Tennis at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's outdoor singles

Men's outdoor singles
Men's outdoor singles
Tennis at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Events
Outdoor
Indoor

Men's outdoor singles tennis
at the Games of the V Olympiad
Men's outdoor singles tennis; at the Games of the V Olympiad
	Charles Winslow
Venue	Östermalms IP
Dates	28 June – 5 July 1912
Competitors	49 from 12 nations
Medalists
	← 1908 1920 →

The (outdoor) men's singles competition at the 1912 Summer Olympics was part of the tennis program for the games. There were 49 competitors from 12 nations.^[1] Nations were limited to 8 players each.^[2] The event was won by Charles Winslow in an all-South African final over Harold Kitson; they were the nation's first medals in the men's singles. Oscar Kreuzer of Germany won the bronze-medal match against Bohemian Ladislav Žemla.

Background

This was the fifth appearance of the men's singles tennis. The event has been held at every Summer Olympics where tennis has been on the program: from 1896 to 1924 and then from 1988 to the current program. Demonstration events were held in 1968 and 1984. 1912 was the second and last time an indoor version was held concurrently.

The 1908 Official Report's recommendation to schedule Olympic tennis not so close to Wimbledon was not acted upon; indeed, the scheduling issue was worse in 1912. Rather than starting three days after the end of Wimbledon, the Olympic outdoor tennis events were now at the same time as Wimbledon. The indoor events, held in May, were thus attended by top-flight players, while the outdoor competitions were not.^[3]^[4]^[1]

Denmark, Norway, Russia, and Sweden each made their debut in the event. France and Germany both made their fourth appearance, tied for most among all nations.

Competition format

The competition was a single-elimination tournament with a bronze-medal match. All matches were best-of-five sets.

Schedule

The tournament was beset by withdrawals; there were 67 entries, necessitating drawing up a bracket for seven rounds, but only 49 men actually started.

Date	Time	Round
Friday, 28 June 1912		Round of 128 Round of 64
Saturday, 29 June 1912		Round of 128 Round of 64 Round of 32
Sunday, 30 June 1912		Round of 64 Round of 32
Monday, 1 July 1912		Round of 32 Round of 16
Tuesday, 2 July 1912		Quarterfinals
Wednesday, 3 July 1912		Quarterfinals Semifinals
Thursday, 4 July 1912		Semifinals Bronze medal match
Friday, 5 July 1912		Final

Draw

Key

Finals

Quarterfinals						Semifinals						Final (gold-medal match)

Harold Kitson (RSA)	6	6	6

Ludwig Salm (AUT)	2	2	4
						Harold Kitson (RSA)	2	6	6	4	6

						Ladislav Žemla (BOH)	6	3	2	6	3
Otto von Müller (GER)	4	5	4

Ladislav Žemla (BOH)	6	7	6
												Harold Kitson (RSA)	5	6	8	6

												Charles Winslow (RSA)	7	4	10	8
Charles Winslow (RSA)	6	6	8	4	6

Luis Heyden (GER)	2	4	10	6	3
						Charles Winslow (RSA)	9	7	6			Bronze-medal match

						Oscar Kreuzer (GER)	7	5	2
Arthur Zborzil (AUT)	4	3	2									Ladislav Žemla (BOH)	2	6	3	1

Oscar Kreuzer (GER)	6	6	6									Oscar Kreuzer (GER)	6	3	6	6

Top half

Section 1

First round	Second round						Third round				Fourth round

	H Leffler (SWE)	2	1	0
	H Kitson (RSA)	6	6	6
							H Kitson (RSA)	6	6	6
							F Möller (SWE)	2	2	3
	F Möller (SWE)
	J-P Samazeuilh (FRA)	w/o
											H Kitson (RSA)	6	6	6
											H Schomburgk (GER)	2	2	3
	R Spiess (GER)	2	6	3	6	6
	J Just (BOH)	6	3	6	3	1
							R Spiess (GER)	6	1	1
							H Schomburgk (GER)	8	6	4
	H Schomburgk (GER)
	J Montariol (FRA)	w/o

Section 2

First round	Second round				Third round						Fourth round

	W Boström (SWE)	6	6	6
	T Smith (NOR)	2	4	1
					W Boström (SWE)	5	4	1
					L Salm (AUT)	7	6	6
	R Peterson (NOR)	1	5	3
	L Salm (AUT)	6	7	6
											L Salm (AUT)	6	5	7	6
											C Wennergren (SWE)	3	7	5	1
	J Zeman (BOH)	1	0	0
	C Wennergren (SWE)	6	6	6
					C Wennergren (SWE)	4	9	6	6	6
					L Rovsing (DEN)	6	7	8	1	1
	L Rovsing (DEN)
	P Segner (HUN)	w/o

