The 1886 men's tennis season was a world wide tennis calendar composed of 154 major, national, professional, regional, provincial, state, county, city and regular tournaments. The season began in March in Auckland, New Zealand and ended in December in Napier, New Zealand.
Season summary In the four most important tournaments of the year Herbert Lawford wins a third successive Irish Lawn Tennis Championships title in Dublin beating Willoughby Hamilton in four sets. William Renshaw wins a sixth consecutive Wimbledon Championship defeating Irish Champion Herbert Lawford in four sets. At the Northern Championships in Liverpool, Harry Grove beats defending American champion James Dwight in three straight sets. In the United States Dick Sears wins a sixth consecutive US National Championship beating Robert Livingston Beeckman in four sets.
In the United States new regional sectional tournaments the New England Championships, Northwestern Championships and Southern Championships are all staged for the first time this year. In New Zealand the New Zealand Championships are held for the first time at Napier, New Zealand.
Irish player Willoughby Hamilton and American player Robert Livingston Beeckman were joint title leaders this season winning 5 titles each. Harry Grove reached the most finals with 7 in total winning 3 of them.
Season results Notes 1: Challenge Round: the final round of a tournament, in which the winner of a single-elimination phase faces the previous year's champion, who plays only that one match. The challenge round was used in the early history of tennis (from 1877 through 1921), in some tournaments not all.* Indicates challenger
Notes 2:Tournaments in italics were events that were staged only once that season
Key Important. National Provincial/State/Regional County Local/other
January No events
February No events
March DateTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalistQuarter finalist7-12. Auckland ChampionshipsAuckland, New ZealandHardSingles – Doubles William Edward Barton 6-1, 6–3, 6-2 George Watson Holdship F.E. Mason William Alexander Ridings
April DateTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalistQuarter finalist 17 AprilBritish Covered Court Championships London, Great BritainWood (i)Singles – Doubles Edward Lake Williams6-2 1-6 5-7 6-4 6-4 Herbert Lawford Frederick Bowlby Harry Grove P.G. Mayre John Charles Kay Arthur John Stanley Alfred E. Walker 17 AprilSeventh Regiment Championship Seventh Regiment Armory Manhattan, New York City, United StatesWood (i)Singles – Doubles Valentine Gill Hall 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 Henry Graff Trevor
May DateTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalistQuarter finalist30 Apr–1 MayKilliney and Ballybrack ChampionshipsKilliney and BallybrackKilliney and Ballybrack, County Dublin, Ireland Grass Willoughby Hamilton 12-10, 0–6, 6–3, 5–7, 14-12 Grainger Chaytor Thomas Harrison Griffiths Charles Henry Chaytor Harold Mahony Francis Woodcock Perry 10–15 May Dublin University ChampionshipsDublin Ireland Hard Eyre Chatterton 6-3 6-4 6-0 Grainger Chaytor Manliffe Goodbody Phillip Sandford Tom Campion Charles Chaytor Harold Mahony 10–17 May Fitzwilliam Club ChampionshipsDublin Ireland Hard Willoughby Hamilton 6-3 6-4 6-0 Eyre Chatterton Ernest Browne Toler Garvey 8–18 MayNew South Wales Championships Sydney, AustraliaSingles – Doubles Charles William