1881 Men's Tennis tour

1881 Men's Tennis tour

William Renshaw won most titles this year
Details
Duration	23 May – 10 November
Edition	5th
Tournaments	32 (Amateur)
Categories	important (5 ) national (2) regional/state (10) county (5) local (10)
Achievements (singles)
Most tournament titles	William Renshaw (4)
Most tournament finals	William Renshaw (4)
← 1880 1882 →

The 1881 Men's tennis tour ^[1][2] was composed of the fifth annual pre-open era tour now incorporated 32 tournaments staged in Australia, Canada, Great Britain and Ireland, and the United States. The 1881 Wimbledon Championships was won by William Renshaw. This year also saw the inaugural and important 1881 U.S. National Championships held at Newport Casino which Richard Sears won. This was also the year that the United States National Lawn Tennis Association,^[3] which is the world's first national tennis association, was founded. Renshaw then won two other big tournaments of the year, the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships and Princes Club Championships, whilst Richard Taswell Richardson won the prestigious Northern Championships.^[4]

Calendar[]

Notes 1: Challenge Round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921),^[5] in some tournaments not all.

Notes 2:Tournaments in italics were events that were staged only onetime

Key[]

Important tournaments [6][7][8][9][10]

National tournaments

State Regional tournaments

County tournaments

Local tournaments

January to April[]

No events

May[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	All Comers' Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
23–29 May	Irish Lawn Tennis Championships[11] Dublin, Ireland Outdoor Grass Singles -	William Renshaw 1-6 6-4 6-3 6-1	Richard Taswell Richardson 5-7 7-5 3-6 6-4 9-7	6-1 6-3 6-0 Herbert Lawford Bye	A J Mullholland 8-6 6-3 6-3 Ernest Renshaw 6-0 0-6 9-7 6-4 Otway Woodhouse 6-8 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-4
		Challenge round Herbert Lawford

June[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarter finalist
1–5 June	West of England Championships[4] Bath, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	5-6 6-5 6-3		Bye William Norton Barry 6-5 6-0	H. C. Jenkins 6-1 6-1 H. B. Porter 6-4 6-5 Bye
6–12 June	Waterloo Tournament[12] Liverpool, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Richard Taswell Richardson 6-0 6-0		H. Blane 6-1 6-0 Bye	W. G. Barker 6-2 6-3 T. R. Hunt 6-2 6-0 C. Phillips 6-2 6-0
6–12 June	Princes Club Championships[13] London, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	William Renshaw 7-5 4-6 6-0 6-3		Herbert Lawford 6-5 3-6 6-4 6-5 Bye	Richard Taswell Richardson 6-5 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-4 John Charles Cole 6-1 6-0 6-0 L. G. Campbell 6-3 6-1 6-2
20–26 June	Northern Championships[14] Manchester, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Richard Taswell Richardson 6-1 6-1 6-0	Walter Edwin Fairlie 1-6 6-4 4-6 6-3 6-3	Walter Edwin Fairlie Bye Minden Fenwick 6-3 3-6 6-2 6-5	A. L. Payne 6-5 6-3 6-3 Percival C. Fenwick 6-2 6-4 6-4 J. J. Yates 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-4
		Challenge round John Comber
6–12 June	Essex Championships[15] Brentwood, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	6-0 6-4	Nalton Womersley	Nalton Womersley Bye Edward North Buxton 6-1 6-3	Charles Walder Grinstead 6-3 6-1 Albert Womersley 6-3 6-3 W.C. Wells 6-5 6-3 A. Fowler was absent.

