John Hartley (tennis)

John Thorneycroft Hartley ( born January 9, 1849 in Tong, Shropshire, † August 21 1935 in Knaresborough, Yorkshire ) was an English clergyman and tennis player who won the tournament of Wimbledon in 1879 and 1880.

Life

Hartley, actually a real tennis player, settled in 1879 persuaded by George Ernest Tabor to take part in the third edition of the Wimbledon Championships. After his unexpected victory in the quarterfinals against Charles Gilbert Heathcote, he returned over the weekend back in his community, there to keep the service. In the final he finally defeated the Irish Thomas Vere Goold in three sets.

In the Wimbledon final the following year Hartley Herbert Lawford defeated in four sets, and was thus able to defend his title. In 1881 he joined again at Wimbledon but lost in 37 minutes against William Renshaw with 0:6, 1:6 and 1:6 his title. In 1882 he won at the side of Richard Taswell Richardson, the English Championships in doubles in Oxford. He then ended his tennis career.