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Laurie Doherty 1930 |
"Laurie" or "Little Do"
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| Laurie Docherty goes down
in history as the second true champion of the modern era after his brother
Reggie. Laurie had an unequalled portfolio of strokes for his day and an
uncannily natural instinct for the game. He was equally at ease in front
of the net as at the back of the court and could place the ball on a sixpence.
He was to gain his fame by imposing himself at an international level as had never seen before. His championship record would make today’s top players more than jealous of his success without exception. Olympic Champion in 1900, he won the very first Grand Slam in history in 1903 by taking the singles and doubles titles at both Wimbledon and in America. He then went on with his brother this year to win the Davis Cup for the United Kingdom. Laurie Docherty was quite simply invincible at singles between 1903 and 1906 and he was also clever enough to know that it was time to retire after having won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. He saw similar success with his brother at doubles, losing only two matches in 1902 and his final doubles championship match at Wimbledon in 1906. He gave up tennis in 1906 to consecrate himself to the less violent sport of golf where he subsequently built a similarly brilliant career. He had always been a man of fragile health, again like his brother. Respiratory problems meant that he tired quickly. He was called up to the Royal Navy for the first world war and it was the rigours of military service that were to finally take their toll. He died at Broadstairs in Kent on the 21st August 1919 at the age of 43 after a protracted illness. His success in Grand Slam
Championships comprised 6 singles and 10 doubles titles.
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Examples
of Laurie Doherty's style:
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Slazenger racket signed
Doherty,
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Dernière mise à jour : 28
Mai 2000
Copyright BLANCHE NET communications.
Mars 2000.
