Bill Johnston (tennis)

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Bill Johnston
1926
)
Maurice McLoughlin (1890-1957), Henry Ward Dawson (1890-1963), William Johnston (1894-1946), Clarence Griffin on (1888-1973) on August 30, 1916 at the national men's doubles championship.

William Marquitz "Little Bill" Johnston (November 2, 1894 – May 1, 1946) was an American

world No. 1 tennis
player.

Biography

Bill Johnston was born November 2, 1894, in San Francisco, the son of Robert Johnston, an electrical plant mechanic and Margaret Burns, of Irish origin. Johnston started to play tennis in early 1906, aged 11, on the public asphalt courts in Golden Gate Park. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the schools were closed, and he spent much of his spare time practicing on the tennis courts. He achieved his first tournament victory at the 1910 Bay Counties junior singles competition.[3]

In 1916, Johnston won the Cincinnati Open (now Cincinnati Masters) after Clarence Griffin defaulted in the challenge round. Johnston won the Longwood Challenge Cup, played on the Longwood Courts at Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts in 1913, 1916, 1919, 1920 and 1921.[4]

During World War I, Johnston served in the U.S. Navy.[5]

Johnston was the

Wimbledon in 1923.[6]

Until

Davis Cup loss to the French team consisting of the 'Four Musketeers' and confirmed his decision in mid-1928.[11] He turned down an offer to become professional.[12]

Johnston was renowned for the power and deadliness of his forehand drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip and which was considered the best forehand of his time.[5][13][14]

After his tennis career, Johnston was active in the brokerage industry. He died of tuberculosis on May 1, 1946, at the age of 51.[15]

Legacy

Bill Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1958.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 9 (3 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result Year Championship Surface Opponent Score
Win 1915 U.S. Championships Grass United States Maurice McLoughlin 1–6, 6–0, 7–5, 10–8
Loss 1916 U.S. Championships Grass United States R. Norris Williams 6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 2–6, 4–6
Win 1919 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 6–4, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 1920 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 1–6, 6–1, 5–7, 7–5, 3–6
Loss 1922 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win 1923 Wimbledon Grass United States Frank Hunter 6–0, 6–3, 6–1
Loss 1923 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 4–6, 1–6, 4–6
Loss 1924 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 1–6, 7–9, 2–6
Loss 1925 U.S. Championships Grass United States Bill Tilden 6–4, 9–11, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6

Doubles (3 titles)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1915 U.S. Championships Grass United States Clarence Griffin
Maurice E. McLoughlin
United States Tom Bundy
 2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Win 1916 U.S. Championships Grass United States Clarence Griffin United States Maurice E. McLoughlin
United States Henry Ward Dawson		 6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
Win 1920 U.S. Championships Grass United States Clarence Griffin United States Roland Roberts
United States Willis E. Davis		 6–2, 6–2, 6–3

Mixed doubles (1 title)

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1921 U.S. Championships Grass United States Mary Browne
Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
United States Bill Tilden
 3–6, 6–4, 6–3

Performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Events with a challenge round: (WC) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (FA) all comers' finalist

(OF) only for French players

1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 SR W–L Win %
Grand Slam tournaments 3 / 15 67–12 84.8
French
 OF not held OF A A A 0 / 0 0–0 –
Wimbledon
 A A not held A 2R A A W A A A A 1 / 2 8–1 88.9
U.S. 3R 2R W F A A W F 4R F F F F QF SF 2 / 13 59–11 84.3
Australian
 A A A not held A A A A A A A A A 0 / 0 0–0 –
Win–loss 2–1 1–1 7–0 6–1 0–0 0–0 7–0 7–2 3–1 5–1 12–1 6–1 5–1 2–1 4–1

References

  1. ^ a b "Bill Johnston: Career match record". thetennisbase.com. Tennis Base. Retrieved November 3, 2017.
  2. ^ United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 422.
  3. ISBN 9781426945144
    .
  4. ^ Irving C. Wright, ed. (1921). 1921 Wright & Ditson Official Lawn Tennis Guide. Wright & Ditson. pp. 39, 40.
  5. ^
    ISBN 978-0810872370
    .
  6. ^ "Johnston is Again Supreme in Tennis" (PDF). The New York Times. December 21, 1919.
  7. ^ "Johnston Officially Rated Best Tennis Star" (PDF). Sporting Life, Volume 66 Number 15. December 11, 1915. p. 22.
  8. ^ "W.M. Johnston Wins Two Tennis Titles". The Toronto World. Chicago. July 21, 1919. p. 8.
  9. ISBN 978-0942257700
    .
  10. ^ "Davis Cup Player Profile – Bill Johnston". ITF. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
  11. The Milwaukee Journal. AP. June 6, 1928. p. Journal Final, p.2.[permanent dead link
    ]
  12. The Milwaukee Journal. AP. June 5, 1928. p. 5.[permanent dead link
    ]
  13. ^ "The sports immortals: Bill Tilden". The Free Lance-Star. AP. April 7, 1973. p. 9.
  14. ^ "Hall of Famers – Bill Johnston". www.tennisfame.com. International Tennis Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  15. The Milwaukee Journal. May 2, 1946. p. 8.[permanent dead link
    ]

External links

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