From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard Dudley "Dick" Sears (b. October 26,
1861 d. April 8, 1943 both in Boston) – was an American male tennis player. He was the son of Frederic
Richard Sears and Albertina Homer Shelton. He married Eleanor M
Cochrane on Nov 24, 1891 and they had Richard Dudley Sears, Jr. and
Miriam Sears.
He was undefeated in the U.S.
Championships, he won the first of his seven consecutive titles
(the all-time record, although in those days the previous year's
winner had an automatic place in the final) there in 1881 while
still a student at Harvard. Starting in the 1881 first round,
he went on an 18-match unbeaten streak at that would take him
through the 1887 championships, after which he retired from the
game. Not until 1921 was his 18-match unbeaten run overtaken (by Bill Tilden). During
his first three championships, Sears did not even lose a single
set, never mind a match. Sears was the first 19-year old to win in
the U.S., slightly older than Oliver Campbell was in 1890 and the
youngest winner ever, Pete Sampras, in 1990.
After giving up playing lawn tennis, Sears won
the U.S. Court Tennis singles title in 1892 and went
on to serve as USTA President in 1887
and 1888.
He was inducted in the International Tennis Hall
of Fame in 1955, where his cousin Eleonora Sears also has a
place.
Grand Slam
record
- Singles champion: 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884,
1885, 1886, 1887
- Doubles champion: 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885,
1886, 1887
Grand
Slam singles finals
Wins
(7)
| Year |
Championship |
Opponent in Final |
Score in Final |
| 1881 |
U.S.
Championships |
 William E. Glyn |
6–0, 6–3, 6–2 |
| 1882 |
U.S. Championships (2) |
Clarence Clark |
6–1, 6–4, 6–0 |
| 1883 |
U.S. Championships (3) |
James
Dwight |
6–2, 6–0, 9–7 |
| 1884 |
U.S. Championships (4) |
Howard Taylor |
6–0, 1–6, 6–0, 6–2 |
| 1885 |
U.S. Championships (5) |
Godfrey Brinley |
6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 |
| 1886 |
U.S. Championships (6) |
R. Livingston
Beeckman |
4–6, 6–1, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 1887 |
U.S. Championships (7) |
Henry
Slocum |
6–1, 6–3, 6–2 |
External
links
Wikis
Map
Search
