1917 U.S. National Championships (tennis)

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1917 U.S. National Championships
DateAugust 20 – 25 (M)
June 18 – 23 (W)
Edition37th
Category Grand Slam (ITF)
Surface Grass
Location Forest Hills, Queens
New York City, U.S. (M)
Chestnut Hill, PA, U.S. (W)
Venue West Side Tennis Club (M)
Philadelphia Cricket Club (W)
Champions
Men's singles
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Robert Lindley Murray [1]
Women's singles
Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt [2]
Men's doubles
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Alexander / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harold Throckmorton [3]
Women's doubles
Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eleonora Sears [4]
Mixed doubles
Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Irving Wright [5]
  1916  · U.S. National Championships ·  1918  
Chuck Garland at the 1917 U.S. National Championships Charles Stedman Garland at the 1917 US Open.jpg
Chuck Garland at the 1917 U.S. National Championships

The 1917 U.S. National Championships (now known as the US Open), officially renamed that year to National Patriotic Tournament, was a tennis tournament that took place on the outdoor grass courts at the West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills in New York City, United States. The tournament ran from August 20 until August 25. It was the 37th staging of the U.S. National Championships and due to World War I the only Grand Slam tennis event of the year.

Contents

National Patriotic Tournament

The tournament was renamed National Patriotic Tournament in support of the war effort. No trophies were handed out to the winners and the entrance fees were dedicated to the American Red Cross. [6] Robert Lindley Murray defeated Bostonian Nathaniel W. Niles in four sets in the men's final. [7]

In the commemorative book 'Fifty Years of Lawn Tennis in the United States', published by the USLTA in 1931, Lindley Murray commented on the final: "I succeeded in beating Nat Niles 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3, plenty of indication that the match was close and hard fought. I remember well that, try as I would, I could not get into the full swing of my game those first two sets. This was because my opponent was driving beautifully, particularly low, fast ones to my backhand. In addition he was lobbing so accurately and deeply that, try as I would, I could not bring off my kills. Nat led me one set to love and 6–5 in the second set. which was mighty close to being two sets down. But about that time my game began to get going. Up until that time I had just been missing and while desperately dashing all over the court my shots would end in just hitting the net or just going out. From the twelfth game of the second set, on for the rest of the match, things began to go right, and at the end I felt as if I was playing as well as I know how." [8]

Finals

Men's singles

Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Robert Lindley Murray defeated Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Nathaniel W. Niles 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3

Women's singles

Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt defeated Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Marion Vanderhoef 4–6, 6–0, 6–2

Men's doubles

Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Fred Alexander / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harold Throckmorton defeated Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Harry Johnson / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Irving Wright 11–9, 6–4, 6–4

Women's doubles

Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Eleonora Sears defeated Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Phyllis Walsh / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Grace Moore LeRoy 6–2, 6–4

Mixed doubles

Flag of Norway.svg Molla Bjurstedt / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Irving Wright defeated Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Florence Ballin / Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg Bill Tilden 10–12, 6–1, 6–3

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Defending champion Robert Lindley Murray defeated Bill Tilden in the final, 6–3, 6–1, 7–5 to win the men's singles tennis title at the 1918 U.S. National Championships.

Molla Bjurstedt won the singles tennis title of the 1915 U.S. Women's National Singles Championship by defeating Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman 4–6, 6–2, 6–0 in the final of the All Comer's tournament. The defending champion, Mary Browne, did not participate in this edition and therefore no challenge round was played. The event was played on outdoor grass courts and held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in Wissahickon Heights, Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia in the United States, from June 8 through June 13, 1915.

Reigning champion Molla Bjurstedt won the singles tennis title of the 1917 U.S. Women's National Singles Championship by defeating Marion Vanderhoef 4–6, 6–0, 6–2 in the final.

References

  1. Collins, Bud (2010). The Bud Collins History of Tennis (2nd ed.). [New York]: New Chapter Press. p. 457. ISBN   978-0942257700.
  2. Collins, p. 468
  3. Collins, p. 477
  4. Collins, p. 479
  5. Collins, p. 481
  6. "Tennis Body Agrees to Award no Titles" (PDF). The New York Times. April 22, 1917.
  7. "Murray New Leader of Tennis Cohorts" (PDF). The New York Times. August 26, 1917.
  8. Fifty Years of Lawn Tennis in the United States. New York: USLTA. 1931. p. 174. OCLC   2703762.
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