George Martin Lott (October 16, 1906 – December 3, 1991) was an American tennis player and tennis coach who was born in Springfield, Illinois. Lott is mostly remembered as being one of the great doubles players of all time. He won the U.S. title five times with three different partners: John Hennessey in 1928; John Doeg in 1929 and 1930; and Les Stoefen in 1933 and 1934.

Career At the U.S. championships singles in 1928, Lott beat Christian Boussus and John Doeg then lost to Frank Hunter in the semifinals. In 1931, Lott beat defending champion Doeg in the semifinals, then lost to Ellsworth Vines in the final.

In five appearances at the Cincinnati Open, Lott amassed a 30-1 singles record and won four singles titles (1924, 1925, 1927 & 1932). His only loss came in the 1926 singles final where he fell to Bill Tilden, 4-6, 6-3, 7-9, 6-4, 6-3.

Lott won the Canadian Covered Court Championships four times. In 1927, he defeated Canadian Willard Crocker in a five-set final; in 1928, he defeated Frank Shields in straight sets in the final; in 1930, he defeated Frederic Mercur in a five-set final; and in 1931, he defeated Berkeley Bell in straight sets in the semifinals and John Van Ryn in a five-set final.

In 1928, he won the Pinehurst Resort title on clay, defeating Shields in the final in a five-set match.

In 1929 and 1930, he was ranked World No. 6 and No. 7 by A Wallis Myers;"Tilden Ranks Fourth in London Telegraph Rankings", The Toledo News-Bee, September 19, 1929. No. 6 by Pierre Gillon in 1930; and in 1931 was ranked No. 4 by Züricher Sport.

In 1934, Lott became a touring professional, giving up his amateur status and the ability to play in Grand Slam tournaments. He signed a professional contract in November 1934 with promoter Bill O'Brien and in January 1935 and started a series of head-to-head matches against Bill Tilden; by March, he trailed Tilden 5–26.

Lott was the men's tennis coach at [DePaul University from 1969 until his death in Chicago on December 3, 1991."George Lott, Tennis coach, 85" (obituary), The New York Times, Wednesday, December 4, 1991.. He had been inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984.

Lott was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1964.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1931U.S. National Championships Grass Ellsworth Vines 9–7, 3–6, 7–9, 5–7

Doubles (8 titles, 1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1928 U.S. National Championships Grass John Hennessey Gerald Patterson Jack Hawkes 6–2, 6–1, 6–2Win 1929 U.S. National Championships Grass John Doeg Berkeley Bell Lewis White 10–8, 16–14, 6–1Loss 1930 Wimbledon Grass John Doeg John Van Ryn Wilmer Allison 3–6, 3–6, 2–6Win 1930 U.S. National Championships Grass John Doeg John Van Ryn Wilmer Allison 8–6, 6–3, 4–6, 13–15, 6–4Win 1931 French Championships Clay John Van Ryn Vernon Kirby Norman Farquharson 6–4, 6–3, 6–4Win 1931 Wimbledon Grass John Van Ryn Jacques Brugnon Henri Cochet 6–2, 10–8, 9–11, 3–6, 6–3Win 1933 U.S. National Championships Grass Lester Stoefen Frank Shields Frank Parker 11–13, 9–7, 9–7, 6–3Win 1934 Wimbledon Grass Lester Stoefen Jean Borotra Jacques Brugnon 6–2, 6–3, 6–4Win 1934 U.S. National Championships Grass Lester Stoefen Wilmer Allison John Van Ryn 6–4, 9–7, 3–6, 6–4

Mixed doubles (4 titles, 1 runner-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreWin 1929 U.S. National Championships Grass Betty Nuthall Phyllis Covell Bunny Austin 6–3, 6–3Win 1931 Wimbledon Grass Anna McCune Harper Joan Ridley Ian Collins 6–3, 1–6, 6–1Win 1931 U.S. National Championships Grass Betty Nuthall Anna McCune Harper Wilmer Allison 6–3, 6–3Loss 1933 U.S. National Championships Grass Sarah Palfrey Elizabeth Ryan Ellsworth Vines 9–11, 1–6Win 1934 U.S. National Championships Grass Helen Jacobs Elizabeth Ryan Lester Stoefen 4–6, 13–11, 6–2

Other tennis achievements Davis Cup team member – 1928–31, 1933–34 The first player, and one of only four (Bobby Riggs, Mats Wilander and Roger Federer being the other three), to win the Cincinnati Open four times: 1924, 1925, 1927 and 1932. Also won the doubles title in 1924 (with Jack Harris) and 1925 (with Thomas McGlinn) and was a singles finalist in 1926 and a doubles finalist (with Thomas Johnson) in 1927.

References

From Club Court to Center Court by Phillip S. Smith (2008 Edition; )

External links