11[15]
Win1902U.S. National ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited States Dwight Davis
United States Holcombe Ward		11–9, 12–10, 6–4[16]
Win1903WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Frank Riseley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith		6–4, 6–4, 6–4[15]
Win1903U.S. National ChampionshipsGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited States Kreigh Collins
United States L. Harry Waidner		7–5, 6–3, 6–3[16]
Win1904WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Frank Riseley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith		6–1, 6–2, 6–4[15]
Win1905WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Frank Riseley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith		6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3[15]
Loss1906WimbledonGrassUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Laurence DohertyUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Frank Riseley
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Sydney Smith		8–6, 4–6, 7–5, 3–6, 3–6[15]

Career finals (52)
Titles by surface
Clay (18–4)
Grass (14–12)
Hard (1–0)
Wood (3–0)

Singles titles (36)
No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent in final Score
1. 1895 Essex Championships,[17] Colchester, England Grass England Herbert Ramon Yglesias 6–3, 6–1, 6–0
2. 1895 Scottish Championships,[18] Moffat, Scotland Grass Scotland Richard Millar Watson walkover
3. 1895 Welsh Covered Court Championships,[19] Llandudno, Wales Wood Wales William S. N. Heard walkover
4. 1895 Exmouth LTC Tournament, Exmouth, England Grass United Kingdom Harry S. Barlow 6–1, 7–5, 6–2
5. 1896 Baden Baden International, Baden-Baden, Germany Clay Germany Count Voss 6–1, 7–5, 6–2
6. 1896 East of England Championships, England Grass United Kingdom Edward Roy Allen 6–4, 8–6
7. 1896 Essex Championships, Colchester, England Grass England Laurence Doherty walkover
8. 1896 Scottish Championships,[18] Moffat, Scotland Grass United Kingdom Edward Roy Allen 13–11, 6–4 retired.
9. 1896 The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany Clay United Kingdom William M. Cranston walkover
10. 1896 Welsh Covered Court Championships,[19] Llandudno, Wales Wood England Laurence Doherty walkover
11. 1897 Baden Baden International, Baden-Baden, Germany Clay United Kingdom Laurence Doherty walkover
12. 1897 Wimbledon Championships, London, England Grass United Kingdom Wilberforce Eaves 6–3, 7–5, 2–0 ret
13. 1897 South of France Championships, Nice, France Clay Germany Count Voss 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1
14. 1897 The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany Clay United Kingdom George Hillyard walkover
15. 1897 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay United Kingdom Conway W. Blackwood Price 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
16. 1897 Scottish Championships,[21] Moffat, Scotland Grass England Laurence Doherty walkover
17. 1897 Cannes Championships, Cannes, France Clay France M.G. Gongoltz 6–2, 6–4, 6–3
18. 1897 Welsh Covered Court Championships,[19] Llandudno, Wales Wood England Laurence Doherty walkover
19. 1898 Wimbledon Championships, London, England Grass England Laurence Doherty 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1
20. 1898 The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany Clay England Laurence Doherty walkover
21. 1898 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay Germany Count Voss 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–0 Retired.
22. 1899 Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland Grass Ireland Harold Mahony 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4
23. 1899 Wimbledon Championships London, England Grass United Kingdom Arthur Gore 1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3
24. 1899 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay Germany Count Voss 6–2 Ret.
25. 1899 Heiligendammer Cup, Heiligendammer, Germany Clay Germany Georg Wantzelius 6–2, 6–1, 6–2
26. 1899 The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany Clay United States Clarence Hobart 3–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6–4
27. 1899 South of France Championships, Nice, France Clay Germany Count Voss 6–0, 6–0 6–0
28. 1900 Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland Grass England Arthur Gore 6–4, 7–5, 7–9, 7–9, 6–3
29. 1900 Wimbledon Championships London, England Grass United Kingdom Sydney Howard Smith 6–8, 6–3, 6–1, 6–2
30. 1901 Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland Grass England Laurence Doherty 6–4, 4–6 ret.
31. 1902 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay United Kingdom George Hillyard 6–1, 6–4, 6–3
32. 1902 Paris International Championships, Paris, France Clay France Paul Lebreton walkover
33. 1903 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay United Kingdom Frank Riseley 6–1, 14–16 Ret.
34. 1903 Paris International Championships, Paris, France Clay France Max Decugis 6–4, 6–3, 8–6
35. 1904 Monte-Carlo Cup,[20] Monte Carlo, France Clay United Kingdom Josiah Ritchie 6–1, 7–5, 3–6, 7–5
36. 1909 South African Championships,[22] Johannesburg, South Africa Hard United Kingdom Lionel Escombe 6–3, 6–1, 6–1

