Herbert Lawford

Herbert Fortescue Lawford (15 May 1851 – 20 April 1925) was a former world No. 1 tennis player from Scotland who won the Men's Singles championship at Wimbledon in 1887, and was runner-up a record 5 times (shared with Arthur Gore).

Herbert Lawford

Lawford, standing, on the right side
Full name	Herbert Fortescue Lawford
Country (sports)	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Born	(1851-05-15)15 May 1851 Bayswater, Middlesex England
Died	20 April 1925(1925-04-20) (aged 73) Dess, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Turned pro	1878 (amateur tour)
Retired	1890
Plays	Right-handed (one-handed backhand)
Int. Tennis HoF	2006 (member page)
Singles
Career titles	17
Highest ranking	No. 1 (1887, ITHF)
Grand Slam singles results
Wimbledon	W (1887)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	1R (1884)

Career

The 5th round All Comers' match between H.F. Lawford (left) and W. C. Renshaw at Wimbledon, won by Renshaw who went on to claim the All Comers' title on 12 July 1881.

In the 1887 final, the native of Bayswater defeated Ernest Renshaw (also of Great Britain) in five sets: 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4. He reached the finals of Wimbledon in 1880, 1884–86, and 1888.

Lawford won the first major men's doubles tennis tournament, the Oxford University Men's Doubles Championship, in 1879 partnering Lestocq Robert Erskine. This event was a precursor to the Wimbledon men's doubles championship, introduced in 1884, and it was played over the best of seven sets ending in a score of 4–6, 6–4, 6–5, 6–2, 3–6, 5–6, 7–5. In 1885 he won the singles title at the inaugural British Covered Court Championships.

Birth of the topspin: the Lawford-stroke

Lawford is said to be the first person to introduce "topspin" to the game of tennis. His formidable forehand was called 'the Lawford stroke'. Lawford made a more substantial contribution in technically advancing the game. He unveiled the “Lawford forehand,” introducing topspin into the sport with that revolutionary shot. Aggressive and unwavering, he was equipped with power, speed and uncanny accuracy. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 title, 5 runners-up)

Result	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Loss	1880	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	John Hartley	3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 3–6
Loss	1884	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	William Renshaw	0–6, 4–6, 7–9
Loss	1885	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	William Renshaw	5–7, 2–6, 6–4, 5–7
Loss	1886	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	William Renshaw	0–6, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1887	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	Ernest Renshaw	1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4
Loss	1888	Wimbledon Championships	Grass	Ernest Renshaw	3–6, 5–7, 0–6

External links

• Herbert Lawford at the International Tennis Hall of Fame
• Herbert Lawford at the Association of Tennis Professionals