# Tennis at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's outdoor singles

The men's (outdoor) singles was one of six lawn tennis events on the Tennis at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. The tournament was played on grass courts at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. There were 31 competitors from 9 nations. Nations could enter up to 12 players. The event was won by Major Ritchie of Great Britain, the nation's third victory in four Games. Otto Froitzheim earned Germany's first medal in the event with his silver. Another Briton, Wilberforce Eaves, took bronze.

## Background

This was the fourth appearance of the men's singles tennis. The event has been held at every Summer Olympics where tennis has been on the program: from 1896 to 1924 and then from 1988 to the current program. Demonstration events were held in 1968 and 1984. In 1908, for the first time of two, an indoor version was held concurrently.
The top players did not compete in this event. Arthur Gore played only in the indoor event. William Larned, Norman Brookes, Anthony Wilding, and Laurence Doherty were noted absences. Major Ritchie was a solid player, having gone deep into Wimbledon multiple times but never having won in singles (he took doubles titles in 1908 and 1910 with Wilding).
Austria, Bohemia, Canada, the Netherlands, and South Africa each made their debut in the event. France, Germany, and Great Britain each made their third appearance, tied for most among all nations.

## Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament. For the first time at the Olympics, a bronze medal match was played. All matches were best-of-five sets.

## Schedule

The schedule was impacted by rain, with matches adjourned overnight on occasion.
The Olympics started three days after the end of the 1908 Wimbledon Championships, a scheduling issue which the Official Report recommended avoiding in the future.
| Date | Round |
| Monday, 6 July 1908 | Round of 64 Round of 32 Round of 16 |
| Tuesday, 7 July 1908 | Round of 32 Round of 16 |
| Wednesday, 8 July 1908 | Round of 16 Quarterfinals |
| Thursday, 9 July 1908 | Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals |
| Friday, 10 July 1908 | Quarterfinals Semifinals |
| Saturday, 11 July 1908 | Bronze medal match Final |

## Draw
### Key

* Q = Qualifier
* WC = Wild card
* LL = Lucky loser
* Alt = Alternate
* SE = Special exempt
* PR = Protected ranking
* ITF = ITF entry
* JE = Junior exempt
* w/o = Walkover
* r = Retired
* d = Defaulted
* SR = Special ranking

### Finals

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Semifinals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| Maurice Germot (FRA) | Maurice Germot (FRA) | 0 | 0$^r$ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Major Ritchie (GBR) | Major Ritchie (GBR) | 6 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Major Ritchie (GBR) | Major Ritchie (GBR) | 6 | 4 | | | Major Ritchie (GBR) | Major Ritchie (GBR) | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Charles Dixon (GBR) | Charles Dixon (GBR) | 3 | 5 | 3 | | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | |
| Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | Major Ritchie (GBR) | Major Ritchie (GBR) | 7 | 6 | 6 | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | 5 | 3 | 4 | | |
| Otto Froitzheim (GER) | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| George Caridia (GBR) | George Caridia (GBR) | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | | | | | | |
| George Caridia (GBR) | George Caridia (GBR) | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | Otto Froitzheim (GER) | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | Third place | Third place | Third place | Third place | Third place | Third place | Third place |
| | | | | | | John Richardson (RSA) | John Richardson (RSA) | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| John Richardson (RSA) | John Richardson (RSA) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | John Richardson (RSA) | John Richardson (RSA) | 6 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | Wilberforce Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | |
| Claude Russell-Brown (CAN) | Claude Russell-Brown (CAN) | 3 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | John Richardson (RSA) | John Richardson (RSA) | 2 | 2 | 3 | | |

### Top half
#### Section 1

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| V Károly (BOH) | V Károly (BOH) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| H Suckling (CAN) | H Suckling (CAN) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | V Károly (BOH) | V Károly (BOH) | w/o | | | | | | |
| | | | | | M Germot (FRA) | M Germot (FRA) | | | | | | | |
| M Germot (FRA) | M Germot (FRA) | 7 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| H Schomburgk (GER) | H Schomburgk (GER) | 5 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | M Germot (FRA) | M Germot (FRA) | 0 | 0$^r$ |
| | | | | | | | | | | M Ritchie (GBR) | M Ritchie (GBR) | 6 | 4 |
| M Ritchie (GBR) | M Ritchie (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | |
| V Gauntlett (RSA) | V Gauntlett (RSA) | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | M Ritchie (GBR) | M Ritchie (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | W Crawley (GBR) | W Crawley (GBR) | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | | |
| W Crawley (GBR) | W Crawley (GBR) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| G Hillyard (GBR) | G Hillyard (GBR) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 2

