William Marquitz (Bill)
Johnston
Male
United States of America
1894-11-02
San Francisco, United States of America
1946-05-01
San Francisco, United States of America
"Little Bill" William Marquitz Johnston was born the son of Robert Johnston, an electrical plant mechanic and Margaret Burns, of Irish origin. Bill started to play tennis in early 1906, aged eleven, on the public asphalt courts in Golden Gate Park. After the 1906 San Francisco earthquake the schools were closed and he spent much of his spare time practicing on the tennis courts. He achieved his first tournament victory at the 1910 Bay Counties junior singles competition.
In 1916 Johnston won the Cincinnati Open (now Cincinnati Masters) after Clarence Griffin defaulted in the Challenge Round. Johnston won the Longwood Challenge Cup, played on the Longwood Courts at Chestnut Hill, MA in 1913, 1916, 1919, 1920 and 1921.
Until "Big Bill" Tilden began to defeat him regularly in 1920, Johnston had been the best American player for a number of years and was ranked No.1 by the United States Lawn Tennis Association in 1915 and 1919.
His been the most popular American player of his era, William “Little Bill” Johnston contributed to seven consecutive U.S. Davis Cup triumphs, and garnered a top ten American ranking 12 times between 1913 and 1926.
Perhaps the smallest male champion in history at 120 pounds, he nevertheless used his potent western forehand to beat “Big Bill” Tilden in the final of the 1919 U.S. Championships.
Four years later, he ruled at Wimbledon. He twice secured the No. 1 ranking in his nation.
Johnston was renowned for the power and deadliness of his forehand drive, which he hit shoulder-high with a Western grip, and which was universally considered the best forehand of all time until the advent of Pancho Segura and his two-handed forehand in the late 1940s.
Bill Johnston was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1958.
1910 - 1927
41
201
168
1927 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1926 - Central California Championships (Open)
1926 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1925 - Mexican Championships (Open)
1925 - Central California Championships (Open)
1925 - Newport Casino (Amateur)
1925 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1924 - Ambassador Hotel Invitation Tournament (Amateur)
1924 - Newport Casino (Amateur)
1923 - Wimbledon (Grandslam)
1923 - Seabright Invitational (Amateur)
1923 - World Hardcourt Championships (Amateur)
1923 - Kent Championships (Open)
1922 - Newport Casino (Amateur)
1922 - Seabright Invitational (Amateur)
1922 - Central California Championships (Open)
1922 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1921 - Longwood Bowl (Amateur)
1921 - Seabright Invitational (Amateur)
1921 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1920 - Longwood Bowl (Amateur)
1920 - Queens Club Tournament (ATP)
1919 - US Open (Grandslam)
1919 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1919 - US Clay Courts (Open)
1919 - Northwestern Championships (Amateur)
1919 - Longwood Bowl (Amateur)
1917 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1917 - California State Championship (Open)
1916 - Cincinnati (ATP)
1916 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1915 - US Open (Grandslam)
1914 - Orient Championship (Amateur)
1914 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1913 - Ojai Championships (Open)
1913 - Pacific Coast Championship (Amateur)
1912 - Ojai Championships (Open)
1912 - Washington State Championships (Open)
1912 - Oregon State Championships (Open)
1912 - California State Championship (Open)
1912 - British Columbia Championship (Open)
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
George King
7-5
6-3
7-5
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clifford B. Marsh Jr.
6-1
6-4
7-5
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Jack Wright
6-4
6-4
6-4
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Jacques (Toto) Brugnon
3-6
6-2
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Rene Lacoste 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-2
2-6
6-4
6-1
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
John Doeg
8-6
4-6
6-2
5-7
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Gerald Stratford
5-7
6-3
6-2
5-7
6-2
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Leon S. Baker
6-2
6-4
6-1
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dr Cranston William Holman
w.o.
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Edward (Eddie) Jacobs
6-2
6-3
8-6
Quarterfinals
Jean Borotra 1 *
Bill Johnston
3-6
4-6
6-3
6-4
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-2
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Takeichi Harada 1 *
Bill Johnston
10-8
2-6
6-0
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-3
4-6
ret.
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Horace G. Orser
6-2
6-3
6-3
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Leon de Turenne
6-0
6-4
10-8
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
George Lott
6-0
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Manuel Alonso
6-3
6-8
6-1
6-2
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
7-5
6-3
6-2
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
4-6
11-9
6-3
4-6
6-3
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
6-3
9-7
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Manuel Alonso
9-7
6-4
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Brian Norton
6-3
6-3
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-3
6-2
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elmer Griffin
6-3
6-2
6-2
Round 2
George King 1 *
Bill Johnston
7-9
6-1
6-4
Round 1
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Walter Kenneth Wesbrook
7-5
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Alfred H. Chapin Jr.
