Introduction
Hugh Laurence "Laurie" Doherty (8 October 1875 – 21 August 1919) 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 (also winning a Bronze in mixed 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 (1900–1906).
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.
In 1914, after the outbreak World War I, Doherty joined the Anti-Aircraft branch of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve but was released in 1915 due to ill health.
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.
The brothers co-wrote R.F. and H.L. Doherty on Lawn Tennis (1903).
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)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1898 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1 |
| Win | 1902 | Wimbledon | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–0 |
| Win | 1903 | Wimbledon | Grass | Frank Riseley | 7–5, 6–3, 6–0 |
| Win | 1903 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | William Larned | 6–0, 6–3, 10–8 |
| Win | 1904 | Wimbledon | Grass | Frank Riseley | 6–1, 7–5, 8–6 |
| Win | 1905 | Wimbledon | Grass | Norman Brookes | 8–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1906 | Wimbledon | Grass | Frank Riseley | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
Doubles: 12 (10 titles, 2 runners-up)
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1897 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Herbert Baddeley Wilfred Baddeley |
6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1898 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Clarence Hobart Harold Nisbet |
6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1899 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Clarence Hobart Harold Nisbet |
7–5, 6–0, 6–2 |
| Win | 1900 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Herbert Roper Barrett Harold Nisbet |
9–7, 7–5, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1901 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward |
4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 9–7 |
| Loss | 1902 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith |
6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4, 9–11 |
| Win | 1902 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward |
11–9, 12–10, 6–4 |
| Win | 1903 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith |
6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1903 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Kreigh Collins L. Harry Waidner |
7–5, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1904 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith |
6–1, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1905 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith |
6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1906 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith |
8–6, 4–6, 7–5, 3–6, 3–6 |
Singles titles
| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| 1. | 16 August 1896 | Essex Championship, Colchester, England | Grass | Edward Roy Allen | 6–4, 6–2, 7–5 |
| 2. | 27 September 1896 | Welsh Covered Court Championships, Llandudno, Wales | Wood (i) | George Simond | 6–0, 6–0 |
| 3. | 27 August 1897 | Suffolk Championships, Saxmundham, England | Grass | Charles Henry Ridding | 6–3, 8–6, 4–6, 6–1 |
| 4. | 18 July 1897 | Queen's Club Championships, London, England | Grass | Major Ritchie | 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 5. | March 1898 | South of France Championships | Clay | J.R. Hay Gordon | 6–1, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 6. | March 1898 | Monte Carlo | Clay | Count Voss | 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–0 ret. |
| 7. | 18 June 1898 | Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament, Liverpool | Grass | Wilfred Baddeley | walkover |
| 8. | 11 July 1898 | Queen's Club Championships, London, England | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–3, 6–4, 9–7 |
| 9. | August 1898 | Scottish Championships | Grass | Reginald Doherty | walkover |
| 10. | March 1900 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Reginald Doherty | walkover |
| 11. | 11 July 1900 | Olympic Games, Paris | Clay | Harold Mahony | 6–4, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 12. | 26 August 1900 | The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany | Clay | George Hillyard | 7–5, 6–2, 3–6, 4–6, 6–2 |
| 13. | September 1900 | Dinard, France | Clay | Harold Mahony | 4–6, 6–1, 8–6, 7–5 |
| 14. | 16 September 1900 | South of England Championships | Grass | Sidney Smith | 6–4, 1–6, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 15. | March 1901 | Cannes, France | Clay | George Hillyard | 6–3, 6–3, ret. |
| 16. | 17 March 1901 | Monte Carlo | Clay | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–2, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 17. | 24 March 1901 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–2, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 18. | 27 April 1901 | British Covered Court Championships | Wood (i) | Arthur Gore | 6–3, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 19. | June 1901 | Kent Championships, Beckenham, England | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4 |
| 20. | August 1901 | Buxton Championships | Grass | George Hillyard | 6–4, 7–5, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 21. | August 1901 | North of England Championships, Scarborough | Grass | Ernest Black | 6–2, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 22. | March 1902 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Reginald Doherty | walkover |
| 23. | April 1902 | British Covered Court Championships, Queens, London | Wood | Major Ritchie | 6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3 |
| 24. | May – June 1902 | Irish Championships, Dublin | Grass | Reginald Doherty | walkover |
| 25. | 15 June 1902 | Kent Championships, Beckenham, England | Grass | George Simond | 6–4, 6–0, 6–3 |
| 26. | June 1902 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–0 |
| 27. | 15 October 1902 | European Championships, Queen's Club, London | Wood (i) | Harold Mahony | 4–6, 6–4, 6–3, 6–1 |
| 28. | 15 March 1903 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Sidney Smith | 5–7, 3–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 29. | 26 April 1903 | British Covered Court Championships, Queens, London | Wood (i) | George Hillyard | 6–1, 4–6, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 30. | 4 July 1903 | Kent Championships, Beckenham, England | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 |
| 31. | June 1903 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Frank Riseley | 7–5, 6–3, 6–0 |
| 32. | 1 August 1903 | Nahant, USA | Grass | William Clothier | 6–4, 6–0 |
| 33. | 14 August 1903 | Southampton, USA | Grass | Bill Larned | 6–1, 6–2, 6–1 |
| 34. | 27 August 1903 | US National Championships, Newport, USA | Grass | Bill Larned | 6–0, 6–3, 10–8 |
| 35. | 14 March 1904 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Major Ritchie | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 36. | 20 March 1904 | Cannes Championships, France | Clay | Major Ritchie | 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 |
| 37. | April 1904 | British Covered Court Championships, Queens, London | Wood (i) | Major Ritchie | 6–2, 8–10, 5–7, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 38. | 27 June 1904 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Frank Riseley | 6–1, 7–5, 8–6 |
| 39. | July 1904 | Northumberland Championships, England | Wood (i) | George Ball-Greene | 6–4, 6–1 |
| 40. | March 1905 | Monte Carlo | Clay | Major Ritchie | 6–4, 8–6, 6–4 |
| 41. | March 1905 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Edward Allen | 6–3, 7–5, 7–5 |
| 42. | 15 April 1905 | British Covered Court Championships, London | Wood (i) | Major Ritchie | 6–1, 8–6, 6–2 |
| 43. | July 1905 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Norman Brookes | 8–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 44. | 28 February 1906 | Monte Carlo | Clay | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–3, 11–9 |
| 45. | 18 March 1906 | South of France Championships, Nice | Clay | Anthony Wilding | 6–3, 8–6, 6–2 |
| 46. | 28 April 1906 | British Covered Court Championships, London | Wood (i) | Arthur Gore | 6–2, 6–4, 8–6 |
| 47. | July 1906 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Frank Riseley | 6–4, 4–6, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 48. | August 1908 | Yorkshire Championships | Grass | George Hillyard | 6–1, 6–4, 6–2 |
| 49. | July 1909 | Nottinghamshire Championships, Nottingham | Grass | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–3, 6–4 |
| 50. | Augustus 1909 | North of England Championships, Scarborough | Grass | Gordon Lowe | 7–5, 6–1, 6–1 |
| 51. | August 1910 | North of England Championships, Scarborough | Grass | Gordon Lowe | 6–3, 6–2, 6–2 |