Section 3

First round	Second round				Third round					Fourth round

	V Hansen (DEN)
	Ö Schmid (HUN)	w/o
					V Hansen (DEN)	2	1	8	4
					B von Kehrling (HUN)	6	6	6	6
	C Kempe (SWE)	w/o
	B von Kehrling (HUN)
										B von Kehrling (HUN)	2	1	1
										O von Müller (GER)	6	6	6
	J Zsigmondy (HUN)
	H Liebisch (AUT)	w/o
					J Zsigmondy (HUN)	1	2	0
					O von Müller (GER)	6	6	6
	O von Müller (GER)	6	6	6
	O Frederiksen (DEN)	2	1	4

Section 4

First round				Second round						Third round						Fourth round

				H Planner von Plaun (AUT)	w/o
				R Bertrand (AUT)
										R Bertrand (AUT)	w/o
										L Žemla (BOH)
				A Hammacher (GER)	w/o
				L Žemla (BOH)
																L Žemla (BOH)	1	4	6	6	6
																L Tapscott (RSA)	6	6	2	4	2
				F Blanchy (FRA)	5	6	6	6
				B Hykš (BOH)	7	1	2	1
										F Blanchy (FRA)	6	7	3	4	4
J Kodl (BOH)	4	1	2							L Tapscott (RSA)	1	5	6	6	6
L Tapscott (RSA)	6	6	6	L Tapscott (RSA)	3	7	4	7	7
F Pipes (AUT)	6	6	6	F Pipes (AUT)	6	5	6	5	5
O Lindpaintner (GER)	2	3	3

Bottom half

Section 5

First round		Second round					Third round					Fourth round

A Thayssen (DEN)
K Ardelt (BOH)	w/o	A Thayssen (DEN)	6	6	3	6
		A Madsen (DEN)	1	3	6	3
							A Thayssen (DEN)	4	6	4	4
							C Winslow (RSA)	6	3	6	6
		C Winslow (RSA)	7	6	6
		E Frigast (DEN)	5	2	3
												C Winslow (RSA)	6	8	6
												V Ingerslev (DEN)	4	6	4
		T Grönfors (SWE)
		E Tóth (HUN)	w/o
							T Grönfors (SWE)	1	2	2
							V Ingerslev (DEN)	6	6	6
		J Arenholt (DEN)	2	6	0	4
		V Ingerslev (DEN)	6	1	6	6

Section 6

First round	Second round						Third round					Fourth round

	É Mény de Marangue (FRA)	9	6	2	5	1
	L Heyden (GER)	7	4	6	7	6
							L Heyden (GER)	6	4	7	7
							A Kelemen (HUN)	3	6	5	5
	L von Baráth (HUN)	1	3	4
	A von Kelemen (HUN)	6	6	6
												L Heyden (GER)	2	7	8	7
												T Pell (USA)	6	5	6	5
	A Canet (FRA)	6	6	6
	C Langaard (NOR)	3	0	1
							A Canet (FRA)	2	3	4
							T Pell (USA)	6	6	6
	P Gyula (HUN)
	T Pell (USA)	w/o

Section 7

First round	Second round					Third round				Fourth round

	W Stibolt (NOR)
	D Lawton (FRA)	w/o
						W Stibolt (NOR)	1	3	0
						J Šebek (BOH)	6	6	6
	J Šebek (BOH)
	O Froitzheim (GER)	w/o
										J Šebek (BOH)	1	0	6	2
										A Zborzil (AUT)	6	6	3	6
	K von Wessely (AUT)	w/o
	K Robětín (BOH)
						K Robětín (BOH)	4	2	1
						A Zborzil (AUT)	6	6	6
	A Zborzil (AUT)	6	6	1	6
	C Benckert (SWE)	2	4	6	3

Section 8

First round	Second round				Third round					Fourth round

	O Blom (NED)	3	3	6
	G Setterwall (SWE)	6	6	8
					G Setterwall (SWE)	2	3	13	2
					M Sumarokov (RUS)	6	6	11	6
	M Sumarokov (RUS)
	A Alenitsyn (RUS)	w/o
										M Sumarokov (RUS)	2	12	4	0
										O Kreuzer (GER)	6	10	6	6
	O Relly (AUT)	w/o
	B Angell (NOR)
					B Angell (NOR)	w/o
					O Kreuzer (GER)
	O Kreuzer (GER)	6	6	6
	H Bjørklund (NOR)	0	0	1

