The Wimbledon Men’s Singles event was first won by British player Spencer Gore in 1877.
Britons won the event every year until 1907, when Australia’s Norman Brookes ended the dominance.
At the US Open, an American man won every title from its formation in 1881 until 1903.
Who do you think is more likely to win another Grand Slam out of Novak Djokovic & Alexander Zverev? 🤔
The champion that year was Great Britain’s Laurence Doherty.
Meet Laurence Doherty
Doherty, born in Wimbledon, became the first British player to win the Wimbledon Championships and the US Open in the same year when he captured both titles in 1903.
The British star, a five-time champion at the All England Club, defeated compatriot Frank Riseley 7–5, 6–3, 6–0 to capture the Wimbledon title in 1903.
Later that year, Doherty defeated C.M. Relyea, M.B. Colket, Richard Stevens, and third seed Harold Mahony en route to the US Open quarter-finals.
There, Doherty defeated his older brother, Reginald [both men pictured below], via a walkover.
Doherty then beat American Richard Carleton and William Clothier, setting up a challenge round clash with William Larned.
The Briton emerged victorious from the contest, beating Larned 6-0, 6-3, 10-8.
The first woman to complete the Wimbledon-US Open double
Around 24 years after Doherty’s triumphs, Helen Wills Moody made her own tennis history.
The American star, a winner of 31 Grand Slam titles across singles and doubles, captured her first Wimbledon title in 1927 after beating Spain’s Lili Alvarez 6-2, 6-4.
Wills went on to win her fourth US Open title in five years, beating Britain’s Betty Nuthall in the showpiece event.
Wills won her final major title at Wimbledon in 1938, beating Helen Jacobs in the final.
She retired from her playing career later that year.
