Harold Mahony facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Harold Mahony

Full name	Harold Segerson Mahony
Country (sports)	United Kingdom
Born	(1867-02-13)13 February 1867 Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Died	27 June 1905(1905-06-27) (aged 38) County Kerry, Ireland
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Turned pro	1890 (amateur tour)
Retired	1905 (death)
Singles
Career titles	43
Grand Slam singles results
Wimbledon	W (1896)
US Open	4R (1903)
Doubles
Grand Slam doubles results
Wimbledon	F (1892, 1903)
US Open	F (1897)
Medal record Representing  Great Britain Silver 1900 Paris Singles Bronze 1900 Paris Doubles Representing a Mixed team Silver 1900 Paris Mixed doubles

Harold Segerson Mahony (born February 13, 1867 – died June 27, 1905) was a famous tennis player. He was born in Scotland but spent most of his life in Ireland. He is best known for winning the singles title at the Wimbledon Championships in 1896. His tennis career lasted from 1888 until he passed away in 1905. Harold Mahony was the last Scottish-born man to win Wimbledon for a long time. This record stood until Andy Murray won the championship in 2013.

Harold Mahony's Early Life and Training

Harold Mahony was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His father, Richard John Mahony, was an Irish lawyer and a big landowner. Even though Harold was born in Scotland, his family was Irish. They had a home in Scotland but mostly lived at Dromore Castle in County Kerry, Ireland. Harold practiced tennis on a special court built at Dromore Castle.

Harold Mahony's Tennis Career Highlights

Harold Mahony started playing at Wimbledon in 1890. He didn't do well in his first year, but he reached the semifinals in 1891 and 1892. He spent some time in America in the mid-1890s.

Winning Wimbledon

In 1896, Harold Mahony returned to England and won the Wimbledon title. He played against Wilfred Baddeley of Great Britain in the final match. Mahony won in five exciting sets. Back then, the winner had to defend their title the next year in a special match called the "Challenge Round." In 1897, Mahony played against Reginald Doherty in the Challenge Round but lost in three sets.

Harold Mahony was the last player born in Scotland to win a major tennis tournament (called a Grand Slam) until Andy Murray won the US Open in 2012. He was also the last Scottish-born player to win Wimbledon until Murray's victory in 2013. He is remembered as the third and final Irishman to win the Wimbledon singles title.

Other Important Wins

Mahony won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships in London in 1893. He won this title again the next year. In 1898, he won the singles title at the well-known Irish Championships. That same year, Mahony also won the singles title at the German Championships. He often competed in Germany and spoke German very well.

Olympic Medals

At the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, Harold Mahony won several medals. He earned a silver medal in the men's singles tennis event. He also won a bronze medal in the men's doubles competition, playing for Great Britain and Ireland. In the mixed doubles event, he won another silver medal with his partner, Hélène Prévost from France.

Mahony also won the Kent Championships twice. He won in 1899, beating Wilberforce Eaves, and again in 1904, defeating Brame Hillyard.

Davis Cup Team

In 1903, Harold Mahony was part of the British Isles Davis Cup team. This team won against the United States in Boston. However, Mahony did not play in the actual matches.

Harold Mahony's Playing Style

Harold Mahony was quite tall for his time, standing at 1.91 meters (about 6 feet 3 inches). He was known for his very strong backhand shot. However, his forehand shot was not as good. Another player, George Hillyard, once wrote that Mahony "never did acquire the right method of hitting the ball on the forehand."

How Harold Mahony Passed Away

Harold Mahony died on June 27, 1905, when he was 38 years old. He was in a bicycling accident. This happened while he was riding down a steep hill near Caragh Lake in County Kerry, Ireland.

Grand Slam Finals

Harold Mahony played in two Grand Slam singles finals at Wimbledon.

Singles Finals

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1896	Wimbledon	Grass	Wilfred Baddeley	6–2, 6–8, 5–7, 8–6, 6–3
Loss	1897	Wimbledon	Grass	Reginald Doherty	4–6, 4–6, 3–6

Doubles Finals

He also reached one Grand Slam doubles final.

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Loss	1897	U.S. Championships	Grass	Harold Nisbet	George Sheldon Leo Ware	13–11, 2–6, 7–9, 6–1, 1–6

Olympic Finals

Harold Mahony won two silver medals at the 1900 Paris Olympics.

Singles: 1 (1 silver medal)

Result	Year	Olympics	Surface	Opponent	Score
Silver	1900	Paris	Clay	Laurence Doherty	4–6, 2–6, 3–6

Mixed Doubles: 1 (1 silver medal)

Result	Year	Olympics	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Silver	1900	Paris	Clay	Yvonne Prévost	Charlotte Cooper Reginald Doherty	2–6, 4–6

What was the Challenge Round?

In the early days of tennis (from 1877 to 1921), some tournaments used a "Challenge Round." This meant the winner from the previous year would wait to play only one final match. They would play against the person who won all the other matches in the tournament that year. The winner of this single match would be the champion.

Images for kids

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  Harold Mahony, a famous tennis player.

See also

In Spanish: Harold Mahony para niños