William C.
Taylor
Male
England
0000-00-00
, -
Although he entered lawn tennis tournaments regularly in the years from 1880 to 1892, and intermittently thereafter, William C. Taylor has not been positively identified because his name is so common. In his book Lawn Tennis Recollections (1898), Herbert Chipp wrote the following about this rather elusive player:
“Who does not remember William C. Taylor in his immaculate white ‘ducks’ (in an age of flannels he was never known to don anything but ‘dons’) and with his rapid, nineteen-to-the-dozen style of speech? It has always been a wonder to me why he never reached a higher position in the game than he occupied.
“He was a natural player, possessed a remarkably quick eye, a very supple wrist, and when in his best form his volleying was a treat to watch; back- or forehanded there was so much “wrist” in the returns. He volleyed from rather far back, on, if not behind, the service line, and the ball came off the racket with great power. He always used a 15 oz. racket, a somewhat unusual weight for a volleyer. On his off days there was undoubtedly a good deal of ‘wood’ about his returns.
“Probably the reason why Taylor did not reach the highest ranks was that his back-court was not of the same class as his volleying. Moreover, he was a very careless player, though he could be keen enough on occasion. One of his peculiarities – those who did not know him considered it almost an insult – was to stand up close to the service lines and half-volley the service, a fact he often performed with great aplomb against all and sundry. Of course, it did not pay in the long run.
“The best match Taylor ever played he lost; or to be correct, he won it only to be deprived of the victory by an atrociously bad decision on the part of the side line umpire. It was in 1885, in the third round of the London Championships at the London Athletic Club, against Ernest Lewis. Taylor, playing in great form, had won the first set, and in the second had Lewis fairly settled, standing at 5-1, 40-30.
“Lewis then returned a ball well over the side line – at least six inches (I can see the stroke yet) – and the umpire-in-chief called game, set and match to Taylor. Somebody happening to direct the umpire’s attention to the fact that there was a line umpire, he then, as a matter of course, appealed to that gentleman for confirmation of the decision, when to the intense surprise of everyone the linesman gave the stroke in, and the match had to be resumed.
“Taylor, not unnaturally, was so astonished and annoyed that he was quite unable to settle down to his game again, lost the set, and, although he played up manfully in the third set, was ultimately beaten [5-6, 6-5, 6-1]. It was the worst decision I have ever witnessed. The rumour was current at the time that the linesman was asleep (it was a hot day), woke up at the umpire’s challenge, and, feeling he must say something, said ‘Play’ instead of ‘out’. He certainly experienced a ‘mauvais quart d’heure’ as the result of his temporary lapse of eyesight. And so did Taylor.”
-----
1880 - 1908
3
193
106
1887 - Boulogne (Amateur)
1887 - Rotterdam Anglo Dutch (Amateur)
1882 - South of England Championships (Amateur)
Round 2
Georges Manset 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
1-6
6-2
Quarterfinals
J.B. Ward 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
Horace Chapman 1 *
William C. Taylor
0-6
6-3
6-2
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Captain C.S. Wood
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Charles Gladstone Allen 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Captain C.S. Wood
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Knox Cronin
6-3
0-6
7-5
Final
Charles Gladstone Allen 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Wilberforce Eaves 1 *
William C. Taylor
w.o.
Round 1
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Reginald Arthur Gamble 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-7
6-4
6-4
6-0
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Archdale Palmer
5-7
4-6
2-0
ret.
Quarterfinals
Joshua Francis Pim 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-7
6-2
6-4
7-5
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
R.G. Weston
6-1
1-6
6-4
6-1
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
W.H. Gardiner
11-9
9-11
ret.
Quarterfinals
Reginald Arthur Gamble 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-2
6-4
Round 1
Horace Chapman 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Philip Grove
6-2
10-12
8-6
6-3
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edward White
6-2
7-5
6-8
6-1
Round 3
Neville John Durlacher 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-2
5-7
9-7
Round 2
James Ernest (Ernest) Renshaw 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur J.B. Norris
6-1
6-4
Semifinals
Joshua Francis Pim 1 *
William C. Taylor
8-6
2-6
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Henry Bingham de Vic Tupper
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Horace Chapman 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-1
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
D.K. Kingston
6-1
6-3
6-1
Semifinals
Edward Roy (Roy) Allen 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
2-6
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
James Herbert Crispe
2-6
6-0
8-6
Semifinals
Horace Chapman 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
2-6
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Wellesley Hallward
2-6
6-4
6-3
Quarterfinals
Ernest George Meers 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
6-2
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
D. Fuller
6-1
6-2
3-6
5-7
7-5
Quarterfinals
Arthur Gore 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
7-5
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edward Knight
w.o.
Quarterfinals
E. Polis 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-5
6-2
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Frederick Lawrence Rawson
w.o.
