Harold Mahony

Who was Harold Mahony?

Harold Segerson Mahony was a Scottish-born Irish tennis player. He is best known for winning the Wimbledon Championships in 1896. He was born at 21 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh to Richard John Mahony, an Irish barrister and prominent landowner. The family had a home in Scotland but spent most of their time at Dromore Castle, in County Kerry, Ireland. Harold trained on a specially built tennis court at Dromore.

Mahony made his Wimbledon debut in 1890 exiting in the first round. He reached the semi-final in 1891 and 1892. Mahony spent some time in America in the mid-1890s, before returning to England and finally taking the Wimbledon crown in 1896. In the final he beat Wilfred Baddeley of Great Britain in five sets: 6–2, 6–8, 5–7, 8–6, 6–3. Under the challenger system Mahony was entitled to defend the Wimbledon title in 1897 but this time he was beaten in the final in three straight sets by Reginald Doherty. He was the last Scottish born player to win a grand slam until Andy Murray won the US Open in 2012 and win Wimbledon until Murray won it in 2013. He was recognised as the third and last Irishman to win the Wimbledon singles. Wimbledon.

He won the singles title at the British Covered Court Championships, played at the Queen's Club in London, in 1893 and successfully defended his title the following year. In 1895 he forfeited the defence of his title due to illness.