Brian Norton

Brian Ivan Cobham "Babe" Norton ( born October 10, 1899 Robben Iceland, Cape Colony, † July 16, 1956 in Santa Clara, USA) was a tennis player from South Africa.

Career

Norton took off in 1919 at the Wimbledon Championships in part. After he had in 1920 already reached the second round, he won the 1921 All- Comers final against Manuel Alonso and stood in the Challenge Round the defending champion Bill Tilden opposite. Norton won the first two sets, however, came in the wake of the concept after Tilden had applied with a series of drop shots at the beginning of the third set, the crowd against him. Norton gave the following sentences with 0:6 and 1:6, although the audience was on his side. In the decisive fifth set Norton was back in the game and had the score of 5:4 and 40:15 two match points. In the first match a blow from Tilden got very long, whereupon it already made ​​its way to the net for the handshake. However, the ball touched the line yet, and Norton followed Passierschlag failed. The second match point with an ace from Tilden defended. Tilden finally won the set 7-5, and thus the match and tournament.

At the Wimbledon Championships and the U.S. Championships in 1923, Norton failed each in the semifinals, with the latter again at Tilden. In doubles, he was in Forest Hills successful and won, this time on the side of Tilden, the title.

Norton took part in Antwerp and at the 1920 Summer Olympics. While he already was eliminated in the first round at the French Max Décugis in singles, he reached the doubles together with Louis Raymond the third round.

Tilden Norton described as a highly talented player who have an existing comprehensive, world Schlagreportoire. However, his weakness is his lack of sincerity, leading to too risky playing style often led him.

In the late 1920s ended Norton his tennis career. He died in 1956 at the age of 56 years in Santa Clara, California, in Agnew's Village District.

Doubles title