# Arthur Gore (tennis)

Arthur William Charles Wentworth Gore (2 January 1868 – 1 December 1928) was a British tennis player.
He is best known for winning three singles titles at the Wimbledon Championship and was runner-up a record 5 times (shared with Herbert Lawford). He also won gold medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England, winning the Men's Indoor Singles and the Men's Indoor Doubles (with Herbert Barrett). He also competed at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden. Gore's Wimbledon win in 1909, at age 41, makes him the oldest player to date to hold the Wimbledon Gentlemen's Singles title.

## Early life

Gore was born in Lyndhurst, Hampshire, and grew up in France, the third son of Captain Augustus Frederick Wentworth Gore and Hon. Emily Anne Curzon. His father was the sole surviving son of noted novelist Catherine Gore and Charles Arthur Gore. His mother was a member of the Curzon family, the daughter of MP Robert Curzon and granddaughter of Viscount Curzon.

## Career

He played his first tournament at London Athletic Club in 1887, and his first title came at a grass court tournament in Stevenage in August 1888. Gore won the singles title at the Scottish Championships in 1892 and successfully defended the title in the Challenge Round in 1893. In 1894 he won the North London Championships on grass, a tournament that he won five times (1894, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1906). He won the singles title at the Kent Championships on two occasions; in 1900 by defeating Harold Mahony in the final in straight sets, and in 1906 against A.L. Bentley, also in straight sets. In 1904 he won the City of Paris Championships in Puteaux, Paris against Max Decugis. and in 1906 against A.L. In 1900 and 1908 he won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships, played at the Queen's Club in London. In May 1908 he won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships, played at the Queen's Club in London, defeating New Zealander Anthony Wilding in the Challenge Round in four sets. Gore had the longest ever span (34 years) in the Wimbledon men's singles (he entered a record 30 times in singles from 1888 to 1922)., In addition he also won the Leicestershire Championships three times (1913, 1914, 1919) and the Nottinghamshire Championships four times (1905, 1910, 1912, 1913). He also holds the all-time record for the longest tennis career of any player between their first and last titles, that being 30 years, 11 months and one day. Gore was a successful all surface player winning 51 singles titles and reaching the finals of 26 other tournaments on clay, grass and hard asphalt & wood courts from 1888 to 1919.
Gore was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

## Grand Slam finals
### Singles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

| Result | Date | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1899 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 1901 | Wimbledon | Grass | Reginald Doherty | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1902 | Wimbledon | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 0–6 |
| Loss | 1907 | Wimbledon | Grass | Norman Brookes | 4–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 1908 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Win | 1909 | Wimbledon | Grass | Major Ritchie | 6–8, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1910 | Wimbledon | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1912 | Wimbledon | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 4–6, 4–6, 6–4, 4–6 |

### Doubles: 3 (1 title, 2 runner-ups)

| Result | Date | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Loss | 1908 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | Major Ritchie Anthony Wilding | 1–6, 2–6, 6–1, 7–9 |
| Win | 1909 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | Stanley Doust Harry Parker | 6–2, 6–1, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1910 | Wimbledon | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | Major Ritchie Anthony Wilding | 1–6, 1–6, 2–6 |

## 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
| | 1888 | 1889 | 1890 | 1891 | 1892 | 1893 | 1894 | 1895 | 1896 | 1897 | 1898 | 1899 | 1900 | 1901 | 1902 | 1903 | 1904 | 1905 | 1906 | 1907 | 1908 | 1908 | 1909 | 1910 | 1911 | 1912 | 1912 | 1913 | 1914 | 1915 | '16–'18 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 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 | 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 | 3 / 31 | 67–27 | 71.28 |
| French | not held | not held | not held | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | only for French club members | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Wimbledon | 2R | 1R | 1R | 2R | QF | 2R | 1R | A | 1R | 2R | SF | CR | F$_A$ | W$_C$ | CR | 2R | QF | SF | F$_A$ | F | W | W | W$_C$ | CR | 4R | CR | CR | 4R | QF | not held | not held | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 3 / 30 | 64–26 | 71.1 |
| U.S. | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 4R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 1 | 3–1 | 75.0 |
| 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 | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | NH | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 | 0–0 | – |
| Win–loss | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 5–1 | 7–2 | 6–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 4–1 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 6–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 6–1 | 6–1 | 3–1 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 0–1 | | | |
| National representation |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympics | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | G | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | 2R | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | Not held | A | Not held | Not held | 1 / 2 | 3–2 | 60.0 |

