John Alfred Thomas
Horn
Male
Ireland
1931-11-06
Plaistow, London, England
2001-08-26
Dublin, Ireland
From The Irish Times, 29 August 2001:
Obituary
John Horn, arguably Ireland’s first known professional tennis coach, has died at the age of 69. He enjoyed a huge influence on generations of Irish tennis players from the late 1950s to the mid-1970s. Born in London on November 6th, 1931, Horn was an outstanding prospect as a junior player, a fact illustrated by his back-to-back successes at Junior Wimbledon in 1948 and 1949. Despite winning a plethora of titles at local level, he never quite fulfilled that potential and in the mid 1950s he came to Ireland, foregoing a playing career for that of coaching.
Horn was widely sought after by both clubs and individuals and coached at two of the top tennis schools of that era, Gormanston and Our Lady’s, Rathnew. He coached most of the top of Irish players before the American College scholarships lured a generation.
Horn was a very personable and easy-going character, noted for his constant good humour. He did not completely turn his back on playing: indeed he represented Ireland at veterans’ level and was a formidable doubles player. A younger generation would have recalled his sharp and incisive anaylsis as part of RTE television’s Wimbledon commentary. His quiet voice was a reminder of byegone summers.
1949 - 1967
24
169
108
1967 - Slazenger Professional (Professional)
1956 - North of England Hardcourts (Open)
1955 - South of Scotland Championships (Amateur)
1955 - Southport Hardcourts (Amateur)
1954 - Worcestershire Championships (Amateur)
1953 - Cheltenham (Amateur)
1953 - Worcestershire Championships (Amateur)
1953 - Durham County Championships (Amateur)
1953 - Moseley (Amateur)
1953 - Framlingham (Amateur)
1953 - Falmouth (Amateur)
1953 - Winchester (Amateur)
1953 - Glamorgan (Amateur)
1953 - Nice LTC Winter Cup (Amateur)
1953 - Tunbridge Wells (Open)
1952 - Lee-on-Solent (Open)
1952 - Budleigh Salterton (Amateur)
1952 - Falmouth (Amateur)
1952 - Herga Club (Amateur)
1952 - Harpenden (Amateur)
1952 - Worcestershire Championships (Amateur)
1951 - Falmouth (Amateur)
1950 - Cromer Covered Courts (Amateur)
1949 - Buxton (Amateur)
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Robert Gay
7-5
6-2
6-3
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
K. Cowell
6-2
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
P. Thompson
6-1
6-1
6-1
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
McAdam Walker
6-4
6-2
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Charles R. (Charlie) Applewhaite
3-6
6-3
6-3
9-7
6-4
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
P. Thompson
6-0
6-2
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
D.B. Nicholls
6-1
6-1
6-0
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
John Crooke
7-5
5-7
7-5
6-1
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
William John (Bill) Moss
4-6
7-5
6-3
6-2
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Dieter Gruhlke
6-0
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
R.A. Fish
6-0
6-0
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Stefan I. Laszlo
6-2
6-4
Round 4
John Horn 1 *
F. Humar
6-0
ret.
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Michael Evans
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn 1 *
John Horn
7-5
1-6
6-3
Round 1
Lew Hoad 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-2
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Servaaf G. Parlevliet
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Ashley Cooper 1 *
John Horn
6-2
7-5
6-3
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
H. Walther
6-2
6-0
6-1
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Charles Roupell
6-3
6-3
6-3
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Ahmed Khan Noor
6-3
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Jean Sellier
6-4
6-1
7-5
Semifinals
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn 1 *
John Horn
6-1
6-1
6-4
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Hans Redl
6-2
6-3
6-1
Round 2
Ivor James Warwick 1 *
John Horn
10-8
6-2
6-1
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
David Gunson
6-4
6-4
Final
John Horn 1 *
Michael Preston (Mike) Hann
7-5
4-6
6-4
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
G. Shelton
6-1
6-4
6-1
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
D.M. Rundle
4-6
6-3
4-6
7-5
6-1
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
S. Billard
6-1
6-0
6-1
Quarterfinals
William John (Bill) Moss 1 *
John Horn
4-6
7-5
7-5
3-6
7-5
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
T.M. Stocker
6-0
6-1
Round 3
Bruce Gulley 1 *
John Horn
7-5
9-7
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Jack D. Forbes
6-3
6-4
6-2
Round 2
Staffan Stockenberg 1 *
John Horn
6-3
4-0
ret.