Round 2
Willoughby James Hamilton 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
6-1
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Hugh Longbourne Callendar
6-2
6-0
6-4
Quarterfinals
Walter Castle 1 *
William C. Taylor
3-6
6-3
7-9
6-3
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
C.D. Franks
6-0
6-1
6-1
Final
Charles Lacy Sweet 1 *
William C. Taylor
1-6
6-4
6-0
6-0
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Richard Farlow-King
6-4
6-1
6-4
Round 3
James Baldwin 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-0
6-0
Semifinals
Wilberforce Eaves 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-7
6-4
6-1
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
James Herbert Crispe
3-6
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Ernest George Meers 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
Ernest Wool Lewis 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-2
4-0
ret.
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Westlake Andrews
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Charles Gathorne Edmund Orr
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
Harold Segerson Mahony 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
4-6
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Alfred E. Walker
6-0
3-6
3-6
6-4
6-4
Round 2
Manliffe Francis Goodbody 1 *
William C. Taylor
3-6
6-4
9-7
6-2
Round 1
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
11-9
6-1
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
George Hetley
6-0
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Archdale Palmer
6-1
6-3
ret.
Semifinals
Arthur Gore 1 *
William C. Taylor
2-6
6-2
4-6
6-1
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
G.H. Pearce
6-0
6-0
Round 2
William Drummond Hamilton 1 *
William C. Taylor
?
Final
James Herbert Crispe 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-4
6-0
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Alfred E. Walker
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Herbert Charles Yockney
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Herbert Charles Yockney
6-4
6-2
Semifinals
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-4
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Gore
3-6
3-6
6-2
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Frederick Lawrence Rawson
6-4
6-0
4-6
4-6
6-1
Semifinals
Ernest Wool Lewis 1 *
William C. Taylor
9-7
6-4
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
A.M. Inglis
6-4
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
Herbert Chipp 1 *
William C. Taylor
0-6
6-4
6-4
6-3
Challenge Round
Edgar John Chippendale 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
James Baldwin 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-4
6-4
1-6
6-2
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Henry Knox
6-3
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Henry Guy Nadin
6-2
9-11
7-5
Semifinals
Francis Seymour (Frank) Noon 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-0
6-1
Semifinals
Herbert Chipp 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
6-3
6-3
Round 1
John Redfern Deykin 1 *
William C. Taylor
8-10
8-6
6-3
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Wellesley Hallward
4-6
6-3
6-2
7-5
Round 2
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
8-6
6-4
4-6
6-4
Round 1
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
3-6
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Charles Lacy Sweet 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-2
4-6
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
F. Murray
5-7
6-4
2-6
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
Frederick Alexander Bowlby 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
6-1
6-3
Round 1
Charles Lacy Sweet 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-0
6-2
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Alfred Ernest Crawley
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Percy Bateman Brown
6-0
6-4
Semifinals
Ernest Wool Lewis 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-0
6-0
Round 1
Andrew George Ziffo 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-3
6-4
Round 1
Frank Still 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
4-6
5-7
6-4
7-5
Round 1
Harry Sibthorpe Barlow 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-7
6-3
5-7
7-5
6-4
Round 1
William John Bush-Salmon 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Robert Laming
6-4
3-6
7-5
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Mr. Attridge
5-6
6-2
9-7
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
bye
Final
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edmund Henry Lacon-Watson
6-3
5-6
6-5
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Alfred Robert Lewis
6-3
4-6
6-3
6-4
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Wilfred Milne
4-6
7-5
3-6
6-3
6-0
Quarterfinals
Toler Roberts Garvey 1 *
William C. Taylor
8-6
6-4
2-6
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur John Stanley
6-3
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Frederick Alexander Bowlby 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
2-6
6-2
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
H.C. Lewin
6-0
6-1
6-2
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
C. Eden
6-0
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edward James Avory
3-6
5-6
6-5
6-1
7-5
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
George Ernest Dixon Brown
6-1
6-4
6-3
Final
Herbert Wilberforce 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-0
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Harold Stapylton Greenwell
6-4
6-3
6-5
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Alfred Penn Gaskell
6-1
3-6
6-1
6-5
Quarterfinals
Thomas Spread (Tom) Campion 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-4
6-5
5-6
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
C.E. Salmon
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-4
Quarterfinals
Henry (Harry) Grove 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-4
8-6
Round 1
George Arnulph Montgomerie 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
6-4
2-6
2-6
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Thomas Harrison Griffiths
4-6
6-1
ret.
Round 2
James Ernest (Ernest) Renshaw 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-3
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
R.H. Brereton
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
James Dwight 1 *
William C. Taylor
3-6
6-2
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Marmaduke Strickland Constable
8-6
6-1
6-4
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross
3-6
8-6
6-2
6-4
Semifinals
James Dwight 1 *
William C. Taylor
3-6
6-1
7-5
6-3
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
H.H. Barber
6-1
6-0
3-6
6-0
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
William Howard
6-1
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edward James Avory
7-5
7-5
6-3
Final
Ernest Wool Lewis 1 *
William C. Taylor
4-6
7-5
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Charles Prideaux Triscott 1 *
William C. Taylor
w.o.
