Holcombe Ward

{{Infobox tennis biography

|name = Holcombe Ward

|image = Holcombe Ward. Champion (with Davis) in doubles in 1899-1900 Book of Sport cropped.jpg

|caption =

|fullname =

|country = {{USA}}

|residence =

|birth_date = {{birth date |1878|11|23}}

|birth_place = New York, NY, United States

|death_date = {{death date and age|1967|1|23|1878|11|23}}

|death_place = Red Bank, NJ, United States

|height =

|college =

|turnedpro = 1895 (amateur tour)

|retired = 1905 (brief comeback in 1917)

|plays = Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

|careerprizemoney =

|tennishofyear = 1956

|tennishofid = holcombe-ward

|website =

|singlesrecord =

|singlestitles =

|highestsinglesranking = No. 1 (1904, ITHF){{cite web|title=Hall of Famers - Profile Holcombe Ward|url=http://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/holcombe-ward|publisher=International Tennis Hall of Fame|access-date=April 18, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406201513/http://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/holcombe-ward|archive-date=April 6, 2012|df=mdy-all}}

|currentsinglesranking =

|AustralianOpenresult =

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|FrenchOpenresult =

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|Wimbledonresult = 1R (1905)

|Wimbledonjuniorresult =

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|USOpenresult = W (1904)

|USOpenjuniorresult =

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|MastersCupresult =

|WTAChampionshipsresult =

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|doublesrecord =

|doublestitles =

|highestdoublesranking =

|currentdoublesranking =

|AustralianOpenDoublesresult =

|FrenchOpenDoublesresult =

|WimbledonDoublesresult = F (1901)

|USOpenDoublesresult = W (1899, 1900, 1901, 1904, 1905, 1906)

|OthertournamentsDoubles =

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}}

Holcombe Ward (November 23, 1878 – January 23, 1967) was an American tennis 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.{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Bud|title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis|year=2010|publisher=New Chapter Press|location=[New York]|isbn=978-0942257700|edition=2nd|page=456}} He graduated from Harvard University.

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.{{cite book|last=McKelvie|first=Roy|title=The Queen's Club Story, 1886-1986|year=1986|publisher=Stanley Paul|location=London|isbn=0091660602|page=32}}

Ward was a member of the USA Davis Cup 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.{{cite web|title=Davis Cup - Profile Holcombe Ward|url=http://www.daviscup.com/en/players/player/profile.aspx?playerid=10004672|publisher=ITF|access-date=April 18, 2012}}

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)=

class='sortable wikitable'

!style="width:40px"|Result

!style="width:35px"|Year

!style="width:200px"|Championship

!style="width:50px"|Surface

!style="width:150px"|Opponent

!style="width:170px" class="unsortable"|Score

!style="width:10px" class="unsortable"|

style="background:#ccf;"

| style="background:#98fb98;"|Win

1904

U.S. National Championships

Grass

{{flagicon|USA|1896}} William Clothier

10–8, 6–4, 9–7

{{Cite web|url=http://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/history/mschamps.html |title=US Open Past Champions / Men's Singles |access-date=2015-10-11 |website=US Open official website |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090222190523/http://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/history/mschamps.html |archive-date=February 22, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}

style="background:#ccf;"

| style="background:#ffa07a;"|Loss

1905

U.S. National Championships

Grass

{{flagicon|USA|1896}} Beals Wright

2–6, 1–6, 9–11

=Doubles: 9 (6 titles, 3 runners-up)=

class="sortable wikitable" !style="width:40px"\|Result !style="width:35px"\|Year !style="width:200px"\|Championship !style="width:50px"\|Surface !style="width:150px"\|Partner !style="width:150px"\|Opponents !style="width:170px" class="unsortable"\|Score !style="width:10px" class="unsortable"\|
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#ffa07a;"\|Loss	1898	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} George Sheldon {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Leo Ware	6–1, 5–7, 4–6, 6–4, 5–7	{{Cite web\|url=http://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/history/mdchamps.html \|title=US Open Past Champions / Men's Doubles \|access-date=2015-10-11 \|website=US Open official website \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025005050/http://www.usopen.org/en_US/about/history/mdchamps.html \|archive-date=October 25, 2007 \|df=mdy-all }}
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1899	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} George Sheldon {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Leo Ware	6–4, 6–4, 6–3
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1900	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Fred Alexander {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Raymond Little	6–4, 9–7, 12–10
bgcolor="#CCFFCC" \| style="background:#ffa07a;"\|Loss	1901	Wimbledon	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|UKGBI}} Laurence Doherty {{flagicon\|UKGBI}} Reginald Doherty	6–4, 2–6, 3–6, 7–9	{{Cite web\|url = http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/roll_of_honour/gentlemensdoubles.html\|title = Wimbledon Rolls of Honour / Gentlemen's Doubles\|access-date = 2015-10-11\|website = Wimbledon official tournament website}}
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1901	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Leo Ware {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Beals Wright	6–3, 9–7, 6–1
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#ffa07a;"\|Loss	1902	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Dwight F. Davis	{{flagicon\|UKGBI}} Laurence Doherty {{flagicon\|UKGBI}} Reginald Doherty	9–11, 10–12, 4–6
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1904	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Beals Wright	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Kreigh Collins {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Raymond Little	1–6, 6–2, 3–6, 6–4, 6–1
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1905	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Beals Wright	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Fred Alexander {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Harold Hackett	6–4, 6–4, 6–1
style="background:#ccf;" \| style="background:#98fb98;"\|Win	1906	U.S. National Championships	Grass	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Beals Wright	{{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Fred Alexander {{flagicon\|USA\|1896}} Harold Hackett	6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–3