Cropper6-0, 6–0, 5–7, 8-6 William Bush-Salmon R. D. Fitzgerald Louis Whyte Charles T. Metcalfe Walter John Carre Riddell H. E. Merewether J. R. King H. W. Bartram 12–20 May Ceylon ChampionshipsThe Hill Club Nuwara Eliya Ceylon Clay Charles Edward De Fonblanque 6-3 6-4 6-0 Edward George Farquharson 20–22 May.COUNTY GENTLEMAN. word about the Pollockshields tennis fixtures, which was left unconcluded at the time of our going to press last week. The meeting, which had begun in an inauspicious downfall of rain, was happily wound up in brilliant sunshine. Sporting Gazette. Saturday 29 May 1886. London, England. The British Newspaper Archive. Source: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002525/18860529/144/0021. page.21.West of Scotland ChampionshipsPollockshields Athletic ClubGlasgow, Lanarkshire, ScotlandGrassSingles – Doubles T. Leigh MacLachlan 6–1, 6–3, 6-3 J.B. Gray J.T.C. MacKinlay Edward Mortimer Shand C.A. Gairdner C. Gray A. McWilliam J. Robertson Walter William Chamberlain Jane Meikle6-1, 6-2 John Galbraith Horn Julia MacKenzie 20–22 May.Western Counties ChampionshipPollockshields Athletic ClubPollockshields, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland GrassSingles - Doubles Archibald Thompson 6-2 4-6 8-6 6-8 6-2 John Galbraith Horn Henry Guy Nadin George Nelson Stenhouse Lachlan McLachlan J.T.C. MacKinlay Arthur Nevile John Story T. Service Walter William Chamberlain Arthur Nevile John Story 6–2, 6–1, 6-4 J. Rodger P. Smith 17–23 May Fitzwilliam Purse Dublin Ireland Grass Grainger Chaytor 3-6 6-2 6-4 6-2 Francis Woodcock Perry 24–29 May Irish Lawn Tennis ChampionshipsDublin, IrelandGrass Herbert Lawford 5-7 6-4 6-4 7-5 Eyre Chatterton James Dwight Toler Garvey Tom Campion Thomas Harrison Griffiths H.J. Maguire Ronald M. McDougallChallenger Willoughby Hamilton
June DateTournamentWinnerFinalistSemi finalistQuarter finalist1–4 Jun.Whitehouse OpenWhitehouse Lawn Tennis ClubEdinburgh, Lothian, Scotland.ClaySingles – Doubles Herbert Bowes-Lyon6-1 8-6 6-1 George Nelson Stenhouse Walter William Chamberlain T. Leigh MacLachlan George Kerr Richard Millar Watson J. Ferguson Miss A. Steel 6-3, 4–6, 3-2 ret. E. Ferguson Miss W. Ferguson 4-5 Jun.Young America Cricket Club InvitationYoung America Cricket ClubStanton, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States GrassSingles – Doubles Robert Livingston Beeckman6-4,6-4, 9-7 Joseph Sill Clark Sr. Clarence Munroe Clark Howard Augustus Taylor 1–6 Jun Kent Championships Beckenham, Great BritainGrassSingles – Doubles Herbert Chipp6-4 3-6 6-3 2-6 6-3 Edward James Avory Frederick Bowlby James Herbert Crispe Harold Greenwell Ernest George Meers G.H. Taylor William C. Taylor 31 May–6 JunWest of England Championships Bath, Great BritainGrass Singles – Doubles James Dwight6-4 6-3 6-4 Harry Grove Mark Hartnell Booth Lynes Joshua Burton Ernest Browne John Charles Kay Stewart Murray 7 JunOxford University Champion Tournament Oxford, Great BritainGrassSingles – Doubles Howard Pease2-6 6-3 6-2 4-6 8-6 Thomas Musgrave Burton H.T. Burrell J.B. Forman Bargeny McCulloch Francis Edward Cuming Richard Heron Gee Henry Edwin Hunter Kent 6–11 Jun.County Wexford Lawn Tennis Club TournamentWexford, IrelandGrassSingles – Doubles G. Foley6-1, 6-2 Edmond Thomas Molyneux Sandwith 9–12 JunMiddle States Championships Hoboken, New Jersey, United StatesSingles – Doubles Robert L. Beeckman 1-6 8-6 6-2 6-8 6-1 William