Tennis
Here are some of Russia's earliest recorded tennis results and the Krestovsky Lawn Tennis Club and early associated players who launched the sport in Russia. It has a British twist to its roots.
George Wassilievich Bray, is considered to be the "First" Russian Champion of tennis. He was tied to the Krestovsky Lawn Tennis Club. Between 1913-1917 he was the Vice-President, Director of Russian-English Bank (St. Petersburg) and treasurer of Krestovsky Lawn Tennis Club.
He won the following honours, (which can be found in records): Singles: 1902-1909 - Championship of Moscow 1904-1906 - Championship of St. Petersburg 1907 - First Russian Championship 1908 - Championship of St. Petersburg 1909 - Russian Championship Doubles: 1901, 1907 - Championship of Moscow, with A. Petrokokino 1904 - Championship of St. Petersburg, with A. Petrokokino 1906 - Championship of St. Petersburg, with G. Bears, 1906, 1907 - Championship of St. Petersburg, with A. Petrokokino 1908, 1909 - Championship of Moscow, with his brother V. Bray 1908-1911 - Championship of St. Petersburg, V. Bray, 1914 - Championship of Moscow, with Robert A. Macpherson. Another Russian tennis player, but with British roots is Robert A. Macpherson, with whom George Bray won the 1914 Moscow doubles. Bray emigrated to the UK during the Russian Revolution.
Some interesting and epoque-reflecting notes on Robert A. Macpherson, the frequent partner and co-champion with Bray. He was the son of Arthur Macpherson whose ancestors came to Russia in the early 19th century. Arthur Macpherson (1870–1919) was himself the originator of the Krestovsky Lawn Tennis Club as well as the first chairman of the All-Russian Union of lawn-tennis clubs (1903–1917), Football Union (1912–1913) and member of Russian Olympic Committee (1911–1913).
When World War I started, Robert Macpherson and his elder brother Arthur joined British Army (they were British subjects) in 1915.
In May 1916 Robert Macpherson as a Second Lieutenant, 8th Cameron Highlanders was in the Staff of Lord Kitchener during his visit to Russia on board of H.M.S. Hampshire. On June 6, 1916 H.M.S. Hampshire was sunk to the West Orkney. Nobody survived. Robert Macpherson was 19.
Read more about this topic: Krestovsky Island
Famous quotes containing the word tennis:
“Like Olympic medals and tennis trophies, all they signified was that the owner had done something of no benefit to anyone more capably than everyone else.”
—Joseph Heller (b. 1923)
“The boneless quality of English conversation, which, so far as I have heard it, is all form and no content. Listening to Britons dining out is like watching people play first-class tennis with imaginary balls.”
—Margaret Halsey (b. 1910)
“[My one tennis book] was very, very old. It had a picture of Bill Tilden. I looked at the picture and that was how I learned to hold the racket.”
—Maria Bueno (b. 1939)