Lorne Garnet
Main
Male
Canada
1930-07-09
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
2019-10-14
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
From https://db4tennis.com/players/male/lorne-main (updated):
Lorne Main was a world-class amateur tennis player who competed in eleven Grand Slam tournaments in singles during his long career. He won the singles title of the prestigious Monte Carlo tennis championship in 1954 and was an integral part of the Canadian Davis Cup team during the early 1950s. Still competing competitively into his 80s, Main was a highly ranked ITF Veterans, Seniors (Masters) and Super Seniors player during the 1990s and 2000s.
Main was credited by tennis historian Bud Collins as being the first tennis player to use two hands on both forehand and backhand. In his senior tennis career, he switched to one hand for both forehand and backhand.
Lorne Main started playing tennis at the age of nine. From 1949 to 1951, he attended the University of California at Berkeley on a tennis scholarship from, and played No. 1 in singles and doubles there before committing full-time to tennis. He won the men’s doubles title at the International Canadian Championships in 1951 (with Brendan Macken) and in 1954 (with Luis Ayala).
Main reached the round of 32 in singles five times in a major – at the U.S. Championships in 1951, 1953, and 1954 U.S. National, and at the French Championships and Wimbledon in 1954. At the French Open in 1954, Main defeated his first two opponents, Frenchmen, handily to set up a third round encounter with no. 7 seed Mervyn Rose. Rose won the first and third sets, with Main drawing level twice, taking the second and fourth sets, before Rose prevailed in the fifth, 6-3. Similarly at Wimbledon in 1954, Main breezed through his first-round opposition and handily won his second match before falling in five sets to his third-round opponent, the American Gilbert Shea.
At the U.S. Championships in 1954, Main was seeded no. 18 as a result of his very solid year to that point. Despite this, however, Main faced no. 1 seed Tony Trabert in the third round, and played the world no. 1 tight in the first two sets, falling 9-11 and 6-8, before running out of steam and losing the third, 2-6.
In 1949, Main had been runner-up in the men’s singles event at the International Canadian Championships, losing the final to his compatriot Henri Rochon in four sets. Apart from the International Canadian Championships, Main’s 1954 singles title win at the Monte Carlo tournament is the only title ever won at that level by a Canadian (as of 2021).
Further singles titles won by Lorne Main include Vancouver City (1949), the British Columbia Grass and Clay Court Championships (1950), the Western Canada Lawn Tennis Championships (1950), the Quebec Indoor Championships and Ontario Championship (1951) and the Ontario Championships and Quebec Indoor Championships as well as the Saint Petersburg (Florida) and Belgian Championships tournament (all in 1954).
In men’s doubles, Lorne Main notably won the Orlando tournament with Gilbert Shea, the Jamaica tournament (with Harold Burrows) and the Irish Championships (with Shea); all three title victories came in 1954.
Lorne Main was ranked no. 1 in British Columbia in 1949, no. 1 in Canada in 1951, 1953 and 1954, and no. 2 in 1952. In the Davis Cup, Main compiled a win-lose record of 1414. Canada did not progress beyond the American Zone Final stage during Mains time, losing either to the United States or Australia in that round. Main failed to defeat an American or Australia opponent in eleven Davis Cup rubbers. He was a member of the Canadian team in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954 and 1955, and a non-playing captain in 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1961.
Lorne Main was still a competitive tennis player into his eighties and was ranked high in the veteran, seniors and super-seniors categories. He was ranked no. 1 by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in every seniors’ category from the over 55s to the over 80s. In this respect, he won twelve singles and thirteen doubles senior world championship titles, twelve of the latter with Ken Sinclair and the other one with Gordon Verge (a world record).
In 2010, Lorne Main broke the world singles record for most singles senior world championship titles. He won each of the World Cups in men’s doubles in every seniors’ category, the over 55s to the over 80s, with partner Ken Sinclair. In 2000, Main was ranked world no. 1 in the over-70 category.
Lorne Main was inducted into the British Columbia Sport Hall of Fame in 1975 and the Canadian Tennis Hall of Fame in 1991. He died in October 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia, at the age of 89.