Results summary

Rank	Player	Nation	Round of 128	Round of 64	Round of 32	Round of 16	Quarterfinals	Semifinals	Final
	Charles Winslow	South Africa	Bye	E Frigast (DEN) W 7–5, 6–2, 6–3	A Thayssen (DEN) W 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4	V Ingerslev (DEN) W 6–4, 8–6, 6–4	L Heyden (GER) W 6–2, 6–4, 8–10, 4–6, 6–3	O Kreuzer (GER) W 9–7, 7–5, 6–2	H Kitson (RSA) W 7–5, 4–6, 10–8, 8–6
	Harold Kitson	South Africa	Bye	H Leffler (SWE) W 6–2, 6–1, 6–0	F Möller (SWE) W 6–2, 6–2, 6–3	H Schomburgk (GER) W 6–2, 6–2, 6–3	L Salm (AUT) W 6–2, 6–2, 6–4	L Žemla (BOH) W 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3	C Winslow (RSA) L 7–5, 4–6, 10–8, 8–6
	Oscar Kreuzer	Germany	Bye	H Bjørklund (NOR) W 6–0, 6–0, 6–1	B Angell (NOR) W w/o	M Sumarokov (RUS) W 6–2, 2–4, 6–4, 6–0	A Zborzil (AUT) W 6–4, 6–3, 6–2	C Winslow (RSA) L 9–7, 7–5, 6–2	L Žemla (BOH) W 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
4	Ladislav Žemla	Bohemia	Bye	A Hammacher (GER) W w/o	R Bertrand (AUT) W w/o	L Tapscott (RSA) W 6–1, 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–2	O von Müller (GER) W 6–4, 7–5, 6–4	H Kitson (RSA) L 2–6, 6–3, 6–2, 4–6, 6–3	O Kreuzer (GER) L 6–2, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1
5	Luis Maria Heyden	Germany	Bye	É Mény de Marangue (FRA) W 7–9, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–1	A Kelemen (HUN) W 6–3, 4–6, 7–5, 7–5	T Pell (USA) W 2–6, 7–5, 8–6, 7–5	C Winslow (RSA) L 6–2, 6–4, 8–10, 4–6, 6–3	did not advance
	Otto von Müller	Germany	Bye	O Frederiksen (DEN) W 6–2, 6–1, 6–4	J Zsigmondy (HUN) W 6–1, 6–2, 6–0	B von Kehrling (HUN) W 6–2, 6–1, 6–1	L Žemla (BOH) L 6–4, 7–5, 6–4	did not advance
	Ludwig von Salm-Hoogstraeten	Austria	Bye	R Peterson (NOR) W 6–1, 7–5, 6–3	W Boström (SWE) W 7–5, 6–4, 6–1	C Wennergren (SWE) W 6–3, 5–7, 7–5, 6–1	H Kitson (RSA) L 6–2, 6–2, 6–4	did not advance
	Arthur Zborzil	Austria	Bye	C Benckert (SWE) W 6–2, 6–4, 1–6, 6–3	K Robětín (BOH) W 6–4, 6–2, 6–1	J Šebek (BOH) W 6–1, 6–0, 3–6, 6–2	O Kreuzer (GER) L 6–4, 6–3, 6–2	did not advance
9	Vagn Ingerslev	Denmark	Bye	J Arenholt (DEN) W 6–2, 1–6, 6–0, 6–4	T Grönfors (SWE) W 6–1, 6–2, 6–2	C Winslow (RSA) L 6–4, 8–6, 6–4	did not advance
	Béla von Kehrling	Hungary	Bye	C Kempe (SWE) W w/o	V Hansen (DEN) W 6–2, 6–1, 6–8, 6–4	O von Müller (GER) L 6–2, 6–1, 6–1	did not advance
	Theodore Pell	United States	Bye	P Gyula (HUN) W w/o	A Canet (FRA) W 6–2, 6–3, 6–4	L Heyden (GER) L 2–6, 7–5, 8–6, 7–5	did not advance
	Heinrich Schomburgk	Germany	Bye	J Montariol (FRA) W w/o	R Spiess (GER) W 8–6, 6–1, 6–4	H Kitson (RSA) L 6–2, 6–2, 6–3	did not advance
	Josef Šebek	Bohemia	Bye	O Froitzheim (SWE) W w/o	W Stibolt (NOR) W 6–1, 6–3, 6–0	A Zborzil (AUT) L 6–1, 6–0, 3–6, 6–2	did not advance
	Mikhail Sumarokov-Elston	Russia	Bye	A Alenitsyn (RUS) W w/o	G Setterwall (SWE) W 6–2, 6–3, 3–5, 6–2	O Kreuzer (GER) L 6–2, 2–4, 6–4, 6–0	did not advance
	Lionel Tapscott	South Africa	J Kodl (BOH) W 6–4, 6–1, 6–2	F Pipes (AUT) W 3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 7–5, 7–5	F Blanchy (FRA) W 1–6, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4	L Žemla (BOH) L 6–1, 6–4, 2–6, 4–6, 6–2	did not advance
	Charles Wennergren	Sweden	Bye	J Zeman (BOH) W 6–1, 6–0, 6–0	L Rovsing (DEN) W 4–6, 9–7, 6–8, 6–1, 6–1	L Salm (AUT) L 6–3, 5–7, 7–5, 6–1	did not advance
17	François Blanchy	France	Bye	B Hykš (BOH) W 5–7, 6–1, 6–2, 6–1	L Tapscott (RSA) L 1–6, 5–7, 6–3, 6–4, 6–4	did not advance
	Wollmar Boström	Sweden	Bye	T Smith (NOR) W 6–2, 6–4, 6–1	L Salm (AUT) L 7–5, 6–4, 6–1	did not advance
	Albert Canet	France	Bye	C Langaard (NOR) W 6–3, 6–0, 6–1	T Pell (USA) L 6–2, 6–3, 6–4	did not advance
	Torsten Grönfors	Sweden	Bye	E Tóth (HUN) W w/o	V Ingerslev (DEN) L 6–1, 6–2, 6–2	did not advance
	Victor Hansen	Denmark	Bye	Ö Schmid (HUN) W w/o	B von Kehrling (HUN) L 6–2, 6–1, 6–8, 6–4	did not advance
