Holcombe Ward (November 23, 1878 – January 23, 1967) was an American
tennis
Tennis is a racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket that is strung with cord to strike a hollow rubber ball cov ...
player who was active during the last years of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th. He won the
U.S. National Championships singles title in 1904 and additionally won six doubles titles at the
Grand Slam event.
Biography
Ward is best remembered for winning the men's singles title at the
U.S. National Championships in 1904 after defeating
William Clothier in straight sets in the all-comer's final. He graduated from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of highe ...
.
In 1905 Ward won the
London Grass Court Championships, now known as Queen's Club Championships, after a walkover in the final against compatriot
Beals Wright.
Ward was a member of the USA
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and is contested annually between teams from competing countries in a knock-out format. It is described by the organi ...
Team in 1900, 1902, 1905 and 1906. In 1900 and 1902 he played the doubles match in the challenge round which the US team won against the British Isles. In total Ward played 14 Davis Cup matches in seven ties and compiled a 7–7 win–loss record.
After his active career Ward became President of the
USLTA (U.S. Lawn Tennis Association) from 1937 to 1947.
Grand Slam finals
Singles: 2 (1 title, 1 runner-up)
Doubles: 9 (6 titles, 3 runners-up)
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ward, Holcombe
1878 births
1967 deaths
19th-century American people
19th-century male tennis players
American male tennis players
Sportspeople from New York City
International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees
Tennis people from New York (state)
United States National champions (tennis)
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's singles
Grand Slam (tennis) champions in men's doubles
Harvard Crimson men's tennis players