Laurence Doherty


Hugh Laurence "Laurie" Doherty was a British tennis player and the younger brother of tennis player Reginald Doherty. He was a six-time Grand Slam champion and a double Olympic Gold medalist at the 1900 Summer Olympics in singles and doubles. In 1903 he became the first non-American player to win the U.S. National Championships.

Early life

Doherty was born on 8 October 1875 at Beulah Villa in Wimbledon, London, the youngest son of William Doherty, a printer, and his wife, Catherine Ann Davis. Doherty was the shorter of the two brothers, at 1.78 m, who played championship tennis in their native England and at Wimbledon at the turn of the century.
Like his brother he was educated at Westminster School from 1890 to 1894 followed by Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he played for and became President of the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. He gained his blues in 1896, 1897, and 1898. In 1892 Doherty won the Renshaw cup, the All-England Championships singles title for boys under 16 which was held in Scarborough.
In addition to lawn tennis he also played real tennis and golf.

Career

The brothers were reportedly urged to play tennis by their father, for health reasons. Known as "Little Do", Doherty won Wimbledon five consecutive times in singles and eight times in doubles with his brother. In 1903, he became the first tennis player to win a Grand Slam tournament outside of his native country by beating defending champion William Larned in three straight sets in the final of the US Championships in Newport. He won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships, played at the Queen's Club in London, six consecutive times between 1901 and 1906. Additionally he won the singles title at The South of France Championships in Nice seven times in a row.
Doherty won the singles event of the tennis competition at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris. Gold medals were not given at the 1900 Games. In the semifinal he was scheduled to play against his brother but Reggie withdrew, since the brothers refused to play each other before the final. In the final Doherty defeated Harold Mahony in three straight sets. Doherty also won the doubles title at the 1900 Olympic Games with his brother. In the mixed doubles event he partnered with Marion Jones, the winner of the singles title at the 1899 U.S. Championships, and lost in the semifinal against his brother who had teamed up with Charlotte Cooper.
Between 1902 and 1906 Doherty played for the British Davis Cup team and was undefeated during this period. In 1902 he partnered his brother to win the doubles match in the challenge round against the United States but the latter retained the Cup after a 3–2 victory. In 1903 Doherty won both his singles matches as well as the doubles match to help the British Isles to their first Davis Cup victory. In 1904, 1905 and 1906 he was part of the British team that successfully defended the Cup.
The brothers co-wrote R.F. and H.L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis.
He gave up tennis for golf in 1906 and distinguished himself in that sport as well. In 1908 Doherty reached the last 16 of the British amateur championship at the Royal St George's course.
In 1914, after the outbreak of World War I, Doherty joined the Anti-Aircraft branch of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve but was released in 1915 due to ill health.
Doherty died of toxemia on 21 August 1919 at Leon Cottage in Broadstairs, Kent after suffering from tubercular nephritis and cystitis for two years. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980 together with his brother.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 7 (6 titles, 1 runner-up)

Doubles: 12 (10 titles, 2 runners-up)

