John Van Ryn
FullnameJohn William Van Ryn
Birth dateJune 30, 1905
Birth placeNewport News, Virginia, United States
Death dateAugust 7, 1999 (aged 94)
Death placePalm Beach, Florida, United States
Turnedpro1923 (amateur tour)
Retired1945
PlaysRight-handed (1-handed backhand)
Tennishofyear1963
Tennishofidjohn-van-ryn
Singlesrecord135-70
Singlestitles10
HighestsinglesrankingNo. 8 (1929, A. Wallis Myers)[1]
Australianopenresult2R (1933)
FrenchopenresultQF (1931)
WimbledonresultQF (1931)
UsopenresultQF (1929, 1930, 1931, 1936, 1937)
FrenchopendoublesresultW (1931)
WimbledondoublesresultW (1929, 1930, 1931)
UsopendoublesresultW (1931, 1935)
Mixedyes
Wimbledonmixedresult4R (1936)

John Van Ryn (June 30, 1905 – August 7, 1999) was an American tennis champion of the 1930s. He was primarily known as the doubles partner of Wilmer Allison.

Van Ryn won the Seabright Invitational in New Jersey in 1928, defeating Wilmer Allison in the final, Allison retiring at 10-10 in the fifth set. That same year he won the Pennsylvania Lawn Tennis Championships at the Merion Cricket club defeating Frank Shields in the final in three straight sets.

In 1929 he defeated Bill Tilden in the final of the Brooklyn Heights Casino Indoor Invitation in three straight sets.

In 1930 Van Ryn won the Mason & Dixon Tournament at The Greenbrier resort defeating Gregory Mangin in the quarterfinal in three straight sets, Frank Hunter in the semifinal in five sets, and Allison in the final in four sets.

He won the United North and South tournament at the Pinehurst Resort in 1931 defeating Clifford Sutter in the final in three straight sets. That same season he won the Brooklyn Heights Casino Indoor Invitation defeating Frank Shields in the final in three straight sets.

Van Ryn won the Men's Doubles at Wimbledon three straight years (1929–31). He took two of the titles with Wilmer Allison and won the third with George Lott. In 1931, he was also successful with Lott at the French Championships. He became the first male player to win the French, British and American doubles titles when he won the 1931 U.S. National Championships with Allison.[2] Van Ryn had an excellent record when he competed for the United States in Davis Cup, winning 22 of 24 encounters in a period of eight years. He was inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame in 1963.[3]

On 22 October 1930 he married tennis player Midge Gladman.[4]

Grand Slam finals

Doubles (6 titles, 5 runners-up)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1929WimbledonGrassWilmer AllisonIan Collins
Colin Gregory
6–4, 5–7, 6–3, 10–12, 6–4
Win1930WimbledonGrassWilmer AllisonJohn Doeg
George Lott
6–3, 6–3, 6–2
Loss1930US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonJohn Doeg
George Lott
6–8, 3–6, 6–3, 15–13, 4–6
Win1931French ChampionshipsClayGeorge LottVernon Kirby
Norman Farquharson
6–4, 6–3, 6–4
Win1931WimbledonGrassGeorge LottJacques Brugnon
Henri Cochet
6–2, 10–8, 9–11, 3–6, 6–3
Win1931US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonBerkeley Bell
Gregory Mangin
6–4, 6–3, 6–2
Loss1932US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonKeith Gledhill
Ellsworth Vines
4–6, 3–6, 2–6
Loss1934US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonGeorge Lott
Lester Stoefen
4–6, 7–9, 6–3, 4–6
Loss1935WimbledonGrassWilmer AllisonJack Crawford
Adrian Quist
3–6, 7–5, 2–6, 7–5, 5–7
Win1935US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonDon Budge
Gene Mako
6–2, 6–3, 2–6, 3–6, 6–1
Loss1936US National ChampionshipsGrassWilmer AllisonDon Budge
Gene Mako
4–6, 2–6, 4–6

References

  1. ^ Béla Kehrling (ed.) (October 10, 1929). "Wallis Meyers a világ legjobb tenniszezőiről" [Wallis Myers on the best players of the world] (in Hungarian). Tennisz és Golf. I (11): 262–263. Budapest, Hungary: Bethlen Gábor irod. és Nyomdai Rt. Retrieved December 11, 2012.
  2. ^ Irving Wright (ed.) (1932). The Wright & Ditson Officially Adopted Lawn Tennis Guide for 1932. New York: American Sports Publishing. p. 13.
  3. ^ "Player Profile John Van Ryn". International Tennis Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on October 7, 2014. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  4. ^ "Outstanding Tennis Player To Marry". The Stanford Daily. No. 17. AP. October 23, 1930. p. 2.