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| | | | | | D Lauber (HUN) | D Lauber (HUN) | 1 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| C Dixon (GBR) | C Dixon (GBR) | 6 | 7 | 6 | C Dixon (GBR) | C Dixon (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| F Rahe (GER) | F Rahe (GER) | 2 | 5 | 4 | | | | | | | C Dixon (GBR) | C Dixon (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| B Hykš (BOH) | B Hykš (BOH) | | | | | | | | | | B Hykš (BOH) | B Hykš (BOH) | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | | | |
| O Schmid (HUN) | O Schmid (HUN) | w/o | | | B Hykš (BOH) | B Hykš (BOH) | 7 | 6 | 3 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Zsigmondy (HUN) | J Zsigmondy (HUN) | | | | J Zsigmondy (HUN) | J Zsigmondy (HUN) | 5 | 4 | 6 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | |
| L Ivánka (HUN) | L Ivánka (HUN) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | C Dixon (GBR) | C Dixon (GBR) | 3 | 5 | 3 |
| M von Bissing (GER) | M von Bissing (GER) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | W Eaves (GBR) | W Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| G Ball-Greene (GBR) | G Ball-Greene (GBR) | w/o | | | M von Bissing (GER) | M von Bissing (GER) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A Zborzil (AUT) | A Zborzil (AUT) | | | | A Zborzil (AUT) | A Zborzil (AUT) | 1 | 4 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| A Gore (GBR) | A Gore (GBR) | w/o | | | | | | | | | M von Bissing (GER) | M von Bissing (GER) | 6 | 5 | 5 | | | | | |
| K von Wessely (AUT) | K von Wessely (AUT) | | | | | | | | | | W Eaves (GBR) | W Eaves (GBR) | 8 | 7 | 7 | | | | | |
| HR Barrett (GBR) | HR Barrett (GBR) | w/o | | | K von Wessely (AUT) | K von Wessely (AUT) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W Eaves (GBR) | W Eaves (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | W Eaves (GBR) | W Eaves (GBR) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| R Kinzl (AUT) | R Kinzl (AUT) | 3 | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

### Bottom half
#### Section 3

| First round | First round | First round | First round | First round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| E Tóth (HUN) | E Tóth (HUN) | 6 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Mičovský (BOH) | J Mičovský (BOH) | 3 | 1$^r$ | | E Tóth (HUN) | E Tóth (HUN) | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| JC Parke (GBR) | JC Parke (GBR) | | | | JC Parke (GBR) | JC Parke (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Rössler-Ořovský (BOH) | J Rössler-Ořovský (BOH) | w/o | | | | | | | | | JC Parke (GBR) | JC Parke (GBR) | 4 | 9 | 4 | | | | | | | |
| O Kreuzer (GER) | O Kreuzer (GER) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | O Froitzheim (GER) | O Froitzheim (GER) | 6 | 11 | 6 | | | | | | | |
| F Pipes (AUT) | F Pipes (AUT) | 3 | 1 | 4 | O Kreuzer (GER) | O Kreuzer (GER) | 2 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| O Froitzheim (GER) | O Froitzheim (GER) | 6 | 6 | 6 | O Froitzheim (GER) | O Froitzheim (GER) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| K Powell (GBR) | K Powell (GBR) | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | O Froitzheim (GER) | O Froitzheim (GER) | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 |
| R Powell (CAN) | R Powell (CAN) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | G Caridia (GBR) | G Caridia (GBR) | 4 | 1 | 7 | 1 |
| C van Lennep (NED) | C van Lennep (NED) | 4 | 1 | 2 | R Powell (CAN) | R Powell (CAN) | 2 | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| L Žemla (BOH) | L Žemla (BOH) | | | | L Žemla (BOH) | L Žemla (BOH) | 6 | 0 | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| L Doherty (GBR) | L Doherty (GBR) | w/o | | | | | | | | | R Powell (CAN) | R Powell (CAN) | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | G Caridia (GBR) | G Caridia (GBR) | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | |
| | | | | | G Caridia (GBR) | G Caridia (GBR) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | H Kitson (RSA) | H Kitson (RSA) | 1 | 3 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