E. Glyn F. Keyser Henry Slocum H.W. Bucknall Morton Paton Morgan Post W. Trimble 7–13 JunEast Gloucestershire Championships Cheltenham, Great BritainGrassSingles – Doubles Ernest Browne6-3 6-4 6-4 James Dwight Mark Hartnell Edward G. Meyricke James Baldwin A.W. Gordon Harry Grove Arthur Godfrey Pease 17 JunSomerville ChampionshipSomerville Tennis Club SomervilleUnited StatesGrassSingles – Doubles Edward Falcombe Woods6-2, 6-2 Robert Lincoln C.E. Fitz Elmer Rand Hollander Fred. E. Wood 14–19 JunScottish Championships Edinburgh, Great BritainSingles – Doubles Patrick Bowes-Lyon6-1 4-6 6-1 6-1 Archibald Thomson James H. Aitken George Nelson Stenhouse Walter William Chamberlain Charles R. A. Howden George Kerr Arthur Nevile John StoryChallenger Herbert Bowes-Lyon 15–19 JunFall Open Tournament Far and Near LTC Hastings-on-Hudson, New YorkUnited StatesGrassSingles – Doubles Robert L. Beeckman6-0 retired H.W. Bucknall Morton Spring Paton Henry Slocum M. Gardner Grant Notman R.R. Perkins M. Post 15–19 JunLondon Championships London, Great BritainSingles – Doubles Ernest Lewis7-5 6-1 6-3 Harry Grove Herbert Chipp Ernest George Meers James Herbert Crispe A.R. Lewis Arthur John Stanley William C. TaylorChallengerCharles Hoadley Ashe Ross 16–19 JunOrange Spring Tournament Montrose, South Orange, New Jersey,United StatesGrass Singles – Doubles Robert Livingston Beeckman6-4 3-6 6-3 2-6 6-3 William Edward Glyn Edward Peale MacMullen Henry Slocum H.V. Berry Grant Notman Morton Spring Paton Carroll J. Post Jr. 16–19 Jun Waterloo TournamentLiverpool, Great BritainOutdoorGrassSingles – Doubles Jacob Gaitskell Brown 6-3 6-2 2-6 3-6 6-1 William Parkfield Wethered J.E. Edmondson Beresford St George Verschoyle J.M. Draper G.R. Edgecombe C.E. Edmondson E. HarleyChallenger Charles Stananought 19 JunCambridgeshire Lawn Tennis Tournament Cambridge, Great BritainSingles – Doubles George E. D. Brown William Nevill Cobbolddivided title Frederick Whitehead 3rd place 14–20 JunWelsh Championships Penarth, Great BritainSingles – Doubles Ernest Browne6-0 retired James Baldwin W.M. Brownlee Charles Lacy Sweet William Gascoyne Dalziel E.W. David John Redfern Deykin D.D. Rees 21–26 JunClifton Open Clifton, Bristol, Great BritainOutdoorGrassSingles - Doubles Charles Lacy Sweetw.o. Mark Anthony Hartnell William Methven Brownlee John Charles Kay James Baldwin Arnold Wyersdale Blake Herbert Washbourne Gibbs Booth Hodgetts Lynes 21–26 JunNorthern Championships Liverpool, Great BritainGrass Singles – Doubles Harry Grove6-4 6-3 6-1 William Parkfield Wethered W. R. Craig Ernest Renshaw Jacob Gaitskell Brown A.P. Jones Charles Frederick Latham Andrew Laurie MacfieChallenger James Dwight 23–26 JunWarriston Park LTC Tournament Edinburgh, Great BritainGrass Herbert Bowes-Lyon6-3 6-0 ret. J.P. Smythe George Kerr Charles Murray Lewin Venn Alexander Alfred Aitken Thomson Pat. Smith George Nelson Stenhouse 24–26 Jun Redhill TournamentRedhill, Surrey, Great BritainOutdoorGrassSingles – Doubles Harold S. Stone Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross shared title Harry Sibthorpe Barlow Percy Bateman Brown E. Brown William John Down E.A. Ranger William Taylor 28–30 JunNew Jersey State Championships South Orange, New Jersey United StatesSingles – Doubles Richard Field Conover6-4 3-6 6-3 2-6 6-3 R.J. Halsey Peter R. Lyman Edgar Williams E.R. Bellman Samuel A. Campbell Jr. S.C. Hodge C.F. Watson
July