The 1890 Men's Tennis Season was a world wide tennis tournament circuit consisting of 142 major, national, professional, regional, provincial, state, county, city and regular tournaments.
The season began in January in Christchurch in New Zealand and ended in November in Melbourne in Australia.
Season summary
The 1890 season began in early January in Christchurch, New Zealand, with the New Zealand Championships that was won by Joy Marshall.
At the end of May at the staging of the first major tournament of the season the Irish Lawn Tennis Championships held at the Fitzwilliam LTC, the mens singles event is won by England's Ernest Wool Lewis who defeated Ireland's Willoughby Hamilton in five sets.
At the beginning of June the second World Professional Championships are held in Dublin, Ireland, that is won by George J. Kerr who defeats Tom Pettitt by three matches to zero.
In mid June the second amateur major is held the Northern Championships played in Liverpool, England that is won by Ireland's Joshua Pim who beats compatriot Willoughby Hamilton in five sets, who was playing in his second consecutive major final.
In the first week of July at the third amateur major tournament of the year the Wimbledon Championships the mens singles title goes to Irish player Willoughby Hamilton in his third consecutive major appearance, he ousted the English seven time defending champion William Renshaw in five sets.
At the final amateur major of the season the U.S. National Championships played at Newport Casino, Newport, RI in the United States on 3 September, the mens singles is won by Oliver Campbell who beats Henry Slocum in a four set final.
The season ends in mid November in Melbourne, Australia at the Victorian Championships and won by James Cramond.
Season results Included: Key Major events National events Professional events January EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist3 Jan.New Zealand ChampionshipsChristchurch, New ZealandGrass Joy Marshall6–3, 6–4, 10–8 Minden Fenwick 18 Jan.Southern India Championships Madras, IndiaClay Harry Grove10–12, 6–1, 6–1 Charles Lacy Sweet
February No events
March EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist8 Mar.Bombay Gymkhana Club OpenBombay, IndiaGrass Eustace Nicholson def. Arthur Barton 15 Mar.Bengal ChampionshipsCalcutta, IndiaSurface Reginald Gamble def. E. Pearce 15 Mar.The Morning Post (17 March 1890) p.2. via British Newspaper ArchiveLondon Covered Court ChampionshipsWest Kensington II, Great BritainWood (i) Harry S. Barlow 2–6, 4–6, 6–0, 6–4, 6–3 Ernest Meers 15 Mar.Punjab ChampionshipsLahore, IndiaGrass Henry Fleming def. R. F. Anderson 20 Mar.Tropical ChampionshipsSt Augustine, United StatesAsphalt Oliver Campbell6–4, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 Thomas Beckworth 22 Mar.British Covered Court ChampionshipsBayswater, Great BritainWood (i) Ernest Lewis6–2, 6–3, 6–2 Ernest Meers 28 Mar.Auckland ChampionshipsAuckland, New ZealandAsphalt William Goodhue6–4, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 Eric Hudson
April EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist9 Apr.Geelong Easter TournamentGeelong, AustraliaAsphalt William Goodhue (2)6–4, 5–7, 6–2, 6–4 Eric Hidson 12 Apr.South Australian ChampionshipsAdelaide, AustraliaAsphalt Bert Hambidge 13–10 games John Baker 13 Apr.Ceylon ChampionshipsNuwara Eliya, CeylonClay James Dove6–3, 5–7, 6–2, 6–3 Hugh Keith 24 Apr.Fitzwilliam Club ChampionshipsDublin II, IrelandGrassWilloughby Hamilton6–2, 6–3, 6–4 Grainger Chaytor 24 Apr.Buckley TrophyMelbourne II, AustraliaGrass Walter Riddell2–6, 8–6, 6–4 Norman Bayles
May EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist7 May.Dublin University ChampionshipsDublin III, IrelandAsphalt Grainger Chaytor 6–3, 3–6, 8–6, 6–1 Harold Mahony 11 May.Danish National ChampionshipsCopenhagen, DenmarkClay Folmer Hansenwon ? 24 May.Pollokshields Open Pollokshields II, Great BritainGrass Edward Fuller 3–6, 6–2, 6–0, 3–6, 6–0 Henry Guy Nadin 25 May.Sporting Life via British Newspaper Archive. 28 May 1890. p. 2.West of Scotland ChampionshipsPollokshields, Great BritainGrass G. Scott Jacksondef. John B. Gray 25 May.Southern ChampionshipsBaltimore, United StatesClay Fred Mansfielddef. Albert Empie Wright 31 May.Irish ChampionshipsDublin, IrelandGrass Ernest Wool Lewis3–6, 3–6, 9–7, 6–4, 7–5 Willoughby Hamilton
