Born:

October 16, 1861

Died:

April 08, 1943

Place of Birth:

Boston, Massachusetts
United States

Citizenship:

United States

Induction Category:

Player

Year of Induction:

1955

Highest Ranking

U.S. Singles Ranking: 1

Bespectacled, mustachioed, wearing a necktie and cap on the court, Sears controlled competitive tennis in America from its very beginning. At 19, he won the inaugural U.S. Championships, and by the time he retired undefeated in 1887, he had won an astonishing seven consecutive U.S. National Championships. Attacking whenever presented with the opportunity, he moved into the forecourt to end points with crisp volleys before other players fully perceived that strategy. At the end of his reign as the first American tennis champion, he became President of the USNLTA.

Grand Slam Record

US National Championship

• Singles Champion 1881-87
• Doubles Champion 1882-87