July[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	All comers' finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
2–13 July	Wimbledon Championship [16] London, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles	William Renshaw 6–0, 6–1, 6–1	Richard Taswell Richardson 6-4 6-2 6-3	Herbert Lawford 1-6 6-3 6-2 5-6 6-3 Richard T Richardson Bye	6-1 6-1 6-0 4-6 6-4 6-0 6-3 6-0 6-4 6-1
		Challenge round John Hartley
11–17 July	Scottish Championships[17] Edinburgh, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles	[18] 6-1 6-5	A L Davidson Def	A L Davidson 6-2 6-3 T A Bell 6-3, 6-1	B S Cunliffe 6-2 6-2 Captain Gosling 6-2 6-1 Charles C Maconochie 6-5 4-6 6-2 Captain Sterling 6-1 6-0
15–16 July	[19] Stafford, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	ENG Jonas Henry William Gardner 3-6 6-2 6-4	E. W. Burnett	? ?	? ? ? ?
18–24 July	Canadian National Championships[20] Toronto, Canada Outdoor Grass Singles	Isidore F. Hellmuth 6–2, 6–2	W.H. Young	?  ?	? ? ?  ?
18–24 July	Midland Counties Championships[21] Edgbaston, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles	Dr. Walter W. Chamberlain 6-3 6-1 6-4	F.S. Goodwin	G.R. Brewerton  ? R.W. Miller  ?	G.H. Cartland ? G.J. Chamerlain ? H. Simonds ? J. Lambert ?
25–30 July	London Athletic Club Tournament Fulham, London, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles	Frederick Lawrence Rawson 6-1 4-6 6-2 6-3	Otway Woodhouse	Edgar Lubbock 6-2 2-6 6-2 7-5 G. H. Taylor 6-3 6-1 ret	B. James 6-5 6-3 6-4 Ernest Wool Lewis 6-2 6-3 6-0 Augustus Adolphus Nepean 6-1 6-3 6-0 ?
25–31 July	[22] Dundalk, Ireland Outdoor Grass	Robert Shaw Templer Def	K Supple	Robert Shaw Templer Bye H Graves Def	A. Edes ? Gordon Frederick Templer Walkover H. Graves Bye  ? ?

August[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarter finalist
1–6 August	Darlington, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	A. Springett 6-0 4-6 6-2	Mark Fenwick	J.W. Fowler 6-2 6-5 Mark Fenwick Bye	Cecil Fullerton 6-2 6-2 Minden Fenwick 6-2 6-1 R. De Clare Yeld 5-6 6-5 6-4
1–7 August	South of Ireland Championships Limerick, Ireland Outdoor Grass	Edmond Bennett Brackenbury 0-6 6-3 7-5 8-6		Bye 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-	6-0 6-3 6-2 6-3 6-2 1-6 2-6 6-0 6-4 9-7 3-6 7-5 William Dawson Bye
2-6 August	County Kildare Tournament[23] Naas, Ireland Outdoor Grass Grass -	?	E.H. Bennett	Spencer Duncan Maul ? W.A. Cairnes ?	Paul Brown ? Arthur Owen ? Major Erasmus D. Borrowes ? Gilbert de Laval Willis ?
1–7 August	Waterford Annual Lawn Tennis Tournament Waterford, Ireland Outdoor Grass Singles	6-2 6-3	James Joycelyn Glascott	Bye Hercules R Langrishe 6-2 4-6 6-5	Chaloner Knox 6-3 6-3 John H Browne 6-5 1-6 6-5 Henry Hills Goodeve 6-3 6-3
8–13 August	Belfast, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	E. J. Charley 2-1 (sets)	J.R. Bristow	A.H. Callwell 2-0 A. Eager 2-1	E.M. Charley 2-1 H.O. Lanyon 2-1 H.W. Boyce 2-0 John Taswell Richardson 2-1
8–14 August	Belfast, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	F.L. Rawson 5-2,5-1	F.G.Gordon	J. McNeile 3-5 5-4 5-3 W. R. Young 5-4 5-2	C. L. Graham 5-1 5-0 F. St John Gordon 5-0 5-2 John H. Browne 5-2 5-1 O. B. Graham 5-1 5-1
9–12 August	[24] Exmouth, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	E. W. Mancounchy 6-3 1-6 6-4	Thomas Hoare	E. W. Mancounchy Bye T.P. Hogg 6-2 1-6 6-0	E.G. Farquharson 8-6 8-6 G. F. Hampson 6-1 8-6 B. Champion Rusell 2-6 6-2 6-0 ?
9–12 August	[24] Teignmouth, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	B. Champion Russell 5-6 6-1 6-0	Charles John Cole	Charles John Cole Bye Spencer Cox Def	Arthur Bellfield Def C. Haynes Def Thomas Arembery Tombe Def  ?
14–15 August	Maidstone, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	Richard Mercer walkover	Mr. Stited	?  ? ?	? ? ? ?
29 August-4 September	[24] Exeter, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	Spencer Cox 6-3 7-5	B. Champion Russell	G. Batten ? George Pelham Von Donop ?	G. Batten Bye A.Belfield ? A.W. Buckingham H. B. Kindersey  ?
31 August - 3 September	U.S. National Championships[25] Newport Casino, Newport, Rhode Island, United States Outdoor Grass Singles Doubles	Richard Sears 6-0 6-3 6-2	William Glyn	Edward H. Gray 6-3, 6-0 6-2, 6-2	6-3, 6-5 Bye 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Kessler 4-6, 6-3, 6-1
		Clarence Clark Frederick Winslow Taylor 6-5 6-4 6-5