June EndedTournamentWinnerFinalistSemifinalistQuarterfinalist7 Jun.Waterloo OpenWaterloo, Great BritainGrass John Redfern Deykin 6–0, 1–6, 6–2, 6–2 William Wethered 7 Jun.London ChampionshipsLondon, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (2) 3–6, 6–8, 6–1, 6–2, 6–2 Wilfred Baddeley 7 Jun.Gill Hall (Ed), Valentine (1891). Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide: Chapter: Tournaments of 1890. Wright & Ditson Publishers. p. 39.New York TC Spring OpenNew York City, United StatesClay Charles G. Eames6–3, 6–2, 6–1 Carman Runyon 7 Jun.West of England ChampionshipsBath, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (3) 7–5, 6–3, 6–2 James Baldwin 7 Jun.Whitehouse OpenEdinburgh II, Great BritainClayArchibald Thomsondef. Edward Fuller 8 Jun.Surrey Closed County ChampionshipRichmond, Great BritainGrass Harry S. Barlow (4) 5–7, 6–3, 7–5, 6–2 Wilfred Baddeley 8 Jun.World Professional ChampionshipsDublin IV, IrelandGrass George J. Kerr3–0 matches Tom Pettitt 12 Jun.Wissahickon Open Wissahickon, United StatesGrass Rodmand Beach 6–2, 6–2, 6–1 Benjamin Allen 12 Jun.Gill Hall (Ed), Valentine (1891). Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide: Chapter: Championships of 1890. Wright & Ditson Publishers. p. 47.Middle States Championships Rochester, United StatesGrass Howard Taylor5–7, 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 Albert Empie Wright 14 Jun.Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette via British Newspaper Archive. 19 June 1890. p. 2. Surrey ChampionshipsSurbiton, Great BritainGrass Herbert Baddeley walkover Harry S. Barlow 14 Jun.Taylor Challenge CupLeeds, Great BritainGrass David Davydef. Frederick Bradbury 14 Jun.Cheltenham ChampionshipsCheltenham, Great BritainGrass Harold Mahony 6–4, 1–6, 6–1, 6–4 James Baldwin 16 Jun.Scottish Championships Edinburgh, Great BritainGrass Ernest Browne6–3, 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 George Mewburn 20 Jun.Gill Hall (Ed), Valentine (1891). Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide: Chapter: Championships of 1890. Wright & Ditson Publishers. p. 47.New England ChampionshipsNew Haven II, United StatesGrass Bob Huntington3–6, 7–5, 3–6, 6–2, 6–1 Oliver Campbell 21 Jun.Northern ChampionshipsLiverpool, Great BritainGrass Joshua Pim2–6, 6–8, 7–5, 7–5, 6–3 Willoughby Hamilton 21 Jun.Kent ChampionshipsBeckenham, Great BritainGrass Ernest Meers 5–7, 8–6, 6–3, 6–3 Harry S. Barlow 23 Jun.Western Pennsylvania ChampionshipsPittsburgh, United StatesClay Samuel Moorhead6–0, 5–7, 6–4, 6–2 Marshall Christy 23 Jun.North of Ireland ChampionshipsBelfast, Great BritainGrassManliffe Goodbody5–7, 6–4, 6–0, 6–2 Arthur H. G. Ashe 25 Jun.Gill Hall (Ed), Valentine (1891). Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide: Chapter: Review of the Season in England 1890. Wright & Ditson Publishers. pp. 105–108.Welsh ChampionshipsPenarth, Great BritainGrass Willoughby Hamilton (2)6–2, 6–3, 6–0 Charles Lacy Sweet 28 Jun.Gill Hall (Ed), Valentine (1891). Wright and Ditson's Lawn Tennis Guide: Chapter: Tournaments of 1890. Wright & Ditson Publishers. p. 40.New Jersey State Championships Montrose, United StatesGrass Clarence Hobart walkover Albert Empie Wright 28 Jun.Edgbaston Open Edgbaston II, Great BritainSurface James Baldwin6–3, 6–3, 6–0 Alfred Crawley 28 Jun.County Dublin Championships Dublin IV, IrelandGrass Joshua Pim (2)5–7, 7–5, 6–2, 6–0 Frank Stoker 28 Jun.Amackassin Club InvitationYonkers, United StatesClay Victor Etling7–5, 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 Charles G. Eames 28 Jun.LAWN TENNIS: EDGBASTON AND MIDLAND COUNTIES TOURNAMENTS". The Sportsman via British Newspaper Archive. 30 June 1890. p. 4. Retrieved 16 April 2025.Midland Counties ChampionshipsEdgbaston, Great BritainGrass John Redfern Deykin (2)6–3, 6–3, 4–6, 9–7 Henry Guy Nadin 28 Jun.Northumberland CCC OpenNewcastle II, Great BritainGrass Roger Hendy 6–2, 6–2, 6–4 Percival Fenwick 28 Jun.Championship of the North of ScotlandBroughty Ferry, Great BritainClay James Conyers6–2, 5–7, 6–4 Arthur Story 30 Jun.Southern California ChampionshipsSanta Monica, United StatesAsphalt Robert Peyton CarterDef. Ken Carter
July