Charles Walder Grinstead (1 December 1860 – 16 March 1930) was an English champion tennis player. He reached the quarter-finals at Wimbledon 1883. Grinstead reached the Wimbledon All Comers Final in 1884, where he beat Ernest Renshaw before losing to Herbert Lawford. Together with C. E. Weldon, Grinstead won the Oxford Men's Doubles in 1883. In 1884, the Oxford Men's Doubles event and its trophy were handed over to the All England Club to be known as the All England Men's Doubles as part of the Wimbledon Championships; consequently winners of the Oxford events are included as Wimbledon champions.
Early life Charles Walder Grinstead was born on 1 December 1860 in Teignmouth, Devon, England, the son of Charles Grinstead (a Church of England cleric) and his wife Sarah A. (née Stanley). He was educated at the University of Oxford, matriculating in 1879 as a member of Keble College and graduating in 1874 as a member of Charsley's Hall.
Grand Slam finals
Singles (1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1884Wimbledon Championships Grass Herbert Lawford5–7, 6–2, 2–6, 7–9 Career finals Singles:19 (13 titles, 6 runners-up) Category + (Titles) Major (0) National (0) Regional (1) County (3) Regular (9) Titles by SurfaceClay – Outdoor (0)Grass – Outdoor (10)Hard – Outdoor (2)Wood – Indoor (0) OutcomeNo.DateTournamentLocationSurfaceOpponentScoreWinner 1. 1882Essex ChampionshipsBrentwoodGrass Nalton Womersley 6–4, 6–3, 6–3Runner-up 1. 1883South of England ChampionshipsEastbourneGrass Teddy Williams6–1 8–6 4–6, 7–5Winner 2.1883 Leicester Open LeicesterGrass Ernest Wool Lewis4–6, 6–3, 6–2, 6–1Winner 3.1883 Sussex County Lawn Tennis Club Spring TournamentBrightonHard Donald Charles Stewart6–3, 5–7, 7–5, 1–6, 6–4Winner 4.1883 Victoria Park Lawn Tennis Tournament ExeterGrass H.H. Green6–3, 5–7, 7–5, 1–6, 6–4Winner 5.1883Exmouth OpenExmouthGrass Teddy Williams6–2, 6–5, 6–4Winner 6.1883Edgbaston OpenEdgbastonGrass Walter William Chamberlain6–3, 6–3Runner-up 2. 1883Sussex County Lawn Tennis Autumn TournamentBrightonGrass Herbert Wilberforce8–6, 3–6, 10–8, 4–6, 1–6Winner 7.1883Leamington Open Leamington SpaGrass Herbert Wilberforce 6–4, 6–3, 6–2Winner 8.1883Essex Championships (2)BrentwoodGrass P. Colley6–3, 6–3Runner-up 3. 1884 Wimbledon ChampionshipsLondon Grass Herbert Lawford 1–6, 3–6, 4–6Winner 9.1884Derbyshire ChampionshipsBuxtonGrass Ernest Browne6–3, 6–3Winner 10.1884Exmouth Open (2)ExmouthGrass Erskine Gerald Watson6–2, 6–2, 6–3Winner 11.1884Middlesex Championships ChiswickGrass Donald Charles Stewart6–1, 4–6, 12–10, 6–3Winner 12.1884Essex Championships (3)ColchesterGrass Edward Neville Cubitt6–0, 6–4Runner-up 4.1892Gulf Coast ChampionshipsTampaAsphalt Albert Empie Wright 6–4, 2–6, 2–6, 2–6 Winner 13.1892Tropical Championships St. AugustineAsphalt Oliver Samuel Campbell6–0, 6–4Runner-up 5.1894Gulf Coast ChampionshipsTampaAsphalt Robert Wrenn 5–6, 3–6Runner-up 6.1894Tropical Championships St. AugustineAsphalt Oliver Campbellw.o.
Later life
Having completed his B.A. at Oxford, Grinstead was intended to become a Church of England cleric like his father. While Grinstead had enjoyed his academic studies and his sport at university, he did not wish to become a cleric. Instead in the spring of 1885, he immigrated to Ontario, Canada where he spent nine months, and then relocated to the United States of America.
Charles Walder Grinstead died in Nikenbah, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia on 16 March 1930. He was buried in Polson Cemetery, Hervey Bay, Queensland.
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