September[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
12–18 September	South of England Championships[26] Devonshire Park Lawn Tennis Club, Eastbourne, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles - Doubles	Edgar Lubbock 6-4 6-2 6-0	Robert W. Braddell	R. N. C. Coles W/O Frederick Brunning Maddison 6-1 6-1 6-4	John Charles Cole 6-4 2-6 5-6 6-5 6-5 C. Fairfax 6-1 6-1 6-1 James Leopold Maxse 6-1 6-2 6-3 C. William taylor 6-3 6-3 5-6 6-0
13–17 September	[27] Torquay, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	?	Thomas Arembery Tombe	Bye C. Haynes ?	B.C. Skottowe ? G. Egerton W. Ware 6-3 6-4
15–17 September	[28] St Leonards-on-Sea, Great Britain Outdoor Grass	A.W. Soames 6-3 6-5 6-5	R.S. Wilson	?	?
19–24 September	East Gloucestershire Championships Cheltenham, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles	William Renshaw 6–0, 6–1, 6–1	Robert W. Braddell	Ernest De Sylly Browne Bye Michael G. McNamara 6-2 6-2 6-2	Michael G. McNamara Bye Henry Blane Porter 6-1 6-0 6-2 Ernest Renshaw 6-0 5-6 6-5 6-1 ?
		Challenge round Ernest De Sylly Browne
26 September- 2 October	[29] Bournemouth, Great Britain Outdoor Grass -	Montague Hankey 6-2 6-3 6-0	J. G. Johnson	?  ?	?  ?  ?  ?

October[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
3–10 October	[30] Armagh, Northern Ireland Outdoor Hard	Robert Barron Templer 2-0 (sets)	H. Irwin 2-1	M. Blacker 2-0 E. J. Wolfe	M. Blacker Bye A. Burke 2-0br C. S. Poole 2-1 V. De. Tattersall 2-0
		Challenge round Robert Shaw Templer
4–10 October	Sussex County Lawn Tennis Tournament Brighton, Great Britain Outdoor Grass Singles -	Ireland Michael G. McNamara 2-6 6-2 6-0 6-1	Branfill Champion Russell	Charles John Cole W/O Charles Walder Grinstead 6-2 6-1 6-2	Humphery H. Berkley 6-5 6-1 H. Brooker 6-3 6-0 George S. Murray Hill 6-4 6-4 H. M. Nichol 6-0 6-2
24–30 October	New York, United States Outdoor Grass -	Ireland John Jameson Cairnes 7-5 6-2 6-3	James Rankine	Charles F. Watson Sr. 6-1, 6-2 F. Ennis 6-1, 6-1	W. P. Anderson 6-4 6-3 R. J. Cross 6-2 6-3 H. Henry 6-2 1-6 6-2 James Rankine Bye

November[]

Date	Tournament	Winner	Finalist	Semifinalist	Quarterfinalist
4–10 November	Victorian Championships[31] Melbourne, Australia Outdoor Hard Singles - Doubles	Louis Whyte 6-4 4-6 6-1 6-1	Francis James Highett	J. S. Conran 6-2 6-2 6-4 Francis James Highett Bye	R. H. James 6-3 6-2 6-1 W. M. Mitchell 6-0 6-4 1-6 6-3 Francis James Highett W/O

