Walter Senior
{{Short description|American tennis player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox tennis biography
|name = Walter Senior
|fullname = Walter Senior
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|country = {{flag|USA}}
|birth_date = {{birth date text|1910}}
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|turnedpro = 1938
|retired = 1947
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|singlestitles = 7
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|USOpenresult = 2R (1936)
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|USProresult = QF (1938, 1940, 1945)
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Walter Senior (1910 – Unknown){{cite news|date=29 June 1936|title=Senior for East|newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner|url=https://sfexaminer.newspapers.com/newspage/459350456/|accessdate=19 October 2024}} was an American tennis player in the 1930s and 1940s.
Career
Senior won the 1936 California State championships over a young Joe Hunt, displaying "swift, steady, well-planned tennis". Senior's best year on the circuit was 1937. He won several tournaments including the Western States title, four state championships and the Canadian championships. Senior won the Wisconsin State title beating Elwood Cooke in the final.{{cite news|date=28 June 1937|title=Senior Wins State Open Tennis Crown|newspaper=Wisconsin State Journal|url=https://madison.newspapers.com/newspage/397087737|accessdate=19 October 2024}} He won the Illinois state title over former US champion Wilmer Allison in three straight sets for the loss of just three games. Allison had an injured nerve in his right arm throughout the tournament, but Senior "was at the top of his game and forced Allison into numerous errors". The match lasted 45 minutes.{{cite news|date=5 July 1937|title=Walter Senior Beats Allison For State Title|newspaper=The Chicago Tribune|url=https://chicagotribune.newspapers.com/newspage/370436968|accessdate=19 October 2024}} Senior won the Michigan State title beating George Toley in the final in four sets; his forehand drives gave him control of the match.{{cite news|date=19 July 1937|title=Senior Wins State Net Title Toley Is Beaten In 4 Sets|newspaper=Detroit Free Press|url=https://freep.newspapers.com/newspage/97668152/|accessdate=19 October 2024}} Senior won the Canadian championships in five sets against Bobby Murray. Senior "varied his long-hitting game with drop shots and clever cuts and at one stage of the last set he took 15 straight points".{{cite news|date=2 August 1937|title=Senior wins title by beating Murray after 5-set fight|newspaper=The Montreal Gazette|url=https://montrealgazette.newspapers.com/newspage/420180897|accessdate=19 October 2024}} In the Idaho state final, he beat Fred Dixon in straight sets. "He drove his shoulder-high forehand with blazing speed, backhanded placements down the sidelines and showed nice judgment of lobs. It was his drop shot that finally did the business, however".{{cite news|date=7 September 1937|title=Walter Senior Captures Chief Honors at Tennis Tourney|newspaper=The Idaho Statesman|url=https://idahostatesman.newspapers.com/newspage/723149151|accessdate=19 October 2024}} Senior turned professional at the end of the year. Senior was a quarter finalist at the US Pro in 1938, 1940 and 1945.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Senior, Walter}}
Category:American male tennis players
Category:Tennis players from California