Singles titles

No.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
1.16 August 1896Essex Championship, Colchester, EnglandGrass Edward Roy Allen6–4, 6–2, 7–5
2.27 September 1896Welsh Covered Court Championships, Llandudno, WalesWood George Simond6–0, 6–0
3.27 August 1897Suffolk Championships, Saxmundham, EnglandGrass Charles Henry Ridding6–3, 8–6, 4–6, 6–1
4.18 July 1897Queen's Club Championships, London, EnglandGrass Major Ritchie6–2, 6–2, 6–2
5.March 1898South of France ChampionshipsClay J.R. Hay Gordon6–1, 6–2, 6–1
6.March 1898Monte CarloClay Count Voss4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–0 ret.
7.18 June 1898Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament, LiverpoolGrass Wilfred Baddeleywalkover
8.11 July 1898Queen's Club Championships, London, EnglandGrass Harold Mahony6–3, 6–4, 9–7
9.August 1898Scottish ChampionshipsGrass Reginald Dohertywalkover
10.March 1900South of France Championships, NiceClay Reginald Dohertywalkover
11.11 July 1900Olympic Games, ParisClay Harold Mahony6–4, 6–2, 6–3
12.26 August 1900The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, GermanyClay George Hillyard7–5, 6–2, 3–6, 4–6, 6–2
13.September 1900Dinard, FranceClay Harold Mahony4–6, 6–1, 8–6, 7–5
14.16 September 1900South of England ChampionshipsGrass Sidney Smith6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–1
15.March 1901Cannes, FranceClay George Hillyard6–3, 6–3, ret.
16.17 March 1901Monte CarloClay Wilberforce Eaves6–2, 5–7, 6–1
17.24 March 1901South of France Championships, NiceClay Wilberforce Eaves6–2, 6–3, 6–2
18.27 April 1901British Covered Court ChampionshipsWood Arthur Gore6–3, 6–1, 6–1
19.June 1901Kent Championships, Beckenham, EnglandGrass Arthur Gore6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4
20.August 1901Buxton ChampionshipsGrass George Hillyard6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–2
21.August 1901North of England Championships, ScarboroughGrass Ernest Black6–2, 6–1, 6–1
22.March 1902South of France Championships, NiceClay Reginald Dohertywalkover
23.April 1902British Covered Court Championships, Queens, LondonWood Major Ritchie6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
24.May – June 1902Irish Championships, DublinGrass Reginald Dohertywalkover
25.15 June 1902Kent Championships, Beckenham, EnglandGrass George Simond6–4, 6–0, 6–3
26.June 1902Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Arthur Gore6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–0
27.15 October 1902European Championships, Queen's Club, LondonWood Harold Mahony4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–1
28.15 March 1903South of France Championships, NiceClay Sidney Smith5–7, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3
29.26 April 1903British Covered Court Championships, Queens, LondonWood George Hillyard6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2
30.4 July 1903Kent Championships, Beckenham, EnglandGrass Arthur Gore6–1, 6–2, 6–2
31.June 1903Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Frank Riseley7–5, 6–3, 6–0
32.1 August 1903Nahant, USAGrass William Clothier6–4, 6–0
33.14 August 1903Southampton, USAGrass Bill Larned6–1, 6–2, 6–1
34.27 August 1903US National Championships, Newport, USAGrass Bill Larned6–0, 6–3, 10–8
35.14 March 1904South of France Championships, NiceClay Major Ritchie6–2, 6–3, 6–3
36.20 March 1904Cannes Championships, FranceClay Major Ritchie6–1, 6–4, 6–1
37.April 1904British Covered Court Championships, Queens, LondonWood Major Ritchie6–2, 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3
38.27 June 1904Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Frank Riseley6–1, 7–5, 8–6
39.July 1904Northumberland Championships, EnglandWood George Ball-Greene6–4, 6–1
40.March 1905Monte CarloClay Major Ritchie6–4, 8–6, 6–4
41.March 1905South of France Championships, NiceClay Edward Allen6–3, 7–5, 7–5
42.15 April 1905British Covered Court Championships, LondonWood Major Ritchie6–1, 8–6, 6–2
43.July 1905Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Norman Brookes8–6, 6–2, 6–4
44.28 February 1906Monte CarloClay Wilberforce Eaves6–3, 11–9
45.18 March 1906South of France Championships, NiceClay Anthony Wilding6–3, 8–6, 6–2
46.28 April 1906British Covered Court Championships, LondonWood Arthur Gore6–2, 6–4, 8–6
47.July 1906Wimbledon ChampionshipsGrass Frank Riseley6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3
48.August 1908Yorkshire ChampionshipsGrass George Hillyard6–1, 6–4, 6–2
49.July 1909Nottinghamshire Championships, NottinghamGrass Wilberforce Eaves6–3, 6–4
50.Augustus 1909North of England Championships, ScarboroughGrass Gordon Lowe7–5, 6–1, 6–1
51.August 1910North of England Championships, ScarboroughGrass Gordon Lowe6–3, 6–2, 6–2