# 1885 U.S. National Championships – Singles

Four-time defending champion Richard Sears defeated Godfrey M. Brinley in the challenge round, 6–3, 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1885 U.S. National Championships. It was Sears' fifth title at the U.S. championships.
Following the completion of the Challenge Round match, an exhibition-type lawn tennis match took place between Sears and the reigning world champion in court tennis Tom Pettitt (who was also the court tennis and lawn tennis pro at the Newport Casino).

## Draw
### Challenge round

| Challenge round | Challenge round | Challenge round | Challenge round | Challenge round | Challenge round | Challenge round |
| Richard Sears | Richard Sears | 6 | 4 | 6 | 6 | |
| Godfrey M Brinley | Godfrey M Brinley | 3 | 6 | 0 | 3 | |

### Finals

| Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Joseph Clark | 4 | 3 | | | | | | |
| Percy Knapp | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| Percy Knapp | 6 | 6 | | Percy Knapp | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 |
| | | | | Godfrey M Brinley | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Godfrey M Brinley | 3 | 9 | 6 | Godfrey M Brinley | 6 | 6 | 3 | 6 |
| Walter Berry | 6 | 7 | 1 | | | | | |

### Earlier rounds
#### Section 1

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| | | | | | J Clark | J Clark | 6 | 1 | 8 | | | | | | | | | |
| RL Beeckman | RL Beeckman | 6 | 6 | | RL Beeckman | RL Beeckman | 2 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| GA Smith | GA Smith | 1 | 2 | | | | | | | J Clark | J Clark | 7 | 1 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | A Moffat | A Moffat | 5 | 6 | 3 | | | | |
| | | | | | A Moffat | A Moffat | 6 | 9 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| FS Mansfield | FS Mansfield | 6 | 6 | | FS Mansfield | FS Mansfield | 0 | 11 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| CE Garrett | CE Garrett | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | J Clark | J Clark | 4 | 3 |
| P Knapp | P Knapp | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | | P Knapp | P Knapp | 6 | 6 |
| W Shippen | W Shippen | 1 | 5 | | P Knapp | P Knapp | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| SH Hooper | SH Hooper | 9 | 6 | | SH Hooper | SH Hooper | 0 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| FJ Hynes | FJ Hynes | 7 | 2 | | | | | | | P Knapp | P Knapp | 4 | 10 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | H Taylor | H Taylor | 6 | 8 | 2 | | | | |
| | | | | | H Taylor | H Taylor | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| C Nightingale | C Nightingale | 6 | 4 | 7 | C Nightingale | C Nightingale | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | |
| HS Morgan | HS Morgan | 3 | 6 | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals |
| | | | | | GM Brinley | GM Brinley | 6 | 4 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | H Slocum | H Slocum | 1 | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | GM Brinley | GM Brinley | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| CB Davis | CB Davis | 6 | 7 | | | | | | | CB Davis | CB Davis | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| P Presbry | P Presbry | 3 | 5 | | CB Davis | CB Davis | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| H Lilienthal | H Lilienthal | w/ | o | | H Lilienthal | H Lilienthal | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| C Clark | C Clark | | | | | | | | | | | | | GM Brinley | GM Brinley | 3 | 9 | 6 |
| W Berry | W Berry | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | W Berry | W Berry | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| MA Howe | MA Howe | 3 | 1 | | W Berry | W Berry | 6 | 2 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| F Warren | F Warren | 3 | 6 | 7 | F Warren | F Warren | 3 | 6 | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| W Lewis | W Lewis | 6 | 3 | 5 | | | | | | W Berry | W Berry | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| F Keene | F Keene | 9 | 6 | | | | | | | F Keene | F Keene | 2 | 1 | | | | | |
| EH Gillette | EH Gillette | 7 | 2 | | F Keene | F Keene | w/ | o | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | MS Paton | MS Paton | | | | | | | | | | | | |