## Career finals
### Singles 77 (51 titles, 26 runner-ups)

* Legend
* Grand Slam/Important tournaments (3–5)
* Olympic Games (1–0)
* Titles by surface
* Hard (6–5)
* Clay (11–1)
* Grass (32–18)
* Titles by location
* Outdoors (45–21)
* Indoors (5–4)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
| Win | 1. | 1888 | Stevenage LTC Championships | Grass | George Ernest Brown | 0–6, 6–1, 6–4 |
| Win | 2. | 1888 | Hitchin LTC Championships | Grass | Arthur Hallward | 3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 3. | 1889 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Réginald Forbes | 6–4, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 4. | 1890 | Chingford Open Championships | Clay | Charles Gladstone Eames | 3–6, 6–3, 7–5, 4–6, 6–2 |
| Win | 5. | 1890 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Horace Chapman | 6–3, 3–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1. | 1891 | Kent Championships | Grass | Ernest George Meers | 0–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 6. | 1891 | Chingford Open Championships | Clay | Charles Eames | 10–12, 2–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 7. | 1891 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Horace Chapman | 11–9 ret. |
| Win | 8. | 1892 | Scottish Championships | Grass | Robert Millar Watson | 6–3, 6–3, 6–0 |
| Win | 9. | 1892 | Chingford Open Championships | Clay | Charles Eames | 6–4, 6–2, 6–1 |
| Win | 10. | 1892 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Archdale Palmer | 6–3, 6–2, 1–6, 5–7, 6–3 |
| Win | 11. | 1893 | Scottish Championships | Grass | Robert Millar Watson | 6–3, 7–5, 4–6, 7–5 |
| Win | 12. | 1893 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Archdale Palmer | 3–6, 6–4, 0–6, 8–6, 6–3 |
| Win | 13. | 1894 | North London Championships | Grass | Arthur Hallward | 4–6, 6–2, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 3. | 1896 | North London Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 3–6 4–6 6–3 2–6 |
| Win | 14. | 1898 | North London Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 6–3, 2–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 15. | 1898 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | E. K. Harvey | 6–2, 6–2, 6–0 |
| Loss | 4. | 1899 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Reginald Doherty | 6–1, 6–4, 3–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 16. | 1899 | North London Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 6–2, 8–6, 9–7 |
| Loss | 5. | 1896 | London Championships | Grass | Harold Mahony | 10–8, 2–6, 5–7, 1–6 |
| Loss | 6. | 1899 | Dinard Challenge Cup | Clay | Harold Mahony | 4–6 2–6 4–6 |
| Win | 17. | 1900 | British Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Major Ritchie | 6–1, 7–5, 6–3 |
| Loss | 7. | 1900 | Irish Championships | Grass | Harold Mahony | 4–6, 5–7, 9–7, 3–6 |
| Loss | 8. | 1900 | Middlesex Championships | Grass | Harold Mahony | 2–6 4–6 2–6 |
| Win | 18. | 1900 | Kent Championships | Grass | Harold Mahony | 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 19. | 1900 | North London Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 6–3, 6–4, 6–0 |
| Loss | 9. | 1900 | Queen's Club Championships | Grass | Arthur W. Lavy | 6–0, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 10. | 1901 | British Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Laurence Doherty | 3–6, 1–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 11. | 1901 | Kent Championships | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 1–6, 3–6, 6–3, 4–6 |
| Win | 20. | 1901 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Reginald Doherty | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 12. | 1902 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 0–6 |
| Loss | 13. | 1903 | Kent Championships | Grass | Laurence Doherty | 1–6, 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 21. | 1903 | All England Plate | Grass | Clarence Hobart | 7–5, 6–3 |
| Win | 22. | 1903 | Etretat LTC Championships | Clay | Archdale Palmer | 6–2, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Win | 23. | 1903 | London Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Major Ritchie | 8–6, 1–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 24. | 1904 | Paris International Championships | Clay | Max Decugis | 3–6, 5–7, 6–3, 7–5, 6–2 |