1948 - 1959
12
202
126
1957 - Muskoka Lakes (Amateur)
1955 - Lake Placid (Amateur)
1954 - Florida West Coast (Amateur)
1954 - Monte Carlo (Grand Prix Circuit)
1954 - Belgian International Championships ()
1954 - Province of Quebec Championships (Open)
1953 - Seattle City Championship (Open)
1953 - Province of Quebec Championships (Open)
1951 - Ontario Championships (Open)
1950 - British Columbia Championship (Open)
1950 - Western Canada Grass Court Championships (Open)
1948 - Ontario Championships (Open)
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Winton (Wink) Charlop
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Alan Fischl
6-3
3-6
6-3
Semifinals
Sidney (Sid) Schwartz 1 *
Lorne Main
12-10
6-1
Round 1
Dick Savitt 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-1
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Paul L. Cranis
6-4
7-5
Final
Robert Bedard 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-2
Quarterfinals
Armando Vieira 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Kurt Nielsen 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
7-5
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Edward (Ned) Stafford
6-1
6-3
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Frank Dimock
6-1
6-1
Round 1
Roger Becker 1 *
Lorne Main
6-0
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Jon Aleander (Jack) Douglas 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Francisco (Pancho) Contreras 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-1
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
William Raymond (Bill) Rose
6-0
7-5
6-2
Round 2
Johann F. Kupferburger 1 *
Lorne Main
6-2
7-5
6-4
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
George Czuczka
6-0
6-3
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald Francis (Don) Platt
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
John Swann
6-3
6-4
6-1
Semifinals
Henri Rochon 1 *
Lorne Main
1-6
6-4
8-10
7-5
6-2
Round 1
Gilbert James (Gil) Shea 1 *
Lorne Main
8-6
2-6
6-2
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Angus MacPherson
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald Francis (Don) Platt
6-2
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Johann F. Kupferburger 1 *
Lorne Main
6-2
6-1
6-0
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Brendan Hubert (Bren) Macken
7-5
6-4
Round 1
Irvin Dorfman 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
2-6
6-4
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
James (Jim) Bentley
6-0
6-4
Semifinals
Gilbert A. (Gil) Bogley 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
0-6
9-7
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Henry Billington
6-2
6-3
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Andres Hammersley
6-1
6-3
7-9
7-5
Round 3
Gilbert James (Gil) Shea 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
7-5
5-7
1-6
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald Black
6-4
6-3
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Francis Nys
6-0
6-3
Round 4
Lorne Main 1 *
Bobby Wilson
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Paul Remy
6-3
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Wladyslaw Skonecki
6-3
2-6
7-5
6-4
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Anthony (Tony) Vincent
9-7
3-6
7-5
6-4
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Pierre Charles Jean Rinderknech
6-1
6-1
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Jean Claude Molinari
6-1
4-6
6-3
6-4
Round 3
Mervyn Rose 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
3-6
7-5
3-6
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Edward (Ed) L. Kilgus
6-0
6-0
6-0
Round 3
Tony Trabert 1 *
Lorne Main
11-9
8-6
6-2
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Hans Jelinik
6-1
6-1
Round 4
Andres Hammersley 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Rupert Huber
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
Umberto Bergamo 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-2
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Norman Green
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Joe Blackmon
6-3
6-1
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Orlando Garrido
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Albert Edward Harum
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-3
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Jack Meredith Tuero
8-6
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
William M. (Bill) Cranston
6-8
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Herbert (Herb) Flam 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-3
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
J.D. Moore
6-1
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Joe McHale
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
Neale Fraser 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-3
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Jack Arkinstall
0-6
6-4
6-4
Round 2
Art Larsen 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Giuliano Scribani
6-2
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Malcolm Fox
5-7
6-1
6-3
6-1
Round 3
Budge Patty 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
7-5
6-4
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Erwin Balestra
9-7
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Walter Blauvelt
6-0
6-0
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Mike E. Green
6-4
4-6
6-3
Quarterfinals
J. Allen Morris 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-8
6-2
Quarterfinals
Jack Arkinstall 1 *
Lorne Main
10-8
14-16
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Arnaldo Moreira
6-2
7-5
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Ramanathan Krishnan
6-4
6-2
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Irvin Dorfman
6-2
1-6
6-3
6-4
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Georges Pasquier
6-4
6-4
Round 3
Vladimir Petrović (Petrovic) 1 *
Lorne Main
2-6
6-3
6-0
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Lonnie C. Jr. Jordan
6-2
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Reyno Summers
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Malcolm Fox 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-3
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Gilbert James (Gil) Shea
6-4
11-9
6-0
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Anthony (Tony) Vincent
6-3
6-4
6-2
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Robert Bedard
10-12
6-4
7-5
6-3
Final
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
4-6
6-2
2-6
6-2
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Leopold Washington
?