Final
John Horn 1 *
Tadeusz A. (Ted) Slawek
6-0
6-3
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
John M. Melhuish
3-6
6-4
8-6
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Khwaja Saeed-Hai
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
Mal Anderson 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Alan Mills
2-6
7-5
6-4
Final
Donald C. (Don) Hamilton Jr 1 *
John Horn
3-6
7-5
6-4
Semifinals
Jaroslav Drobny 1 *
John Horn
8-6
6-8
6-3
Final
John A. Barry 1 *
John Horn
6-3
6-0
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Cuthbert Collingwood (Teddy) Tinling
6-1
9-7
Round 2
Bobby Wilson 1 *
John Horn
9-7
6-1
Poule
John Horn 1 *
Philippe Chatrier
6-4
3-6
6-1
Poule
John Horn 1 *
Xavier Perreau-Saussine
7-9
6-3
6-1
Poule
John Horn 1 *
Gérard Pilet
6-3
6-3
Final
Islam Ahmad 1 *
John Horn
8-6
6-0
Round 3
T.B. Hughes 1 *
John Horn
7-5
6-4
Poule
John Horn 1 *
Colin V. Baxter
6-4
3-6
6-1
Final
John Horn 1 *
David Samaai
6-2
8-6
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Dimitri (Tim) Sturdza
6-0
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Donald Black 1 *
John Horn
3-6
4-6
7-5
7-5
8-6
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Beppo Pottinger
2-6
6-3
6-4
Quarterfinals
Paul Remy 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Czeslaw Spychala
6-1
16-14
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
George Hannam
6-0
6-1
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
S.A. Rauf
6-2
6-0
Quarterfinals
Enrique Jorge (Ricky) Morea 1 *
John Horn
4-6
8-6
6-4
Semifinals
Naresh Kumar 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Jean Noel Grinda
6-0
6-2
Semifinals
Dragutin Mitic 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Jose Maria Draper Torres
6-2
6-4
Round 4
Rolando Del Bello 1 *
John Horn
4-6
7-5
6-4
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
P.V. Willford
6-4
2-6
6-4
Quarterfinals
Geoff Paish 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-1
Round 4
Orlando Sirola 1 *
John Horn
7-5
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Rupert William Ferdinands
6-2
6-0
Final
John Horn 1 *
Ignacy Tloczynski
6-3
6-3
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
John Laurence (Jack) Deloford
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
C.J. Day
6-3
6-3
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
B.R. Rumball
6-2
6-3
Final
John Horn 1 *
Geoffrey L. Ward
4-6
6-3
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
N. Lo
6-4
7-5
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
A.A. Pierce
6-3
6-1
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
J. Barry Green
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Donald Black 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Final
Jack Arkinstall 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-1
Final
John Horn 1 *
Donald Black
2-6
6-4
6-4
Final
John Horn 1 *
J.A. Mantle
8-6
14-12
Quarterfinals
Francis Nys 1 *
John Horn
9-7
4-6
6-4
Final
John Horn 1 *
Ernest Wittman
6-2
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Tony Starte
6-4
0-6
6-4
Final
John Horn 1 *
L. Garfoe
6-3
0-6
8-6
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Petko Milojković (Milojkovic)
6-0
6-2
6-4
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Trevor Fancutt
6-4
6-3
7-9
6-3
Round 3
Budge Patty 1 *
John Horn
6-1
6-1
6-1
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Colin William Hannam
11-9
6-3
3-6
3-6
6-1
Quarterfinals
Ian Ayre 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-1
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Naresh Kumar
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
Ham Richardson 1 *
John Horn
7-5
4-6
6-3
Round 2
Bernard Easterbrook Crouch 1 *
John Horn
7-5
7-5
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
Martin Hime
6-4
6-4
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
R. Ekblom
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Brian Woodroffe 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Clifford Joseph (Cliff) Hovell
6-2
3-6
7-5
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Donald Butler
6-0
6-4
Quarterfinals
Owen Gordon Williams 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-0
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Norman Dale
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Ignacy Tloczynski
6-4
6-3
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
Gerald Davies (Gerry) Oakley
6-2
7-5
Final