6-2
6-1
10-8
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
6-3
6-0
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harold Lincoln (Howard) Godshall
6-1
6-0
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
A.A. Seeligson
6-3
6-0
6-3
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Richard Schlesinger
6-3
6-3
6-3
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Wray D. Brown
6-2
6-1
6-1
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elmer Griffin
6-2
6-1
6-1
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Rene Lacoste
6-3
6-3
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Gerald Patterson
6-2
6-0
6-0
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-1
9-7
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harvey Burton Snodgrass
6-2
6-2
6-2
Final
Howard Kinsey 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
3-6
6-3
1-6
6-3
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Ralph Sindorf
6-2
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Walter Kenneth Wesbrook
6-3
5-7
6-1
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Raymond John (Ray) Casey
6-1
8-6
6-1
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Edward (Teddy) Higgs
6-4
6-2
6-1
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Ralph Douglas Watson
6-1
6-2
9-7
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Patrick Spence
6-0
6-1
6-4
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Vincent (Vinnie) Richards
6-4
6-3
7-5
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Cecil Campbell
6-1
5-7
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Brian Norton
6-4
6-2
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Frank Hunter
6-0
6-3
6-1
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Karl Slade Pfaffman
6-2
7-5
6-3
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
José María Alonso de Areyzaga
6-4
6-3
6-1
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
6-1
10-8
6-3
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Frank T. Anderson
8-6
6-1
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Frank Hunter
6-4
6-2
7-5
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
6-1
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
?
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harold Dickenson
6-0
8-6
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harold Lincoln (Howard) Godshall
6-2
6-0
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
6-1
5-7
6-3
Final
Harvey Burton Snodgrass 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
3-6
8-6
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Antoine (Coco) Gentien
6-4
4-6
7-5
6-4
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clemente Serventi
6-0
8-6
6-2
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Arthur Diemer Kool
6-3
6-2
4-6
6-4
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Leonce Aslangul
6-4
4-6
6-2
6-2
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Manuel De Gomar
6-3
6-2
6-1
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Rene Lacoste
6-4
8-10
6-4
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Jean Washer
4-6
6-2
6-2
4-6
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Donald Greig
6-2
6-3
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Craig Biddle
6-3
6-1
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Stanley W. Pearson
9-7
6-1
6-2
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
4-6
6-2
6-2
ret.
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Manuel Alonso
6-0
6-2
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Vincent (Vinnie) Richards
8-6
6-2
6-1
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
4-6
3-6
6-2
6-3
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Hugh G.M. Keller
6-1
6-3
6-2
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
6-1
6-1
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Bill Tilden
7-5
7-9
6-1
6-0
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-0
6-2
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Kinsey
6-0
6-1
6-2
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Hugh Garland Meem Kelleher
6-4
6-4
6-4
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Edward C. Hall
6-4
6-1
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Vincent (Vinnie) Richards
2-6
3-6
6-3
9-7
6-2
Round 4
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
4-6
7-5
6-4
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-4
6-2
3-6
8-6
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Willis Davis
6-2
6-1
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Roland Roberts
6-4
6-3
6-3
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dean Mathey
6-4
6-1
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Vincent (Vinnie) Richards
6-2
6-2
6-1
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-0
6-4
6-2
Final
Roland Roberts 1 *
Bill Johnston
2
sets
to
1
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
John Flavelle
6-2
6-4
6-2
Round 2
James Cecil Parke 1 *
Bill Johnston
7-5
2-6
6-2
8-6
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Carl Fischer
6-2
6-3
10-8
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Alfred D. Hammett
6-2
6-4
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
8-10
7-5
6-2
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-3
6-4
7-5
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Watson McLean (Watty) Washburn
6-4
6-4
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
George Colket Caner
6-3
4-6
8-6
6-4
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-1
1-6
7-5
5-7
6-3
Round 2
J.C. Mason 1 *
Bill Johnston
w.o.
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-4
6-0
6-0
Final
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-3
4-6
2-6
6-4
6-3
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Cunliffe Brooke-Leggatt
7-5
6-0
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Major Josiah George Ritchie
6-2
6-2
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Ambrose Dudley
6-1
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Bill Tilden
4-6
6-2
6-4
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Brian Norton
6-4
5-7
6-4
Semifinals
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Bill Johnston
1-6
8-6
7-5
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harry Brunie
6-1
6-1
6-1
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Gustave Adolphe Léon Dionne
6-2
7-5
6-8
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Henry S. Parker
6-1
6-4
6-4
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Gerald Patterson
6-2
3-6
6-4
4-6
7-5
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Robert Lindley Murray
5-7
6-1
6-2
6-4
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Wallace Johnson
2-6
6-1
6-3
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Bill Tilden
6-4
6-4
6-3
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
6-3
6-3
6-4
Final
Bill Tilden 1 *
Bill Johnston
7-5
8-6
6-1
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Roland Roberts
6-2
6-4
6-2
Preliminary Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
H.D. Warner
6-0
6-1
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
D.W. Westervelt
6-2
7-5
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Allistair H. McCormick
6-4
6-2
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Lucien E. (Luke) Williams
6-4
6-4
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Samuel Howard Voshell
6-2
3-6
6-2
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Louis Harold (Henry) Waidner
6-3
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Walter T. Hayes
6-4
6-2
7-9
5-7
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Bill Tilden
6–0
6–1
4–6
6–2
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Arthur Hoppe
w.o.
