Willis E. Davis (tennis)
| Country (sports) | United States |
|---|---|
| Singles | |
| Highest ranking | No. 9 (1919, A. Wallis Myers)[1] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Wimbledon | 4R (1919) |
| US Open | SF (1921) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| US Open | F (1920) |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| US Open | W (1916) |
| Last updated on: 19 April 2012. | |
Willis E. Davis was an American tennis player who was active in the early 20th century.
Career
Davis won the mixed doubles title at the 1916 U.S. National Championships played at the Philadelphia Cricket Club. Together with Eleonora Sears they defeated Florence Ballin and Bill Tilden in two sets 6–4, 7–5.[2]
Also in 1916 Davis won the Clay Court Championship beating Conrad Doyle in the final in straight sets.[3] In the 1916 Pennsylvania State Championship Davis scored a memorable victory over Bill Tilden in the semifinal, 3–6, 6–3, 13–11, and went on to claim the title against Graig Biddle in the final.[4][5]
A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph ranked Davis as World No. 9 in 1919.[1]
In 1920 he reached the final of the men's doubles championship with Roland Roberts but were defeated by fellow Californians Clarence Griffin and Bill Johnston in three straight sets.[6] He won the singles title at the Pacific Coast Championships (now SAP Open) in 1920 with a victory over Clarence Griffin in the final.
His best Grand Slam singles result came at the 1921 U.S. National Championships where he reached the semifinals and lost in a hard-fought five set match to multiple champion Bill Tilden 3–6, 6–4, 4–6, 6–1, 4–6.
He won the 1921 invitation tennis tournament of the Meadow Club in both singles and doubles. In the singles finals he was victorious over Vincent Richards in four sets and in the doubles finals he an Watson Washburn were too strong for the brothers Howard and Robert Kinsey.[7]
Grand Slam titles
Mixed doubles (1)
| Date | Championship | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| 1916 | US National Championships |  Eleonora Sears
|
Florence Ballin Bill Tilden
|
6–4, 7–5 |
References
- ^ a b United States Lawn Tennis Association (1972). Official Encyclopedia of Tennis (First Edition), p. 423.
- ^ Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed. ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. pp. 477, 481. ISBN 978-0942257700.
{{cite book}}:|edition=has extra text (help) - ^ "Davis Bags Titke for Clay Courts" (PDF). The New York Times. July 2, 19.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ "Davis Reaches the Final" (PDF). The New York Times. June 18, 1916.
- ^ "Davis Wins Penn State" (PDF). The New York Times. June 20, 1916.
- ^ "Johnston-Griffin Team Takes Title". The New York Times. August 22, 1920.
- ^ "Richards Downed by Davis in Final" (PDF). The New York Times. August 21, 1921.