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William Larned The powerful New Jersey right-hander William Augustus Larned will always be remembered for his seven titles at the U.S. Championships to stand alongside Richard Sears and Bill Tilden, as one of the great American champions, in a winning career which didn't start until he was 28-years-old. He reached the U.S. final in 1900 only to lose to fellow Davis Cup team-mate Malcolm Whitman, but beat Beals Wright the following year for his first title, the last of which ended a 5-year run in 1911, making him the oldest champion at 38. Larned's record at his home Grand Slam is remarkable, his nineteen years from his first Championship in 1891 to his last in 1911, was a record which lasted until Jimmy Connors toppled it some eight decades later. He fell short of the semi-final stage twice posting a 61-12 match win/loss record.
His brother Edward Larned joined him in the world's Top Ten in 1903, ranked at number six. If it hadn't been for his serving in the Spanish-American War in 1898 with the Rough Riders, the 5-foot-11-inch, 170lb Larned would have registered in the U.S. top ten for 20 consecutive years. In a career, which included an 1892 Inter-collegiate title, Larned played in five Davis Cup teams, winning in 1902. He settled in New York, but committed suicide on the 16th December 1926, aged 53. Grand Slam Record U.S. Championships Singles winner 1901-02, 1907-11; Singles finalist 1900, 1903 Tournament Record (inc. Davis Cup) U.S. Inter-collegiate Singles winner 1892 United States Davis Cup team member 1902-03,
1905, 1908-09, 1911; winning side 1902; losing side 1903, 1905, 1908-09,
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