# Reginald Doherty

Reginald "Reggie" or "R. F." Frank Doherty (14 October 1872 – 29 December 1910) was a British tennis player and the older brother of tennis player Laurence Doherty. He was known in the tennis world as "R.F." rather than "Reggie". He was a four-time Wimbledon singles champion and a triple Olympic Gold medalist in doubles and mixed doubles.

## Early life

Doherty was born on 14 October 1872 at Beulah Villa in Wimbledon, the oldest son of William Doherty, a printer, and his wife Catherine Ann Davis. Doherty began tennis early in life and as a boy at Westminster School showed great promise. At age 14, he won the boys' singles title at an open championship in Llandudno. Doherty was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he played for the Cambridge University Lawn Tennis Club. In 1895 and 1895, he was part of the Cambridge team that beat Oxford and won the Scottish and Essex championships.

## Career

Grand Slam tournaments
Doherty played in his first Wimbledon Championships in 1894 and lost in the first round to Clement Cazalet in four sets. In 1897 Doherty won his first singles Wimbledon title after beating reigning champion Harold Mahony in three straight sets (6–4, 6–4, 6–3). He successfully defended his title for the next three years (1898, 1899, 1900). In 1898 he did so by beating his brother in the Challenge Round in five sets (6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1). In 1901 he finally lost his Wimbledon crown when he was defeated in the Challenge Round by Arthur Gore in four sets (6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 4–6). He was also a runner-up at the US Championships in 1902 where he was beaten by the defending American champion William Larned in four sets (6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–8). Together with his brother Laurie he won eight Wimbledon Championships doubles titles and two US Championship doubles titles.
Davis Cup
Doherty represented the British Isles in the prestigious Davis Cup contest from 1902 to 1906. In 1902 he won the doubles match with his brother but lost the final and decisive singles match against American Malcolm Whitman in straight sets (1–6, 5–7, 4–6). In 1903 he contributed significantly to his team's first Davis Cup title against the United States by winning the doubles match and the decisive singles match against Robert Wrenn. Doherty won the Davis Cup trophy a further three times (1904, 1905, 1906) although in these years he only competed, and won, in the doubles matches.
Olympics
Doherty won the doubles title (gold medals were not given at the 1900 Games) at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris with his brother. He also competed in the singles tournament and reached the semifinal, where he was scheduled to play against his brother. Reggie withdrew, since the brothers refused to play each other before the final. He also won the mixed doubles title with five-time Wimbledon champion Charlotte Cooper. Doherty did not compete in the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis. In the 1908 Olympics in London, Reggie again won the doubles title, this time with compatriot George Hillyard.
R.F. Doherty was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1980 together with his brother.

## Death

Doherty died of heart failure and neurasthenia on 29 December 1910 at age 38 at his home in Kensington, a day after returning from a convalescence stay in a sanatorium in Davos, Switzerland.
According to his obituary in The New York Times, Doherty had "been in ill health for some time". The article further stated he "held at various times every important championship the world of tennis has for a man to win. He was not beaten until he began to fail in health". Both brothers apparently had respiratory problems throughout their lives.
R.F. and his brother had been urged to take up lawn tennis by their father, reportedly for health reasons.

## Grand Slam finals
### Singles: 6 (4 titles, 2 runners-up)

| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1897 | Wimbledon | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–4, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 1898 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1 |
| Win | 1899 | Wimbledon | Grass | Arthur Gore | 1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1900 | Wimbledon | Grass | Sydney Smith | 6–8, 6–3, 6–1, 5–7, 11–9 |
| Loss | 1901 | Wimbledon | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–4, 5–7, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1902 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | William Larned | 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–8 |

### Doubles: 13 (10 titles, 3 runners-up)

| Result | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1896 | Wimbledon | Grass | Harold Nisbet | Herbert Baddeley Wilfred Baddeley | 6–1, 6–3, 4–6, 2–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 1897 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Herbert Baddeley Wilfred Baddeley | 6–4, 4–6, 8–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1898 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Clarence Hobart Harold Nisbet | 6–4, 6–4, 6–2 |
| Win | 1899 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Clarence Hobart Harold Nisbet | 7–5, 6–0, 6–2 |
| Win | 1900 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Herbert Roper Barrett Harold Nisbet | 9–7, 7–5, 4–6, 3–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 1901 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward | 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 9–7 |
| Loss | 1902 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith | 6–4, 6–8, 3–6, 6–4, 9–11 |
| Win | 1902 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Dwight Davis Holcombe Ward | 11–9, 12–10, 6–4 |
| Win | 1903 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 1903 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Kreigh Collins L. Harry Waidner | 7–5, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 1904 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith | 6–1, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 1905 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith | 6–2, 6–4, 6–8, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1906 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | Frank Riseley Sydney Smith | 8–6, 4–6, 7–5, 3–6, 3–6 |

## Career finals (52)

* Titles by surface
* Clay (18–4)
* Grass (14–12)
* Hard (1–0)
* Wood (3–0)

