Full name Richard Dudley Sears Name Richard Sears Education Harvard University Country (sports) United States Role Tennis player Retired 1888 | Grand slams won (singles) 7 Highest ranking No. Wimbledon 1R (1884) Turned pro 1880 | |
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Plays Right-handed (1-handed backhand) US Open W (1881, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887) Died April 8, 1943, Boston, Massachusetts, United States | ||
Int. Tennis HoF 1955 (member page) | ||
American national business hall of fame audio series presents richard sears
Richard Dudley "Dick" Sears (October 26, 1861 – April 8, 1943) – was an American tennis player, who won the US National Championships singles in its first seven years, from 1881-87, and the doubles for six years from 1882-87, after which he retired from tennis.
Contents
- American national business hall of fame audio series presents richard sears
- Early life
- Tennis career
- Personal life
- Legacy
- References
Early life
He was the son of Frederic Richard Sears and Albertina Homer Shelton. His brothers Philip and Herbert were also tennis players.
Tennis career
Sears learned to play tennis in 1879. He was undefeated in the U.S. Championships, he won the first of his seven consecutive titles in 1881 while still a student at Harvard. In those days the previous year's winner had an automatic place in the final. Starting in the 1881 first round, he went on an 18-match unbeaten streak that would take him through the 1887 championships, after which he retired from the game. Not until 1921 was his 18-match unbeaten run overtaken (by Bill Tilden). During his first three championships Sears did not lose a single set. Sears was the first 19-year-old to win in the U.S., slightly older than Oliver Campbell was in 1890 and the youngest winner ever, Pete Sampras, in 1990.
Sears was the first U.S. No. 1 in the USLTA rankings, when they began in 1885 and retained the ranking in 1886 and 1887. He was ranked World No. 5 for 1887 by Karoly Mazak.
After giving up playing lawn tennis, Sears won the U.S. Court Tennis singles title in 1892 and went on to serve as USTA President in 1887 and 1888.
Personal life
Sears married Eleanor M. Cochrane on November 24, 1891 and they had two children, Richard Dudley Sears, Jr. and Miriam Sears.
He died on April 8, 1943.
His grandson was the Massachusetts politician John W. Sears.
Legacy
Sears was inducted in the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1955, where his cousin Eleonora Sears also has a place.