Round 1
Henry (Harry) Grove 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
5-6
6-3
4-6
6-5
Round 2
Andrew Laurie Macfie 1 *
William C. Taylor
w.o.
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Henry (Harry) Grove
w.o.
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
G. Webster
4-6
6-5
9-7
Final
Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross 1 *
William C. Taylor
w.o.
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
B.E. Holmes
6-1
6-1
Round 3
William C. Taylor 1 *
Charles Hobson Marriott
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Thomas Robinson Grey
6-5
2-6
6-2
Semifinals
Eyre Chatterton 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
G.H. Taylor
6-5
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
E.W. Brook
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Ernest Wool Lewis 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-6
6-5
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Ernest Edward Knox
6-1
6-0
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Thomas Spread (Tom) Campion
6-2
6-2
Final
Herbert Knox McKay 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
7-5
6-2
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Ernest Money Wigram
6-1
6-3
6-1
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Patrick Bowes-Lyon
3-6
3-6
7-5
6-4
9-7
Quarterfinals
Herbert Chipp 1 *
William C. Taylor
10-8
6-1
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Joseph (José) Maria De Zulueta
6-0
6-1
6-0
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Harold S. Stone
4-6
6-1
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
P. Colley
6-0
6-0
6-4
Final
Edward Lake (Teddy) Williams 1 *
William C. Taylor
1-6
6-2
6-2
6-2
Round 1
Charles Hoadley Ashe Ross 1 *
William C. Taylor
5-6
6-3
6-2
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
P.W. Allen
6-1
6-1
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Henry (Harry) Grove
3-6
6-5
6-5
Round 3
William C. Taylor 1 *
G.E. Lowe
6-4
6-3
Quarterfinals
John Redfern Deykin 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
D. Basan
6-0
6-0
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
William Edward Martyn
6-5
0-6
6-5
Round 3
William C. Taylor 1 *
C.G. Day
6-1
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Charles Edward Pine-Coffin
6-4
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
Frederick Alexander Bowlby 1 *
William C. Taylor
4-6
6-2
4-6
9-7
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Thomas Barton Holmes
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
George E. Newby
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
Marmaduke Strickland Constable 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-4
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Wilfred Milne
2-6
6-4
1-6
6-1
6-3
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Francis Joseph Ridgway
6-0
6-4
6-1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Marmaduke Strickland Constable
6-3
6-5
5-6
4-6
6-3
Semifinals
Donald Charles Stewart 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-0
6-1
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Arthur Louis Keyser
6-1
6-2
5-6
6-5
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
F. Miles
6-2
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Captain Blane
6-3
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
bye
Final
Herbert Fortescue Lawford 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-0
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Rochfort Hyde Clark
w.o.
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
H.B. Parker
6-0
5-6
3-6
6-3
6-5
Semifinals
Wilfred Milne 1 *
William C. Taylor
7-5
4-6
2-6
6-3
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Frederick Charles Martin Whitehead
?
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
Montague Alfred Orgill
6-2
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
F. Durant
6-4
2-6
6-3
1-6
6-4
Final
William C. Taylor 1 *
Edward Lake (Teddy) Williams
8-6
6-2
3-6
6-3
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
B. Otter
6-2
6-5
Round 2
Augustus Adolphus Saint John Marriott Nepean 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-1
6-2
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Erskine Gerald Watson
6-5
6-2
Round 2
H. Nickoletts 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-5
6-4
Round 1
Michael Gallwey McNamara 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-4
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
J.G. Cooper
6-2
6-4
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
A. Pollock
4-6
6-5
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Edgar Lubbock 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-3
6-3
5-6
6-0
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
Humphrey Berkeley
6-3
6-0
Round 2
Frederick Lawrence Rawson 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
3-6
6-1
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
W. Codrington Eiers
2
sets
to
0
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
A.A. Berens
2
sets
to
0
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
Leopold James (Leo) Maxse
2
sets
to
0
Semifinals
Sidney Alfred Noon 1 *
William C. Taylor
2
sets
to
1
Round 1
J. Devans 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-2
6-2
6-3
Round 1
B. Follett 1 *
William C. Taylor
6-4
5-6
6-5
6-2
Round 1
William C. Taylor 1 *
E.P. Nicholls
?
Round 2
William C. Taylor 1 *
John George Chamberlain
2
sets
to
1
Quarterfinals
William C. Taylor 1 *
bye
Semifinals
Frederick Brunning Maddison 1 *
William C. Taylor
2
sets
to
1