# Ernest Renshaw

Ernest James Renshaw (3 January 1861 – 2 September 1899) was a British tennis player who was active in the late 19th century.
Together with his twin brother William Renshaw, Ernest won the men's doubles at Wimbledon five times. He also won the singles championship at Wimbledon once, in 1888 and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1983. He won the singles title at the Irish Championships on four occasions (1883, 1887, 1888, 1892). Ernest was the older of the brothers by 15 minutes and half an inch taller.
The boom in popularity of the game during the 1880s due to the modern tennis style of the Renshaw brothers became known as the 'Renshaw Rush'.

## Death

He died of the effects of carbolic acid, but evidence could not prove whether it had been taken intentionally or not.
In 1983, Ernest Renshaw was elected posthumously into the International Tennis Hall of Fame together with his brother. In 2020, a street in Leamington Spa was named after his brother and him, Renshaw Drive.

## Grand Slam finals
### Singles (1 title, 4 runners-up)

| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1882 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | 6–1, 2–6, 4–6, 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1883 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | 2–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1887 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Lawford | 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1888 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Lawford | 6–3, 7–5, 6–0 |
| Loss | 1889 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | 6–4, 6–1, 3–6, 6–0 |

### Doubles (5 titles)

| Result | Year | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1884 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | Ernest Lewis E.L. Williams | 6–3, 6–1, 1–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1885 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | C.E. Farrer A.J. Stanley | 6–3, 6–3, 10–8 |
| Win | 1886 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | C.E. Farrer A.J. Stanley | 6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 1888 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | Herbert Wilberforce Patrick Bowes-Lyon | 2–6, 1–6, 6–3, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 1889 | Wimbledon | Grass | William Renshaw | Ernest Lewis George Hillyard | 6–4, 6–4, 3–6, 0–6, 6–1 |

## Performance timeline

Key :
| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
Events with a challenge round: (W$_C$) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (F$_A$) all comers' finalist
(OF) only for French club members
| | 1877 | 1878 | 1879 | 1880 | 1881 | 1882 | 1883 | 1884 | 1885 | 1886 | 1887 | 1888 | 1889 | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | SR | W–L | Win % |
| Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | Grand Slam tournaments | 1 / 12 | 32–11 | 74.4 |
| French | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | OF | OF | OF | 0 / 0 | – | – |
| Wimbledon | A | A | A | QF | 3R | CR | CR | SF | F$_A$ | QF | F | W$_C$ | CR | A | SF | A | 2R | 1 / 12 | 32–11 | 74.4 |
| U.S. | NH | NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | – | – |
| Australian | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | 0 / 0 | – | – |
| Win–loss | | | | 3–1 | 2–1 | 5–1 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 5–0 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | | 0–1 | | | |