Tony Mottram 1 *
John Horn
3-6
6-1
6-0
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
D.J. Needham
6-3
6-0
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Ignacy Tloczynski
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn
6-2
6-3
Final
John Horn 1 *
Don Tregonning
6-4
1-6
6-3
Semifinals
Ivo Rinkel 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Colin Hardy
6-1
6-0
Quarterfinals
Francis J. Wallis 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-4
Round 2
Derek Capell 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-1
Final
John Horn 1 *
Tony Starte
10-8
7-5
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
G.H. Glass
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
A.L. Graeme
7-5
6-1
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
Colin William Hannam
0-6
6-2
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
Norman Rollinson (Tim) Lewis
6-2
6-3
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Martin Hime
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn 1 *
John Horn
6-3
4-6
6-4
Quarterfinals
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn 1 *
John Horn
7-5
7-5
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
J.B. Shields
2-6
6-4
6-0
Quarterfinals
Eric Sturgess 1 *
John Horn
3-6
6-1
8-6
Final
John Horn 1 *
Adel Ismail
6-2
6-0
Final
Don Tregonning 1 *
John Horn
7-5
6-1
Round 3
John Horn 1 *
J.L. Purnell
8-10
6-2
6-3
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Robin Kipping
6-2
10-8
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
Tony Starte
6-1
6-3
Final
Czeslaw Spychala 1 *
John Horn
3-6
6-3
6-0
Final
John Horn 1 *
David D. Warwick
6-2
7-5
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Malcolm D. MacLagan
6-1
6-1
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
I.B. Leckie
3-6
6-0
6-1
Final
John Horn 1 *
Ulf Schmidt
6-8
6-4
10-8
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Douglas Herman Scharenguivel
6-2
6-1
3-6
7-5
Round 2
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
John Horn
6-4
6-0
6-4
Round 2
Jacques Thomas 1 *
John Horn
6-2
5-7
4-6
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Percy Rosberg 1 *
John Horn
2-6
6-1
9-7
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Stanley (Stan) Davidson
6-3
9-11
6-4
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Arthur Gordon (Paddy) Roberts
4-6
6-1
6-1
Semifinals
John W. (Peter) Cawthorn 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
John Barrett
13-11
6-3
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Roland E. Carter
6-0
6-0
Semifinals
John Horn 1 *
Gerald Davies (Gerry) Oakley
6-1
6-3
Final
Tony Mottram 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-3
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Arthur Gordon (Paddy) Roberts
6-4
6-4
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Gerald Davies (Gerry) Oakley
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
Tony Mottram 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-3
Final
John Horn 1 *
J.H. Nelson
6-0
6-0
Final
Geoff Paish 1 *
John Horn
8-6
2-6
6-4
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
I.B. Leckie
7-5
6-1
Quarterfinals
Torsten Johansson 1 *
John Horn
16-14
7-5
Round 1
Eric Sturgess 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-2
6-0
Round 1
Art Larsen 1 *
John Horn
6-3
6-4
6-3
Round 1
Gerald Joseph (Jerry) Evert 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-0
Round 2
Ivo Rinkel 1 *
John Horn
6-3
5-7
6-2
Round 3
Roland E. Carter 1 *
John Horn
7-5
6-3
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Mr. Mahmud
6-0
6-0
6-0
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Enes Talay
6-0
4-6
6-3
9-7
Round 3
Irvin Dorfman 1 *
John Horn
6-3
6-2
4-6
6-2
Round 1
John Horn 1 *
Stephen G. F. Nimr
6-2
2-6
6-3
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Arthur Gordon (Paddy) Roberts
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Geoff Brown 1 *
John Horn
6-1
6-2
Final
John Horn 1 *
George Godsell
6-3
6-2
Round 1
Howard Francis Walton 1 *
John Horn
6-1
6-2
6-2
Round 2
John Horn 1 *
Arthur J. Gould
7-5
6-1
Quarterfinals
Gardnar Mulloy 1 *
John Horn
6-0
6-2
Quarterfinals
Jaroslav Drobny 1 *
John Horn
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
John Horn 1 *
Arthur J. Gould
6-4
8-6
Semifinals
Geoff Brown 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-4
Final
John Horn 1 *
George Godsell
6-3
6-3
Final
Claude Frederick Owen Lister 1 *
John Horn
6-2
6-1