Bill Johnston (tennis)

File:McLoughlin, Dawson, Johnston, Griffin on August 30, 1916.jpg

Maurice McLoughlin (1890-1957), Henry Ward Dawson (1890-1963), William Johnston (1894-1946), Clarence Griffin on (1888-1973) on August 30, 1916 at the national men's doubles championship.

William Marquitz "Little Bill" Johnston (November 2, 1894 – May 1, 1946) was an American world No. 1 tennis player.

Biography

Bill Johnston was born November 2, 1894, in San Francisco, the son of Robert Johnston, an electrical plant mechanic and Margaret Burns, of Irish origin. Johnston started to play tennis in early 1906, aged 11, on the public asphalt courts in Golden Gate Park. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, the schools were closed, and he spent much of his spare time practicing on the tennis courts. He achieved his first tournament victory at the 1910 Bay Counties junior singles competition.<ref name=ohnsorg>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1916, Johnston won the Cincinnati Open (now Cincinnati Masters) after Clarence Griffin defaulted in the challenge round. Johnston won the Longwood Challenge Cup, played on the Longwood Courts at Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts in 1913, 1916, 1919, 1920 and 1921.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

During World War I, Johnston served in the U.S. Navy.<ref name=grasso/>

Johnston was the co-World No. 1 player in 1919 and in 1922 respectively along with Gerald Patterson and Bill Tilden. He won the US Championships in 1915 and 1919 as well as the World Hard Court Championships (clay) and Wimbledon in 1923.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Until "Big Bill" Tilden began to defeat him regularly in 1920, Johnston had been the best American player for a number of years and was ranked No. 1 by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1915 and 1919.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In July 1919, Johnston defeated Tilden in the final of the U.S. Clay Court Championships.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A month later, Johnston beat Tilden in three straight sets in the final of the 1919 US Championships, then Tilden overtook him in 1920. Johnston remained competitive with Tilden for the next seven or eight years, but was never able to beat Tilden in an important match again. For instance, in 1922 Johnston defeated Tilden three times out of four occasions but Tilden beat Johnston in the final of the U.S. Championships in five sets.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1923, despite Johnston winning both the World Hard Court Championships and Wimbledon, he failed to beat Tilden at the US Championships, losing in three one-sided sets. Johnston threatened to get closer to beating Tilden on the big stage in following years, but memorably lost the 1925 US Championships final in five sets to Tilden. Johnston was runner-up a record six times in the US Championships, and this is still a record today. Together Johnston and Tilden won seven consecutive Davis Cup trophies, from 1920 to 1926, a record that still stands.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In September 1927, Johnston announced his retirement after the U.S. Davis Cup loss to the French team consisting of the 'Four Musketeers' and confirmed his decision in mid-1928.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref> He turned down an offer to become professional.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Johnston was renowned for the power and deadliness of his forehand drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip and which was considered the best forehand of his time.<ref name=grasso>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After his tennis career, Johnston was active in the brokerage industry. He died of tuberculosis on May 1, 1946, at the age of 51.<ref name=obit>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Dead link</ref>

Legacy

Bill Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1958.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: 9 (3 titles, 6 runners-up)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1915	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Nowrap	1–6, 6–0, 7–5, 10–8
Loss	1916	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon R. Norris Williams	6–4, 4–6, 6–0, 2–6, 4–6
Win	1919	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
Loss	1920	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	1–6, 6–1, 5–7, 7–5, 3–6
Loss	1922	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–4, 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 4–6
Win	1923	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Frank Hunter	6–0, 6–3, 6–1
Loss	1923	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	4–6, 1–6, 4–6
Loss	1924	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	1–6, 7–9, 2–6
Loss	1925	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	6–4, 9–11, 3–6, 6–4, 3–6

Doubles (3 titles)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1915	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Clarence Griffin	Template:Flagicon Maurice E. McLoughlin Template:Flagicon Tom Bundy	2–6, 6–3, 6–4, 3–6, 6–3
Win	1916	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Clarence Griffin	Template:Flagicon Maurice E. McLoughlin Template:Flagicon Henry Ward Dawson	6–4, 6–3, 5–7, 6–3
Win	1920	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Clarence Griffin	Template:Flagicon Roland Roberts Template:Flagicon Willis E. Davis	6–2, 6–2, 6–3

Mixed doubles (1 title)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Win	1921	U.S. Championships	Grass	Template:Flagicon Mary Browne	Template:Flagicon Molla Bjurstedt Mallory Template:Flagicon Bill Tilden	3–6, 6–4, 6–3

Performance timeline

Template:Performance key Events with a challenge round: (W_C) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (F_A) all comers' finalist

(OF) only for French players

	1913	1914	1915	1916	1917	1918	1919	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924	1925	1926	1927	SR	W–L	Win %
Grand Slam tournaments																3 / 15	67–12	84.8
French	OF		not held					OF					A	A	A	0 / 0	0–0	–
Wimbledon	A	A	not held				A	2R	A	A	W	A	A	A	A	1 / 2	8–1	88.9
U.S.	3R	2R	W	F	A	A	W	F	4R	F	F	F	F	QF	SF	2 / 13	59–11	84.3
Australian	A	A	A	not held			A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	A	0 / 0	0–0	–
Win–loss	2–1	1–1	7–0	6–1	0–0	0–0	7–0	7–2	3–1	5–1	12–1	6–1	5–1	2–1	4–1

External links

• Template:Tennis Hall of Fame
• Template:ATP
• Template:ITF
• Template:Davis Cup player