Herbert Fortescue Lawford (15 May 1851 – 20 April 1925) was a former world No. 1 tennis player from Scotland who won the Men's Singles championship at Wimbledon in 1887, and was runner-up a record five times (shared with Arthur Gore).
Career
In the 1887 final, the native of Bayswater defeated Ernest Renshaw (also of Great Britain) in five sets: 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4. He reached the finals of Wimbledon in 1880, 1884–86, and 1888.
Lawford won the first major men's doubles tennis tournament, the Oxford University Men's Doubles Championship, in 1879 partnering Lestocq Robert Erskine. This event was a precursor to the Wimbledon men's doubles championship, introduced in 1884, and it was played over the best of seven sets ending in a score of 4–6, 6–4, 6–5, 6–2, 3–6, 5–6, 7–5. In 1885 he won the singles title at the inaugural British Covered Court Championships.
Birth of the topspin: the Lawford-stroke Lawford is said to be the first person to introduce "topspin" to the game of tennis. His formidable forehand was called 'the Lawford stroke'. Lawford made a more substantial contribution in technically advancing the game. He unveiled the “Lawford forehand,” introducing topspin into the sport with that revolutionary shot. Aggressive and unwavering, he was equipped with power, speed and uncanny accuracy. He was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2006.
Grand Slam finals
Singles (1 title, 5 runners-up) ResultDateChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScoreLoss 1880Wimbledon Grass John Hartley 3–6, 2–6, 6–2, 3–6Loss 1884Wimbledon Grass William Renshaw 0–6, 4–6, 7–9Loss 1885Wimbledon Grass William Renshaw 5–7, 2–6, 6–4, 5–7Loss 1886Wimbledon Grass William Renshaw 0–6, 7–5, 3–6, 4–6Win 1887Wimbledon Grass Ernest Renshaw 1–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4Loss 1888Wimbledon Grass Ernest Renshaw 3–6, 5–7, 0–6
Singles performance timeline
Events with a challenge round: (WC) won; (CR) lost the challenge round; (FA) all comers' finalist 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885 1886 1887 1888 1889 1890 SR W–L Win %Grand Slam tournamentsFrenchNot held0 / 0––Wimbledon ASF1RCRSFSF1RCRCRCRWCRSF A1 / 1233–1175.0U.S.Not held A A A A A A A A A A0 / 0––AustralianNot held0 / 0––Win–loss 2–1 0–1 6–1 4–1 3–1 0–1 4–1 4–1 4–1 4–0 0–1 2–1 1 / 12 33–11 75.0
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