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Carl Haub
6-1
6-2
Round 3
Albert Edward Harum 1 *
Lorne Main
4-6
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Angel Roldan
6-1
6-1
Round 3
Bernard (Tut) Bartzen 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-1
Round 1
Tony Mottram 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
9-7
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Mr. Urbani
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Mr. Montanella
6-1
6-0
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Umberto Bergamo
8-6
6-2
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Gianni Cucelli
6-8
8-6
6-2
Semifinals
Enrique Jorge (Ricky) Morea 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
7-5
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Winston Nelson
6-0
6-0
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Bosse (Bo) Andersson
4-6
6-3
6-0
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Mike E. Green
7-5
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Ed Rubinoff
6-3
4-6
6-4
Final
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-3
6-0
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Andrew Bloomfield
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Kurt Nielsen 1 *
Lorne Main
11-13
8-6
6-3
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Walter Blauvelt
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Art Larsen 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
4-6
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Jacques van den Eynde
6-2
6-4
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Gianni Cucelli
6-2
6-4
Quarterfinals
Anthony (Tony) Vincent 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
7-9
4-3
ret.
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Alistair Bradley Martin
7-5
6-1
7-5
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Herbert H. Browne Jr.
6-0
6-3
6-4
Round 3
Mervyn Rose 1 *
Lorne Main
6-2
9-7
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Frederick Reaume
6-0
6-0
Round 3
Mario Llamas 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
1-6
6-2
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Hugh Masters
6-1
6-0
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Andrew J. (Andy) Stern
7-5
6-3
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
W.Eugene (Gene) Garrett
6-8
6-1
7-5
Semifinals
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-2
Round 1
Frederick (Fred) Kovaleski 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-4
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Ted Rogers
w.o.
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Richard (Dick) Fine
6-3
8-6
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Irvin Dorfman
6-4
6-3
Quarterfinals
Grant Golden 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-3
6-4
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Seth J. Petersen Jr.
7-5
6-2
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Robert Bedard
6-2
6-0
6-0
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Henri Rochon
6-2
6-1
6-0
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Frank Guernsey
2-6
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Frederick (Fred) Kovaleski
6-4
8-6
Final
Don McNeill 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-4
6-2
Unknown
Lorne Main 1 *
Joseph (Joe) Cowley
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Linn Roy Rockwood
2-6
1-6
6-3
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Tom Brown 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Douglas Stewart (Doug) Markel
6-0
6-1
6-1
Final
Frederick (Fred) Kovaleski 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-4
5-7
6-4
Round 1
Lew Hoad 1 *
Lorne Main
4-6
6-0
6-2
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Luis Reifkohl
6-1
6-4
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Andrew J. (Andy) Stern
6-3
6-4
Round 4
Harold Melville (Hal) Burrows jr 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-3
Round 4
Lorne Main 1 *
Harold Melville (Hal) Burrows jr
6-1
7-5
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Don McNeill
6-4
5-7
6-1
9-7
Semifinals
Billy Talbert 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald H. Fontana
6-3
6-4
6-4
Final
Brendan Hubert (Bren) Macken 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-4
5-7
6-4
Final
Harold Melville (Hal) Burrows jr 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
1-6
6-2
7-5
Semifinals
James Joseph (Jim) Macken 1 *
Lorne Main
10-8
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Edward Clark (Eddie) Aris
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
Budge Patty 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
5-7
6-0
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Robert M. (Bob) Perry
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
Sidney (Sid) Schwartz 1 *
Lorne Main
2-6
6-2
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Lester A. Kirkcaldy
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
David Lurie
4-6
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Budge Patty 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
3-6
6-2
Quarterfinals
Dick Savitt 1 *
Lorne Main
?