Singles runners-up (16)
No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent in final Score
1. 1895 Colchester Championships, Colchester, England Grass England Charles Gladstone Allen walkover
2. 1896 Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland Grass Ireland Harold Mahony 6–2, 6–2, 6–4
3. 1896 Queen's Club Championships, London, England Grass Ireland Harold Mahony 11–9, 6–4, 6–4
4. 1896 Sussex Championships, Exmouth, England Grass England Wilfred Baddeley 6–1, 6–2, 6–3
5. 1897 Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland Grass England Wilberforce Eaves 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2
6. 1897 Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament, Manchester, England Grass England Wilfred Baddeley 6–2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–0
7. 1898 South of France Championships, Nice, France Clay England Laurence Doherty walkover
8. 1898 Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland Grass Ireland Harold Mahony 6–3, 8–6, 6–3
9. 1898 Scottish Championships, Moffat, Scotland Grass England Laurence Doherty walkover
10. 1899 Championship of Europe, Bad Homburg, Germany Clay Ireland Harold Mahony walkover
11. 1900 South of France Championships, Nice, France Clay England Laurence Doherty walkover
12. 1901 Wimbledon Championships, London, England Grass England Arthur Gore 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4
13. 1902 U.S. National Championships, Newport, RI, USA Grass United States William Larned 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 8–6
14 1902 South of France Championships, Nice, France Clay England Laurence Doherty walkover
15. 1902 Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland Grass England Laurence Doherty walkover
16 1905 East Grinstead, East Grinstead, England Grass United Kingdom Roderick James McNair walkover

References
  1. "Players:Doherty, Reginald". The Tennis Base. Madrid: Tennismem SL. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. "Hall of Famers – Reggie Doherty". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  3. "Famous Tennis Player Dead: R.F. Doherty, Once American Champion, Passes Away in London", The New York Times, 30 December 1910
  4. "Reginald Doherty". Olympedia. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
  5. Wray Vamplew. "Doherty, (Hugh) Laurence [Laurie] (1875–1919), tennis player". Oxford University Press.
  6. "Doherty, Reginald Frank (DHRY894RF)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
  7. "Davis Cup Player Profile". ITF. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  8. "Reginald Doherty Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
  9. Grasso, John (16 September 2011). Historical dictionary of tennis. Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press. p. 86. ISBN 9780810872370. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  10. "All the Medallists since 1896". Olympic Movement. Retrieved 4 April 2012.
  11. "Late Mr. Doherty". Northern Advocate (New Zealand). Northland. 14 February 1911. p. 3.
  12. Hugh Laurence Doherty (UK) Archived 9 December 2012 at archive.today
  13. "Wimbledon Rolls of Honour / Gentlemen's Singles". Wimbledon official tournament website. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  14. "US Open Past Champions / Men's Singles". US Open official website. Archived from the original on 22 February 2009. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  15. "Wimbledon Rolls of Honour / Gentlemen's Doubles". Wimbledon. AELTC.
  16. "US Open Past Champions / Men's Doubles". US Open official website. Archived from the original on 25 October 2007. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
  17. "Late Mr. Doherty". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Northern Advocate, 14 February 1911. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  18. "A Great Lawn Tennis Player: Death of Mr. R. F. Doherty". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. The Dominion. 11 February 1911. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  19. Kinsey, Albert. "The Craigside Hotel Hydro Band". genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/. BBC Radio Times Regional Programme Western, 9 July 1936. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  20. Schneiderman, E. Digby Baltzell; with a new introduction by Howard G. (2013). Sporting gentlemen : men's tennis from the age of honor to the cult of the superstar. Somerset, NJ: Transaction Publishers. p. 73. ISBN 9781412851800.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. "Games and Players:Notable Tennis Record". news.google.com. The Glasgow Herald, 18 April 1951. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  22. "Reggie Doherty-Biography". sports-reference.com. Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2016.
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