December[]

No events

List of tournament winners[]

Note: important tournaments in bold

• Richard Barron Templer -Armagh -(1)
• Pelham George Dunop -Bath -(1)
• E. J. Charley -Belfast -(1)
• Montague Hankey -Bournemouth -(1)
• Michael G. McNamara -Brighton-Waterford- (2)
• -Colchester-(1)
• A. Springett -Darlington -(1)
• William Renshaw -Cheltenham -Dublin-London-Wimbledon- (4)
• Robert Shaw Templer -Dundalk -(1)
• Edgar Lubbock -Eastbourne -(1)
• Dr. Walter W. Chamberlain -Edgbaston -(1)
• John G. Horn - Edinburgh -(1)
• Leslie Balfour-Melville -Edinburgh -(1)
• Spencer Cox -Exeter -(1)
• E. W. Mancounchy -Exmouth -(1)
• Edmond Bennett Brackenbury -Limerick -(1)
• Herbert Lawford -London -(1)
• Frederick Lawrence Rawson -London-(1)
• Richard Mercer-Maidstone-(1)
• Richard Taswell Richardson -Waterloo-Manchester - (2)
• Louis Whyte -Melbourne -(1)
• -Naas-(1)
• John Jameson Cairnes -New York -(1)
• A.W. Soames-St Leonards-on-Sea-(1)
• Jonas Henry William Gardner-Stafford-(1)
• B. Champion Russell -Teignmouth-(1)
• -Torquay-(1)
• Isidore F. Hellmuth -Toronto -(1)
• Richard Sears - Newport -(1)

Rankings[]

Source: The Concise History of Tennis

Karoly Mazak World Rankings for 1881 [32]
#	Player
1	William Renshaw (ENG)
2	Herbert Lawford (ENG)
3	Richard Taswell Richardson (GBR)
4	Ernest Renshaw (ENG)
5	Ernest de S. H. Browne (Ireland)
6	Otway Woodhouse (GBR)
7	(Ireland)
8	Edgar Lubbock (GBR)

See also[]

• 1881 in sports

References[]

Sources[]

• A Social History of Tennis in Britain: Lake, Robert J. (2014), Volume 5 of Routledge Research in Sports History. Routledge, UK, ISBN 9781134445578.
• Ayre's Lawn Tennis Almanack And Tournament Guide, 1908 to 1938, A. Wallis Myers.
• British Lawn Tennis and Squash Magazine, 1948 to 1967, British Lawn Tennis Ltd, UK.
• Dunlop Lawn Tennis Almanack And Tournament Guide, G.P. Hughes, 1939 to 1958, Dunlop Sports Co. Ltd, UK
• Lawn tennis and Badminton Magazine, 1906 to 1973, UK.
• Lowe's Lawn Tennis Annuals and Compendia, Lowe, Sir F. Gordon, Eyre & Spottiswoode
• Spalding's Lawn Tennis Annuals from 1885 to 1922, American Sports Pub. Co, USA.
• Sports Around the World: History, Culture, and Practice, Nauright John and Parrish Charles, (2012), ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, Cal, US, ISBN 1598843001.
• The Concise History of Tennis, Mazak Karoly, (2010), 6th Edition, 2015.
• Tennis; A Cultural History, Gillmeister Heiner, (1997), Leicester University Press, Leicester, UK.
• The Tennis Book, edited by Michael Bartlett and Bob Gillen, Arbor House, New York, 1981 ISBN 0-87795-344-9
• The World of Tennis Annuals, Barrett John, 1970 to 2001.
• Total Tennis:The Ultimate Tennis Encyclopedia, by Bud Collins, Sport Classic Books, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 0-9731443-4-3
• Wright & Ditson Officially Adopted Lawn Tennis Guide's 1890 to 1920 Wright & Ditsons Publishers, Boston, Mass, USA.
• http://www.tennisarchives.com/1881 Men's Tennis season
• https://app.thetennisbase.com/1881 Men's Tennis season

External links[]

• http://tennisarchives.com/
• https://thetennisbase.com/