#### Section 4

| Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Second round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Third round | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals |
| J Foulkes (CAN) | J Foulkes (CAN) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | | | | | | |
| R van Lennep (NED) | R van Lennep (NED) | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | J Foulkes (CAN) | J Foulkes (CAN) | 2 | 4 | 3 | | | | | |
| | | | | | J Richardson (RSA) | J Richardson (RSA) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| J Richardson (RSA) | J Richardson (RSA) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| M Decugis (FRA) | M Decugis (FRA) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | J Richardson (RSA) | J Richardson (RSA) | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| | | | | | | | | | | C Brown (CAN) | C Brown (CAN) | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| D Slíva (BOH) | D Slíva (BOH) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| J Žemla (BOH) | J Žemla (BOH) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | D Slíva (BOH) | D Slíva (BOH) | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | | | |
| | | | | | C Brown (CAN) | C Brown (CAN) | 6 | 6 | 6 | | | | | |
| C Brown (CAN) | C Brown (CAN) | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Z Žemla (BOH) | Z Žemla (BOH) | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Results summary

| Rank | Player | Nation | Round of 64 | Round of 32 | Round of 16 | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final |
| | Major Ritchie | Great Britain | Bye | V Gauntlett (RSA) W 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | W Crawley (GBR) W 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | M Germot (FRA) W 6–0, 6–4$^r$ | W Eaves (GBR) W 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | O Froitzheim (GER) W 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 |
| | Otto Froitzheim | Germany | K Powell (GBR) W 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 | O Kreuzer (GER) W 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 | JC Parke (GBR) W 6–4, 11–9, 6–4 | G Caridia (GBR) W 6–4, 6–1, 5–7, 6–1 | J Richardson (RSA) W 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 | M Ritchie (GBR) L 7–5, 6–3, 6–4 |
| | Wilberforce Eaves | Great Britain | R Kinzl (AUT) W 6–3, 6–1, 6–0 | K von Wessely (AUT) W w/o | M von Bissing (GER) W 8–6, 7–5, 7–5 | C Dixon (GBR) W 6–3, 7–5, 6–3 | M Ritchie (GBR) L 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | J Richardson (RSA) W 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 4 | John Richardson | South Africa | Bye | M Decugis (FRA) W w/o | J Foulkes (CAN) W 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 | C Brown (CAN) W 6–3, 6–1, 6–0 | O Froitzheim (GER) L 2–6, 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 | W Eaves (GBR) L 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 |
| 5 | George Caridia | Great Britain | Bye | H Kitson (RSA) W 6–1, 6–3, 6–1 | R Powell (CAN) W 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 | O Froitzheim (GER) L 6–4, 6–1, 5–7, 6–1 | did not advance | did not advance |
| 5 | Charles P. Dixon | Great Britain | F Rahe (GER) W 6–2, 7–5, 6–4 | D Lauber (HUN) W 6–1, 6–0, 6–0 | B Hykš (BOH) W 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 | W Eaves (GBR) L 6–3, 7–5, 6–3 | did not advance | did not advance |
| 5 | Maurice Germot | France | Bye | H Schomburgk (GER) W 7–5, 6–4, 6–2 | V Károly (BOH) W w/o | M Ritchie (GBR) L 6–0, 6–4$^r$ | did not advance | did not advance |
| 5 | Claude Russell-Brown | Canada | Bye | Z Žemla (BOH) W w/o | D Slíva (BOH) W 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 | J Richardson (RSA) L 6–3, 6–1, 6–0 | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | Moritz von Bissing | Germany | G Ball-Greene (GBR) W w/o | A Zborzil (AUT) W 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 | W Eaves (GBR) L 8–6, 7–5, 7–5 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | Walter Crawley | Great Britain | Bye | G Hillyard (GBR) W w/o | M Ritchie (GBR) L 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | J. F. Foulkes | Canada | Bye | R van Lennep (NED) W 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 | J Richardson (RSA) L 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | Bohuslav Hykš | Bohemia | O Schmid (HUN) W w/o | J Zsigmondy (HUN) W 7–5, 6–4, 3–6, 6–0 | C Dixon (GBR) L 6–1, 6–2, 6–3 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | James Cecil Parke | Great Britain | J Rössler-Ořovský (BOH) W w/o | E Tóth (HUN) W 6–1, 6–3, 6–2 | O Froitzheim (GER) L 6–4, 11–9, 6–4 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | Robert Powell | Canada | C van Lennep (NED) W 6–4, 6–1, 6–2 | L Žemla (BOH) W 2–6, 6–0, 6–4, 6–1 | G Caridia (GBR) L 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 9 | David Slíva | Bohemia | Bye | J Žemla (BOH) W w/o | C Brown (CAN) L 6–2, 6–1, 6–2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Victor Gauntlett (tennis) | South Africa | Bye | M Ritchie (GBR) L 6–1, 6–4, 6–1 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Harold Kitson | South Africa | Bye | G Caridia (GBR) L 6–1, 6–3, 6–1 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Oscar Kreuzer | Germany | F Pipes (AUT) W 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 | O Froitzheim (GER) L 6–2, 6–3, 6–3 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Dezső Lauber | Hungary | Bye | C Dixon (GBR) L 6–1, 6–0, 6–0 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Heinrich Schomburgk | Germany | Bye | M Germot (FRA) L 7–5, 6–4, 6–2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Ede Tóth | Hungary | J Mičovský (BOH) W 6–3, 2–1$^r$ | JC Parke (GBR) L 6–1, 6–3, 6–2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Roelof van Lennep | Netherlands | Bye | JF Foulkes (CAN) L 6–2, 6–4, 6–3 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Arthur Zborzil | Austria | A Gore (GBR) W w/o | M von Bissing (GER) L 6–1, 6–4, 6–4 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Ladislav Žemla | Bohemia | L Doherty (GBR) W w/o | R Powell (CAN) L 2–6, 6–0, 6–4, 6–1 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 16 | Jenő Zsigmondy | Hungary | L Ivánka (HUN) W w/o | B Hykš (BOH) L 7–5, 6–4, 3–6, 6–0 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Kenneth Powell | Great Britain | O Froitzheim (GER) L 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Rolf Kinzl | Austria | W Eaves (GBR) L 6–3, 6–1, 6–0 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Josef Mičovský | Bohemia | E Tóth (HUN) L 6–3, 2–1$^r$ | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Felix Pipes | Austria | O Kreuzer (GER) L 6–3, 6–1, 6–4 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Friedrich Wilhelm Rahe | Germany | C Dixon (GBR) L 6–2, 7–5, 6–4 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| 26 | Christiaan van Lennep | Netherlands | R Powell (CAN) L 6–4, 6–1, 6–2 | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Herbert Roper Barrett | Great Britain | K von Wessely (AUT) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | G Ball-Greene | Great Britain | M von Bissing (GER) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Max Decugis | France | Bye | J Richardson (RSA) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Laurence Doherty | Great Britain | L Žemla (BOH) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Arthur Gore | Great Britain | A Zborzil (AUT) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | George Hillyard | Great Britain | Bye | W Crawley (GBR) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | L. Ivánka | Hungary | J Zsigmondy (HUN) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Vitus Károly | Bohemia | Bye | H Suckling (CAN) W w/o | M Germot (FRA) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Josef Rössler-Ořovský | Bohemia | JC Parke (GBR) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Ödön Schmid | Hungary | B Hykš (BOH) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Hedley Suckling | Canada | Bye | Vitus Károly (BOH) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Kurt von Wessely | Austria | HR Barrett (GBR) W w/o | W Eaves (GBR) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Jaroslav Žemla | Bohemia | Bye | D Slíva (BOH) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |
| — | Zdeněk Žemla | Bohemia | Bye | C Brown (CAN) L w/o | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance | did not advance |