Bill Johnston
Encyclopedia
William "Little Bill" Johnston (November 2, 1894 in San Francisco, California
– May 1, 1946 in San Francisco, California
) was an American tennis
champion. He was the co-World No. 1 player in 1919 and in 1922 respectively along with Gerald Patterson
and Bill Tilden
. He won the U.S. Championships in 1915 and 1919, and Wimbledon
and the World Hard Court Championship (Clay) in 1923.
Until "Big Bill" Tilden
began to defeat him regularly in 1920, Johnston had been the best American player for a number of years. He remained competitive with Tilden for the next seven or eight years, but was never again able to beat him in an important match (for instance in 1922 Johnston defeated Tilden three times in four occasions but the latter beat Johnston in the final of the U.S. Championships in five sets). Together they won seven consecutive Davis Cup trophies, a record that still stands as of early 2008.
Johnston was a small, frail-appearing man who suffered ill health from his Navy service in World War I
. He was renowned, however, for the power and deadliness of his forehand
drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip, and which was universally considered the best forehand of all time until the advent of Pancho Segura
and his two-handed forehand in the late 1940s. Johnston died of tuberculosis in 1946 at the age of 51.
Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
in 1958.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
– May 1, 1946 in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
) was an American tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
champion. He was the co-World No. 1 player in 1919 and in 1922 respectively along with Gerald Patterson
Gerald Patterson
Gerald Leighton Patterson MC was an Australian male tennis player. He was born in Melbourne, educated at Scotch College Melbourne and died in Melbourne in 13 June 1967. He was the co-World No...
and Bill Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
. He won the U.S. Championships in 1915 and 1919, and Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon
The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors...
and the World Hard Court Championship (Clay) in 1923.
Until "Big Bill" Tilden
Bill Tilden
William Tatem Tilden II , nicknamed "Big Bill," is often considered one of the greatest tennis players of all time. An American tennis player who was the World No. 1 player for seven years, he won 14 Majors including ten Grand Slams and four Pro Slams. Bill Tilden dominated the world of...
began to defeat him regularly in 1920, Johnston had been the best American player for a number of years. He remained competitive with Tilden for the next seven or eight years, but was never again able to beat him in an important match (for instance in 1922 Johnston defeated Tilden three times in four occasions but the latter beat Johnston in the final of the U.S. Championships in five sets). Together they won seven consecutive Davis Cup trophies, a record that still stands as of early 2008.
Johnston was a small, frail-appearing man who suffered ill health from his Navy service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was renowned, however, for the power and deadliness of his forehand
Forehand
The forehand in tennis and other racket sports such as table tennis, squash and badminton is a shot made by swinging the racquet across one's body in the direction of where the player wants to place the shot...
drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip, and which was universally considered the best forehand of all time until the advent of Pancho Segura
Pancho Segura
Pancho Segura, born Francisco Olegario Segura , was a leading tennis player of the 1940s and 1950s, both as an amateur and as a professional. In 1950 and 1952, as a professional, he was the World Co-No. 1 player...
and his two-handed forehand in the late 1940s. Johnston died of tuberculosis in 1946 at the age of 51.
Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. The hall of fame and honors players and contributors to the sport of tennis and includes a museum, grass tennis courts, an indoor tennis facility, and a court tennis facility.-History:The hall of fame and...
in 1958.