# George Ball-Greene

George Courtney Ball-Greene (25 November, 1870 – 14 January, 1958) was an Irish born tennis player. He was a two time semi-finalist at the Wimbledon Championships in the men's doubles event in 1902 and 1903. He was active from 1890 to 1919 and won 10 career singles titles.

## Career

George was born on 25 November 1870 in Killiney, County Dublin, Ireland. He played his first tournament at the North of Ireland Championships in 1890 where he reached the semi-finals. He competed at the Wimbledon Championships nine times between 1894 and 1919. In the men's singles events his best result was reaching the fourth round in 1908 where he lost to the Canadian player Robert Powell. He was somewhat more successful in the men's doubles reaching the semi-finals twice in 1902 partnering with Herbert Roper Barrett where they lost Clement Cazalet and George Hillyard, and in 1903 partnering with William Wilberforce where they were beaten by the Laurence Doherty and Reginald Doherty.
His main career singles highlights include winning the North of Ireland Championships (1891), Darlington Open (1891), Edgbaston Open Tournament (1893), Welsh Championships two times (1893–1894), Sussex Championships (1897), The Homburg Cup three times (1903–1905) and the Baden Baden International (1905). He played his last singles tournament at Deauville, France in 1912 where he lost in the early rounds to Max Decugis. He continued to play doubles events until 1919/1920. George died on 14 January 1958 at Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Republic of Ireland age 77.

## Career finals

Notes: All Comers Finalist where indicated by (*).

### Singles: 36 (10 titles, 26 runners-up)

* Category + (Titles)
* Major (0)
* National (2)
* International (4)
* Regional (1)
* County (1)
* Regular (2)
* Titles by Surface
* Clay – Outdoor (4)
* Grass – Outdoor (6)
* Hard – Outdoor (0)
* Wood – Indoor (0)
| Outcome | No. | Date | Tournament | Location | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Winner | 1. | 1891 | North of Ireland Championships | Belfast | Grass | Manliffe Goodbody | w.o. |
| Winner | 2. | 1891 | Darlington Open | Darlington | Grass | Harold Weston Carlton | 6–4, 6–3, 1–6, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1891 | Derbyshire Championships | Buxton | Grass | Grainger Chaytor | 1–6, 1–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1892 | North of Ireland Championships | Belfast | Grass | Frank Stoker | w.o. |
| Runner-up | 3. | 1892 | Darlington Open | Darlington | Grass | Grainger Chaytor | 5–7, 3–6, 5–7 |
| Runner-up | 4. | 1892 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Nottingham | Grass | Frank Stoker | 3–5, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Winner | 3. | 1893 | Edgbaston Open Tournament | Edgbaston | Grass | Henry Lawrence Fleming | 6–8, 6–1, 6–0, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 5. | 1893 | Llandudno Open | Craigside | Grass | Manliffe Goodbody | 6–1, 4–6, 3–6, 2–6, |
| Runner-up | 6. | 1893 | Yorkshire Open Championships * | Ilkley | Grass | Harold Mahony | 4–6, 7–9, 4–6, |
| Runner-up | 7. | 1893 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Nottingham | Grass | Frank Stoker | 3–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 4. | 1893 | Welsh Championships | Penarth | Grass | Harry Sibthorpe Barlow | 2–6, 6–1, 7–5, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Runner-up | 8. | 1894 | Fitzwilliam Club Championships | Dublin | Grass | Tom Chaytor | 2–6, 5–7, 0–6 |
| Winner | 5. | 1894 | Welsh Championships | Penarth | Grass | Roy Allen | 7–5, 6–1, 4–6, 6–2 |
| Runner-up | 9. | 1895 | Bristol and Clifton Open | Clifton | Grass | Wilberforce Eaves | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 ret. |
| Runner-up | 10. | 1895 | Teignmouth and Shaldon Open | Teignmouth | Grass | Harry Sibthorpe Barlow | 4–6, 6–3, 6–4 ret. |
| Runner-up | 11. | 1895 | Welsh Championships | Penarth | Grass | Wilberforce Eaves | 4–6, 6–1, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 12. | 1895 | West of England Championships | Bath | Grass | Roy Allen | 12–14, 4–6, 5–7 |
| Runner-up | 13. | 1895 | Sussex Championships | Brighton | Grass | Grainger Chaytor | 6–3, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 14. | 1897 | Fitzwilliam Club Championships | Dublin | Grass | Walter Herbert Boyd | ? |
| Winner | 6. | 1897 | Sussex Championships | Brighton | Grass | Wilfred Baddeley | w.o. |
| Runner-up | 15. | 1897 | German International Championships | Hamburg | Clay | George Hillyard | 1–6, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 16. | 1898 | Fitzwilliam Plate | Dublin | Grass | Harold Adair Nisbet | 0–6, 3–6, 6–1, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 17. | 1898 | Sussex Championships | Brighton | Grass | Grainger Chaytor | 1–6, 1–6, 6–2, 6–8 |
| Runner-up | 18. | 1898 | South of England Championships * | Eastbourne | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–8, 1–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 19. | 1899 | Irish Championships * | Dublin | Grass | Reggie Doherty | 3–6, 5–7, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 20. | 1902 | Derbyshire Championships | Buxton | Grass | George Hillyard | 6–2, 3–6, 8–6, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 21. | 1902 | Northumberland Championships | Newcastle upon Tyne | Grass | Sydney Howard Smith | 2–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 22. | 1903 | Homburg International Championship | Bad Homburg | Clay | Major Ritchie | w.o. |
| Winner | 7. | 1903 | The Homburg Cup | Bad Homburg | Clay | Major Ritchie | 7–5, 7–5, 3–6, 2–6, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 23. | 1904 | Baden Baden International | Baden-Baden | Clay | Otto Froitzheim | w.o. |
| Winner | 8. | 1904 | The Homburg Cup | Bad Homburg | Clay | Wylie Grant | 9–7 6–2 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 24. | 1904 | Northumberland Championships | Newcastle upon Tyne | Grass | Laurie Doherty | 4–6, 1–6 |
| Winner | 9. | 1905 | Baden Baden International | Baden-Baden | Clay | Anthony Wilding | w.o. |
| Winner | 10. | 1905 | The Homburg Cup | Bad Homburg | Clay | Anthony Wilding | shared title |
| Runner-up | 25. | 1906 | Baden Baden International | Baden-Baden | Clay | Anthony Wilding | 1–6, 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 26. | 1906 | Championship of Europe | Leicester | Grass | Frank Riseley | 6–4, 1–6, 5–1, retd. |