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
John Barrett
6-0
6-2
6-1
Round 2
Ken McGregor 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
7-5
7-5
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Harper H. Ink Jr.
6-4
6-2
3-6
6-2
Round 3
Dick Savitt 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
6-3
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Frank Skierski
6-1
6-0
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Paul A. Willey
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
W. Robert (Bob) Dixon
6-0
6-0
6-0
Semifinals
Anthony (Tony) Vincent 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-4
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Malcolm Gosling
6-3
6-2
Quarterfinals
Ham Richardson 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-4
Round 2
Ham Richardson 1 *
Lorne Main
6-2
10-8
Quarterfinals
Billy Talbert 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Fred Hagist
2-6
9-7
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Brendan Hubert (Bren) Macken
6-3
7-5
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Conway Catton
8-6
6-4
6-4
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Murray Deloford
3-6
6-1
6-2
Quarterfinals
Don Candy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-2
6-4
Semifinals
Herbert (Herb) Flam 1 *
Lorne Main
9-7
8-6
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Anthony (Tony) Vincent
9-7
6-3
8-6
Final
Paul Remy 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
4-6
5-7
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Darrell H. Shaw
6-1
6-3
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Abe Segal
6-4
9-7
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Brendan Hubert (Bren) Macken
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
Lorne Main
6-0
6-3
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Alistair Bradley Martin
6-0
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Colin Selley
6-1
6-0
Quarterfinals
Anthony (Tony) Vincent 1 *
Lorne Main
6-1
1-6
6-2
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald (Don) Hodges
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Jean Claude Molinari
8-6
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Anthony (Tony) Vincent
1-6
7-5
9-7
8-10
6-4
Final
Paul Remy 1 *
Lorne Main
7-5
4-6
5-7
6-4
6-4
Round 1
Felicisimo Ampon 1 *
Lorne Main
5-7
6-3
7-5
6-4
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
Paul A. Willey
7-5
6-4
Round 4
William Joseph (Bill) Tully 1 *
Lorne Main
3-6
7-5
6-2
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
C.P. Mellander
6-0
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
George Bishop
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Paul A. Willey
6-0
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
James W. (Jimmy) Read
6-4
6-2
6-2
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Edward Martin (Ed) Kauder
6-2
7-5
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Hernan Molina Berro
4-6
6-2
6-1
Round 3
Tom Brown 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-1
Round 1
Bernard (Bernie) Schreiber 1 *
Lorne Main
3-6
9-7
6-4
Round 1
Lorne Main 1 *
Raymond (Ray) Love
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Gustavo Palafox
6-2
3-6
6-4
Round 3
Herbert (Herb) Flam 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-2
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Edward Martin (Ed) Kauder
6-3
8-6
7-5
Semifinals
Billy Talbert 1 *
Lorne Main
5
sets
Round 3
Tom Brown 1 *
Lorne Main
6-4
6-1
Round 2
Lorne Main 1 *
Bruce Bauld
6-1
6-2
Round 3
Lorne Main 1 *
J.A. Wilbur
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald (Don) Bauld
4-6
1-6
6-2
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
William Joseph (Bill) Tully
4-6
6-3
4-6
6-3
10-8
Final
Henri Rochon 1 *
Lorne Main
6-3
6-4
4-6
6-2
Semifinals
Henri Rochon 1 *
Lorne Main
11-9
2-6
7-5
6-4
Quarterfinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Robert Duford
6-3
6-4
Semifinals
Lorne Main 1 *
Donald Stuart McDiarmid
5-7
6-0
6-3
Final
Lorne Main 1 *
Gaëtan Valois
6-3
6-1
2-6
6-3