| Loss | 14. | 1904 | London Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Max Decugis | 2–6 6–3, 6–0, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 15. | 1905 | Kent Championships | Grass | Norman Brookes | 3–6, 7–9, 2–6 |
| Win | 25. | 1905 | East Surrey Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 6–3, 6–3, 6–1 |
| Win | 26. | 1905 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | Roy Allen | w.o. |
| Win | 27. | 1905 | Crystal Palace Open | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 6–4, 6–2. |
| Win | 28. | 1905 | Shanklin LTC Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 6–2, 6–3, 4–6, 6–1 |
| Win | 29. | 1905 | London Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Major Ritchie | 2–6 6–3, 6–0, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 16. | 1906 | British Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Laurence Doherty | 2–6, 4–6, 6–8 |
| Win | 30. | 1906 | East Surrey Championships | Grass | Sydney Adams | 6–2, 6–3, 6–4 |
| Win | 31. | 1906 | Kent Championships | Grass | A. L. Bentley | 6–0 6–2 6–1 |
| Win | 32. | 1906 | North London Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 4–6, 7–5, 7–5, 3–0, ret. |
| Win | 33. | 1906 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | Herbert Snook | 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 |
| Win | 34. | 1906 | Crystal Palace Open | Grass | George Allen Thomas | 6–1, 6–3 |
| Win | 35. | 1906 | Shanklin LTC Championships | Grass | George Caridia | 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 37. | 1906 | Sussex Championships | Grass | Major Ritchie | 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 |
| Win | 38. | 1907 | Kent Coast Championships | Hard | Major Ritchie | 7–5, 6–2, 4–6, ret. |
| Win | 39. | 1907 | Surrey Championships | Hard | Major Ritchie | 6–3, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 17. | 1906 | East of Surrey Championships | Grass | Major Ritchie | 6–0, 6–2, 2–6, 3–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 18. | 1907 | Kent Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 7–9, 2–6, 6–3, 6–0, 1–6 |
| Loss | 19. | 1907 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Norman Brookes | 4–6, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 40. | 1907 | Shanklin LTC Championships | Grass | Charles Henry Ridding | 7–5, 6–2, 6–1 |
| Loss | 20. | 1907 | Kent Coast Championships | Hard | Herbert Roper Barrett | 4–6 4–6 6–4 7–9 |
| Win | 41. | 1908 | British Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Anthony Wilding | 4–6, 8–6, 6–0, 8–6 |
| Win | 42. | 1908 | Olympic Championships | Hard (i) | George Caridia | 6–3, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Loss | 21. | 1908 | Surrey Championships | Grass | Major Ritchie | 3–6, 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 43. | 1908 | Northern Championships | Grass | James Cecil Parke | 6–3, 4–6, 6–1, 6–8, 6–4 |
| Win | 44. | 1908 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Herbert Roper Barrett | 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 3–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 22. | 1909 | British Covered Court Championships | Hard (i) | Major Ritchie | 5–7, 6–8, 3–6 |
| Win | 45. | 1909 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Major Ritchie | 6–8, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2, 6–2 |
| Loss | 23. | 1910 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 4–6, 5–7, 6–4, 2–6 |
| Win | 46. | 1910 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | ? | ? |
| Win | 47. | 1911 | Leicestershire Championships | Grass | Rodney Heath | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Loss | 24. | 1912 | Wimbledon Championships | Grass | Anthony Wilding | 4–6, 4–6, 6–4, 4–6 |
| Win | 48. | 1912 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | Charles P. Dixon | 1–6, 11–9, 6–3 |
| Loss | 25. | 1912 | Kent Coast Championships | Hard | Theodore Mavrogordato | 7–9, 6–8. ret. |
| Win | 49. | 1913 | Leicestershire Championships | Grass | George Hillyard | 7–5, 4–6, ret. |
| Loss | 26. | 1913 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | Stanley Doust | 6–3, 3–6, 3-36, 9–7, 4–6 |
| Win | 50. | 1914 | Nottinghamshire Championships | Grass | Charles P. Dixon | 6–2, 4–6, 4–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
| Win | 51. | 1919 | Leicestershire Championships | Grass | George Fletcher | 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 |