	Aurél von Kelemen	Hungary	Bye	L von Baráth (HUN) W 6–1, 6–3, 6–4	L Heyden (GER) L 6–3, 4–6, 7–5, 7–5	did not advance
	Frans Möller	Sweden	Bye	J-P Samazeuilh (FRA) W w/o	H Kitson (RSA) L 6–2, 6–2, 6–3	did not advance
	Karel Robětín	Bohemia	Bye	K von Wessely (AUT) W w/o	A Zborzil (AUT) L 6–4, 6–2, 6–1	did not advance
	Leif Rovsing	Denmark	Bye	P Segner (HUN) W w/o	C Wennergren (SWE) L 4–6, 9–7, 6–8, 6–1, 6–1	did not advance
	Gunnar Setterwall	Sweden	Bye	O Blom (NED) W 6–3, 6–3, 8–6	M Sumarokov (RUS) L 6–2, 6–3, 3–5, 6–2	did not advance
	Robert Spiess	Germany	Bye	J Just (BOH) W 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1	H Schomburgk (GER) L 8–6, 6–1, 6–4	did not advance
	Willem Stibolt	Norway	Bye	D Lawton (FRA) W w/o	J Šebek (BOH) L 6–1, 6–3, 6–0	did not advance
	Axel Thayssen	Denmark	K Ardelt (BOH) W w/o	A Madsen (DEN) W 6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3	C Winslow (RSA) L 6–4, 3–6, 6–4, 6–4	did not advance
	Jenő Zsigmondy	Hungary	Bye	H Liebisch (AUT) W w/o	O von Müller (GER) L 6–1, 6–2, 6–0	did not advance
31	Jørgen Arenholt	Denmark	Bye	V Ingerslev (DEN) L 6–2, 1–6, 6–0, 6–4	did not advance
	Leó von Baráth	Hungary	Bye	A von Kelemen (HUN) L 6–1, 6–3, 6–4	did not advance
	Curt Benckert	Sweden	Bye	A Zborzil (AUT) L 6–2, 6–4, 1–6, 6–3	did not advance
	Herman Bjørklund	Norway	Bye	O Kreuzer (GER) L 6–0, 6–0, 6–1	did not advance
	Otto Blom	Netherlands	Bye	G Setterwall (SWE) L 6–3, 6–3, 8–6	did not advance
	Trygve Smith	Norway	Bye	W Boström (SWE) L 6–2, 6–4, 6–1	did not advance
	Ove Frederiksen	Denmark	Bye	O von Müller (GER) L 6–2, 6–1, 6–4	did not advance
	Ernst Frigast	Denmark	Bye	C Winslow (RSA) L 7–5, 6–2, 6–3	did not advance
	Bohuslav Hykš	Bohemia	Bye	F Blanchy (FRA) L 5–7, 6–1, 6–2, 6–1	did not advance
	Jaroslav Just	Bohemia	Bye	R Spiess (GER) L 2–6, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3, 6–1	did not advance
	Conrad Langaard	Norway	Bye	A Canet (FRA) L 6–3, 6–0, 6–1	did not advance
	Hakon Leffler	Sweden	Bye	H Kitson (RSA) L 6–2, 6–1, 6–0	did not advance
	Aage Madsen	Denmark	Bye	A Thayssen (DEN) L 6–1, 6–3, 3–6, 6–3	did not advance
	Édouard Mény de Marangue	France	Bye	L Heyden (GER) L 7–9, 4–6, 6–2, 7–5, 6–1	did not advance
	Richard Peterson	Norway	Bye	L Salm (AUT) L 6–1, 7–5, 6–3	did not advance
	Felix Pipes	Austria	O Lindpaintner (GER) W 6–2, 6–3, 6–3	L Tapscott (RSA) L 3–6, 7–5, 4–6, 7–5, 7–5	did not advance
	Jaromír Zeman	Bohemia	Bye	C Wennergren (SWE) L 6–1, 6–0, 6–0	did not advance
48	Jiří Kodl	Bohemia	L Tapscott (RSA) L 6–4, 6–1, 6–2	did not advance
48	Otto Lindpaintner	Germany	F Pipes (AUT) L 6–2, 6–3, 6–3	did not advance
—	Aleksandr Alenitsyn	Russia	Bye	M Sumarokov (RUS) L w/o	did not advance
	Bjarne Angell	Norway	Bye	O Relly (AUT) W w/o	O Kreuzer (GER) L w/o	did not advance
	Karel Ardelt	Bohemia	A Thayssen (DEN) L w/o	did not advance
	Rudolf Bertrand	Austria	Bye	H Planner von Plaun (AUT) W w/o	L Žemla (BOH) L w/o	did not advance
	Paller Gyula	Hungary	Bye	T Pell (USA) L w/o	did not advance
	Otto Froitzheim	Germany	Bye	J Šebek (BOH) L w/o	did not advance
	Adolf Hammacher	Bohemia	Bye	L Žemla (GER) L w/o	did not advance
	Carl Kempe	Sweden	Bye	B von Kehrling (HUN) L w/o	did not advance
	Daniel Lawton	France	Bye	W Stibolt (NOR) L w/o	did not advance
	Hermann Liebisch	Austria	Bye	J Zsigmondy (HUN) L w/o	did not advance
	Jean Montariol	France	Bye	H Schomburgk (GER) L w/o	did not advance
	Herbert Planner von Plaun	Austria	Bye	R Bertrand (AUT) L w/o	did not advance
	Otto Relly	Austria	Bye	B Angell (NOR) L w/o	did not advance
	Jean-Pierre Samazeuilh	France	Bye	F Möller (SWE) L w/o	did not advance
	Ödön Schmid	Hungary	Bye	V Hansen (DEN) L w/o	did not advance
	Pál Segner	Hungary	Bye	L Rovsing (DEN) L w/o	did not advance
	Ede Tóth	Hungary	Bye	T Grönfors (SWE) L w/o	did not advance
	Kurt von Wessely	Austria	Bye	K Robětín (BOH) L w/o	did not advance