### Singles titles (36)

| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
| 1. | 1895 | Essex Championships, Colchester, England | Grass | Herbert Ramon Yglesias | 6–3, 6–1, 6–0 |
| 2. | 1895 | Scottish Championships, Moffat, Scotland | Grass | Richard Millar Watson | walkover |
| 3. | 1895 | Welsh Covered Court Championships, Llandudno, Wales | Wood | William S. N. Heard | walkover |
| 4. | 1895 | Exmouth LTC Tournament, Exmouth, England | Grass | Harry S. Barlow | 6–1, 7–5, 6–2 |
| 5. | 1896 | Baden Baden International, Baden-Baden, Germany | Clay | Count Voss | 6–1, 7–5, 6–2 |
| 6. | 1896 | East of England Championships, England | Grass | Edward Roy Allen | 6–4, 8–6 |
| 7. | 1896 | Essex Championships, Colchester, England | Grass | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 8. | 1896 | Scottish Championships, Moffat, Scotland | Grass | Edward Roy Allen | 13–11, 6–4 retired. |
| 9. | 1896 | The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany | Clay | William M. Cranston | walkover |
| 10. | 1896 | Welsh Covered Court Championships, Llandudno, Wales | Wood | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 11. | 1897 | Baden Baden International, Baden-Baden, Germany | Clay | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 12. | 1897 | Wimbledon Championships, London, England | Grass | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–3, 7–5, 2–0 ret |
| 13. | 1897 | South of France Championships, Nice, France | Clay | Count Voss | 6–2, 6–4, 3–6, 6–1 |
| 14. | 1897 | The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany | Clay | George Hillyard | walkover |
| 15. | 1897 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | Conway W. Blackwood Price | 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 16. | 1897 | Scottish Championships, Moffat, Scotland | Grass | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 17. | 1897 | Cannes Championships, Cannes, France | Clay | M.G. Gongoltz | 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 18. | 1897 | Welsh Covered Court Championships, Llandudno, Wales | Wood | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 19. | 1898 | Wimbledon Championships, London, England | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 6–3, 6–3, 2–6, 5–7, 6–1 |
| 20. | 1898 | The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany | Clay | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 21. | 1898 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | Count Voss | 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 4–0 Retired. |
| 22. | 1899 | Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–3, 6–4, 5–7, 6–4 |
| 23. | 1899 | Wimbledon Championships London, England | Grass | Arthur Gore | 1–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 |
| 24. | 1899 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | Count Voss | 6–2 Ret. |
| 25. | 1899 | Heiligendammer Cup, Heiligendammer, Germany | Clay | Georg Wantzelius | 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 26. | 1899 | The Homburg Cup, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Germany | Clay | Clarence Hobart | 3–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3, 6–4 |
| 27. | 1899 | South of France Championships, Nice, France | Clay | Count Voss | 6–0, 6–0 6–0 |
| 28. | 1900 | Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Arthur Gore | 6–4, 7–5, 7–9, 7–9, 6–3 |
| 29. | 1900 | Wimbledon Championships London, England | Grass | Sydney Howard Smith | 6–8, 6–3, 6–1, 6–2 |
| 30. | 1901 | Irish Championships Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 6–4, 4–6 ret. |
| 31. | 1902 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | George Hillyard | 6–1, 6–4, 6–3 |
| 32. | 1902 | Paris International Championships, Paris, France | Clay | Paul Lebreton | walkover |
| 33. | 1903 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | Frank Riseley | 6–1, 14–16 Ret. |
| 34. | 1903 | Paris International Championships, Paris, France | Clay | Max Decugis | 6–4, 6–3, 8–6 |
| 35. | 1904 | Monte-Carlo Cup, Monte Carlo, France | Clay | Josiah Ritchie | 6–1, 7–5, 3–6, 7–5 |
| 36. | 1909 | South African Championships, Johannesburg, South Africa | Hard | Lionel Escombe | 6–3, 6–1, 6–1 |

### Singles runners-up (16)

| No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent in final | Score |
| 1. | 1895 | Colchester Championships, Colchester, England | Grass | Charles Gladstone Allen | walkover |
| 2. | 1896 | Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 |
| 3. | 1896 | Queen's Club Championships, London, England | Grass | Harold Mahony | 11–9, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 4. | 1896 | Sussex Championships, Exmouth, England | Grass | Wilfred Baddeley | 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 5. | 1897 | Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Wilberforce Eaves | 6–4, 6–3, 3–6, 6–2 |
| 6. | 1897 | Northern Lawn Tennis Association Tournament, Manchester, England | Grass | Wilfred Baddeley | 6–2, 7–5, 2–6, 6–0 |
| 7. | 1898 | South of France Championships, Nice, France | Clay | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 8. | 1898 | Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–3, 8–6, 6–3 |
| 9. | 1898 | Scottish Championships, Moffat, Scotland | Grass | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 10. | 1899 | Championship of Europe, Bad Homburg, Germany | Clay | Harold Mahony | walkover |
| 11. | 1900 | South of France Championships, Nice, France | Clay | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 12. | 1901 | Wimbledon Championships, London, England | Grass | Arthur Gore | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4 |
| 13. | 1902 | U.S. National Championships, Newport, RI, USA | Grass | William Larned | 4–6, 6–2, 6–4, 8–6 |
| 14 | 1902 | South of France Championships, Nice, France | Clay | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 15. | 1902 | Irish Championships, Dublin, Ireland | Grass | Laurence Doherty | walkover |
| 16 | 1905 | East Grinstead, East Grinstead, England | Grass | Roderick James McNair | walkover |