Introduction
George Martin Lott (October 16, 1906 – December 3, 1991) was an American tennis player and tennis coach who was born in Springfield, Illinois. Lott is mostly remembered as being one of the great doubles players of all time. He won the U.S. title five times with three different partners: John Hennessey in 1928; John Doeg in 1929 and 1930; and Les Stoefen in 1933 and 1934.
At the U.S. championships singles in 1928, Lott beat Christian Boussus and John Doeg then lost to Frank Hunter in the semifinals. In 1931, Lott beat defending champion Doeg in the semifinals, then lost to Ellsworth Vines in the final.
Lott won the Canadian Covered Court Championships four times. In 1927, he defeated Canadian Willard Crocker in a five-set final; in 1928, he defeated Frank Shields in straight sets in the final; in 1930, he defeated Frederic Mercur in a five-set final; and in 1931, he defeated Berkeley Bell in straight sets in the semifinals and John Van Ryn in a five-set final.
In 1928, he won the Pinehurst Resort title on clay, defeating Shields in the final in a five-set match.
In 1929 and 1930, he was ranked World No. 6 and No. 7 by A Wallis Myers; No. 6 by Pierre Gillon in 1930; and in 1931 was ranked No. 4 by Züricher Sport.
In 1934, Lott became a touring professional, giving up his amateur status and the ability to play in Grand Slam tournaments. He signed a professional contract in November 1934 with promoter Bill O'Brien and in January 1935 and started a series of head-to-head matches against Bill Tilden; by March, he trailed Tilden 5–26.
Lott was the men's tennis coach at [DePaul University from 1969 until his death in Chicago on December 3, 1991. He had been inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984.
Lott was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1964.
Grand Slam finals
Singles (1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1931 | U.S. Championships | Grass | Ellsworth Vines | 9–7, 3–6, 7–9, 5–7 |
Doubles (8 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1928 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Hennessey | Gerald Patterson Jack Hawkes | 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 1929 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Doeg | Berkeley Bell Lewis White | 10–8, 16–14, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1930 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Doeg | John Van Ryn Wilmer Allison | 3–6, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1930 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Doeg | John Van Ryn Wilmer Allison | 8–6, 6–3, 4–6, 13–15, 6–4 |
| Win | 1931 | French Championships | Clay | John Van Ryn | Vernon Kirby Norman Farquharson | 6–4, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1931 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Van Ryn | Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet | 6–2, 10–8, 9–11, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1933 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Lester Stoefen | Frank Shields Frank Parker | 11–13, 9–7, 9–7, 6–3 |
| Win | 1934 | Wimbledon | Grass | Lester Stoefen | Jean Borotra Jacques Brugnon | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Lester Stoefen | Wilmer Allison John Van Ryn | 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–4 |
Mixed doubles (4 titles, 1 runner-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1929 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Betty Nuthall | Phyllis Covell Bunny Austin | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1931 | Wimbledon | Grass | Anna McCune Harper | Joan Ridley Ian Collins | 6–3, 1–6, 6–1 |
| Win | 1931 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Betty Nuthall | Anna McCune Harper Wilmer Allison | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1933 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Sarah Palfrey | Elizabeth Ryan Ellsworth Vines | 9–11, 1–6 |
| Win | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Helen Jacobs | Elizabeth Ryan Lester Stoefen | 4–6, 13–11, 6–2 |
Other tennis achievements
- Davis Cup team member – 1928–31, 1933–34
- The first player, and one of only four (Bobby Riggs, Mats Wilander and Roger Federer being the other three), to win the tournament now known as the Cincinnati Masters four times: 1924, 1925, 1927 and 1932. Also won the doubles title in 1924 (with Jack Harris) and 1925 (with Thomas McGlinn) and was a singles finalist in 1926 and a doubles finalist (with Thomas Johnson) in 1927.