References

^ ^a ^b "Singles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 18 December 2020.
^ Official Report, p. 65.
^ Official Report, p. 618
^ Official Report, p. 630.

Bergvall, Erik, ed. (1913). The Official Report of the Olympic Games of Stockholm 1912 (PDF). Translated by Adams-Ray, Edward. Stockholm: Wahlström & Widstrand.
Wudarski, Pawel (1999). "Wyniki Igrzysk Olimpijskich" (in Polish). Retrieved 25 July 2007.
ITF, 2008 Olympic Tennis Event Media Guide

[Olympedia-1] "Singles, Men". Olympedia. Retrieved 18 December 2020.

[OR65-2] Official Report, p. 65.

[OR618-3] Official Report, p. 618

[OR630-4] Official Report, p. 630.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Olympic tennis men's singles champions
Demonstration	1968: Manuel Santana (ESP) 1984: Stefan Edberg (SWE)
Indoor	1908: Arthur Gore (GBR) 1912: André Gobert (FRA)
Outdoor	1896: John Pius Boland (GBR) 1900: Laurence Doherty (GBR) 1904: Beals Wright (USA) 1908: Major Ritchie (GBR) 1912: Charles Winslow (RSA) 1920: Louis Raymond (RSA) 1924: Vincent Richards (USA) 1988: Miloslav Mečíř (TCH) 1992: Marc Rosset (SUI) 1996: Andre Agassi (USA) 2000: Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) 2004: Nicolás Massú (CHI) 2008: Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2012: Andy Murray (GBR) 2016: Andy Murray (GBR) 2020: Alexander Zverev (GER) 2024: Novak Djokovic (SRB)