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Roland Roberts
6-2
6-2
7-5
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Mervyn Edward Griffin
6-1
6-2
6-1
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Willis Davis
w.o.
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clyde James Curley
6-3
6-8
6-4
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
John Richard Strachan
6-3
0-6
6-1
4-6
6-2
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Howard Notman
6-1
6-0
6-0
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Frank Hunter
6-1
6-4
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Nathaniel Niles
6-2
6-3
6-2
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Leonard A. Beekman
6-2
6-3
6-2
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Watson McLean (Watty) Washburn
6-2
6-2
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Robert Lindley Murray
6-2
6-3
6-1
Final
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Bill Johnston
4-6
6-4
0-6
6-2
6-4
Final
Ichiya Kumagae 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-1
9-7
5-7
2-6
9-7
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Raymond Joseph Greenberg Sr.
6-1
7-5
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Carlton Russell (Carl) Gardner
6-3
6-3
4-6
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
9-7
7-5
6-8
8-6
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Alfred Gahr
6-2
8-6
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
T.McK. Cummings
6-4
4-6
6-1
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dean Mathey
6-2
3-6
6-3
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Willis Davis
6-3
6-2
5-7
6-0
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harold Hackett
6-1
6-2
10-8
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence Cecil (Clarry) Pell
8-6
6-4
6-4
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Douglas S. Watters
6-2
6-1
6-2
Round 4
Bill Johnston 1 *
Karl Howell Behr jr
3-6
6-3
6-2
7-5
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-2
6-1
6-8
5-7
6-1
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Dick Williams jr
5-7
6-4
5-7
6-2
6-2
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Maurice McLoughlin
1-6
6-0
7-5
10-8
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Al Rosenberg
6-1
6-4
Semifinals
Henry van Dyke Johns Jr 1 *
Bill Johnston
4-6
6-4
6-3
3-6
7-5
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Charles Melville Bull Jr.
6-3
6-3
6-4
Round 2
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Bill Johnston
9-7
3-6
6-3
6-3
Round 1
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Raymond Joseph Greenberg Sr.
8-6
3-6
6-1
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Morgan Michael Fottrell
7-5
6-3
Quarterfinals
John Richard Strachan 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
6-2
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
Leon Strauss
w.o.
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
George Gramell Finkenstedt
6-0
6-3
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Carlton Russell (Carl) Gardner
6-4
2-6
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clarence James (Peck) Griffin
6-8
6-1
6-0
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elia Francis Fottrell
6-4
6-0
6-2
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Louis Trasenster
?
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elia Francis Fottrell
6-3
5-7
6-3
6-3
Preliminary Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
George Townsend Adee
w.o.
Round 1
Bill Johnston 1 *
William M. Blair
6-3
6-2
6-2
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
George Colket Caner
8-6
6-1
6-2
Round 3
Dick Williams jr 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-3
6-4
3-6
8-6
Challenge Round
Joseph Curtis (Joe) Tyler 1 *
Bill Johnston
w.o.
Challenge Round
Edward R. McCormick 1 *
Bill Johnston
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Henry Cushman Breck
6-4
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elia Francis Fottrell
6-3
6-4
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
John Richard Strachan
6-1
6-1
3-6
4-6
6-4
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
Clifford McCollum Dineen
6-0
6-2
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Charles N. Beard
6-3
6-1
Quarterfinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Harold Hodge
8-6
8-6
Semifinals
Edward H. Whitney 1 *
Bill Johnston
7-5
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
John Richard Strachan
?
Round 2
Bill Johnston 1 *
G.R. Roberts
6-1
6-0
Round 3
Bill Johnston 1 *
Alfred Damas Kettenbach
6-1
6-3
Quarterfinals
Joseph Curtis (Joe) Tyler 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
7-9
11-9
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Elia Francis Fottrell
6-2
7-5
0-6
3-6
6-3
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Joseph Curtis (Joe) Tyler
6-0
7-5
6-1
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Byron Henry Batkin
6-3
6-4
6-2
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Melville Long
w.o.
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Brandt Howard Wickersham
6-2
6-3
6-2
Challenge Round
Bill Johnston 1 *
Charles E. Foley
w.o.
Quarterfinals
Henry Ward (Ward) Dawson 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-4
6-4
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Henry Ward (Ward) Dawson
6-2
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Melville Long
6-4
6-4
6-3
Semifinals
Bill Johnston 1 *
Gerald C. Young sr
6-1
6-2
Final
Melville Long 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-1
6-2
6-3
Final
Bill Johnston 1 *
Alphonzo Edward Bell sr
6-4
8-10
8-6
Quarterfinals
Maurice McLoughlin 1 *
Bill Johnston
2-6
6-3
6-3
Round 1
Melville Long 1 *
Bill Johnston
6-2
6-2
6-3