 | |
| Full name | Wilmer Lawson Allison Jr. |
|---|---|
| Country (sports) |  United States |
| Born | (1904-12-08)December 8, 1904 San Antonio,Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 20, 1977(1977-04-20) (aged 72) Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
| Turned pro | 1927 (amateur tour) |
| Retired | 1941 |
| Plays | Right-handed (1-handed backhand) |
| Int. Tennis HoF | 1963(member page) |
| Singles | |
| Career record | 179-67 |
| Career titles | 28 |
| Highest ranking | No. 4 (1935,A. Wallis Myers)[1] |
| Grand Slam singles results | |
| Australian Open | SF (1933) |
| Wimbledon | F (1930) |
| US Open | W (1935) |
| Doubles | |
| Grand Slam doubles results | |
| Wimbledon | W (1929, 1930) |
| US Open | W (1931, 1935) |
| Mixed doubles | |
| Grand Slam mixed doubles results | |
| US Open | W (1930) |
Wilmer Lawson Allison Jr. (December 8, 1904 – April 20, 1977) was an American amateur World No 4-rankedtennis champion of the 1930s. Allison was both a fine singles player and, along with his frequent partner,John Van Ryn, a great doubles player. He won the 1935U.S. Championship in singles and was also ranked the US No. 1 in 1934 and 1935.
At theUniversity of Texas at Austin, Allison was theIntercollegiate tennis champion in 1927. One of Allison's earliest tournament wins was the 1928Canadian Championship, where he won the final over doubles partner Van Ryn.
Right-handed, Allison's greatest triumph was winning the 1935U.S. Championship singles, defeatingFred Perry in the semifinals (Perry fell and suffered an injury during the match) andSidney Wood in the finals, both in three sets. He had previously lost to Perry 8–6 in the fifth set in the 1934 finals. This would be his final appearance at the US Open tournament.
At theWimbledon Championships his best results in singles came in 1930 when he finished runner-up toBill Tilden, losing the final in straight sets.[2] En route to the final he defeated reigning champion and first-seedHenri Cochet in straight sets in the quarterfinals.[3]
In the 1928Canadian Open held at theToronto Lawn Tennis Club on red clay, Allison defeatedWillard Crocker in four sets in the quarterfinal,John Doeg in four sets in the semifinal, and Van Ryn in the final in three straight sets.
In 1929, Allison won the Mason Dixon Championships[4] atThe Greenbrier resort defeatingFrank Hunter in the final in five sets. He won the same title in 1935 defeating J. Gilbert Hall in the final.
In April 1932, Allison won the United North and South Championships at thePinehurst Country Club defeatingEllsworth Vines in the final in a long five set match. He won the same tournament in 1935 defeating J. Gilbert Hall in the final in three straight sets.
He was ranked U.S. No. 1 in singles in 1934 and 1935 and World No. 4 in 1932 and again in 1935 byA. Wallis Myers ofThe Daily Telegraph.[1]
Allison's last major tournament was a 1936 quarterfinal loss at Wimbledon toBunny Austin.[5] He did not defend his title at the US Open that year.
Allison was runner-up toFrank Parker at the 1938 Canadian Open Championships.
As a doubles player with partnerJohn Van Ryn, Allison won the 1929 and 1930 Wimbledon and 1935 U.S. doubles championships.
Allison played a total of 44 matches, 29 in doubles with Van Ryn, inDavis Cup for the United States, the third most of any player behindJohn McEnroe andVic Seixas. He won 32 of those matches but never the cup.
In his 1979 autobiography,Jack Kramer devotes a page to the best tennis strokes he had ever seen. He writes: "FOREHAND VOLLEY — Wilmer Allison of Texas, who won the 1935Forest Hills, had the best I ever saw as a kid, and I've never seen anyone since hit one better.Budge Patty came closest, thenNewcombe".[6]
George Lott, who won five U.S. doubles titles as well as two at Wimbledon, wrote an article in the May 1973, issue ofTennis Magazine in which he ranked the great doubles teams and the great players. He called the team of Allison and Van Ryn the ninth best of all time.
Allison was a colonel in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II. He coached tennis for the varsity team of his alma mater from 1946 through 1972 and was head coach from 1957.[7]
Allison was inducted into theInternational Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island in 1963.[8]
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 1930 | Wimbledon | Grass |  Bill Tilden | 3–6, 7–9, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass |  Fred Perry | 4–6, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1, 6–8 |
| Win | 1935 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Sidney Wood | 6–2, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1929 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Van Ryn | Ian CollinsColin Gregory | 6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 10–12, 6–4 |
| Win | 1930 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Van Ryn | John DoegGeorge Lott | 6–3, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1930 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | John Doeg George Lott | 6–8, 3–6, 6–3, 15–13, 4–6 |
| Win | 1931 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | Berkeley BellGregory Mangin | 6–4, 6–3, 6–2 |
| Loss | 1932 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | Keith GledhillEllsworth Vines | 4–6, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1934 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | George LottLester Stoefen | 4–6, 7–9, 6–3, 4–6 |
| Loss | 1935 | Wimbledon | Grass | John Van Ryn |  Jack CrawfordAdrian Quist | 3–6, 7–5, 2–6, 7–5, 5–7 |
| Win | 1935 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | Don BudgeGene Mako | 6–2, 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–1 |
| Loss | 1936 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | John Van Ryn | Don Budge Gene Mako | 4–6, 2–6, 4–6 |
| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 1930 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Edith Cross | Marjorie MorrillFrank Shields | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 1931 | U.S. National Championships | Grass | Anna McCune Harper | Betty NuthallGeorge Lott | 3–6, 3–6 |
